The Sigma SD14 digital SLR camera has been announced today via the increasingly popular teaser website tactic. Consequently, only the SD14 name and the rather cryptic “Full Color Capture Direct Image Sensor” have been unveiled. We have a meeting arranged at Photokina with Foveon on the Sigma stand, so assume that the SD14 will have a Foveon sensor. Also revealed is the official announcement date, which is the first day of the show, September 26th. Thanks to Bob van Ooik for the tip.

The Epson Stylus Photo R260 will be available in September for an estimated street price of $129.99. The Epson Stylus Photo R380 and RX580 will be available in October for an estimated street price of $199.99.

Epson America Press Release

Epson Ushers in the Era of Ultra Hi-Definition Photo Printing - New Ultra Hi-Definition Epson Stylus(R) Photo R260 and R380 Printers and Epson Stylus Photo RX580 Photo All-in-One Bring Unparalleled Combination of Image Quality, Longevity and Speed to Home Photo Enthusiasts

LONG BEACH, Calif., Aug. 28 /PRNewswire/—Beginning today, the world of consumer photo printing takes a big step forward with the introduction of three Ultra Hi-Definition photo printers from Epson that deliver the ultimate professional-level prints to the home photo enthusiast at amazing print speeds. The Ultra Hi-Definition product line consists of the Epson Stylus Photo R260 and R380 photo printers, along with the Epson Stylus Photo RX580 photo all-in-one. Using some of the same technology that professionals rely on to produce beautiful and marketable art, Epson’s new Ultra Hi-Definition printers set a new standard in the photo printer category. A key component of the new product line is Claria(TM) ink, the latest breakthrough in Epson’s long line of ink innovations, delivering superior image quality with Ultra Hi-Definition richness, depth and clarity. With Claria ink and a newly designed print head, these products deliver the fastest photo print speeds of any previous Epson model, and print longevity that is superior to lab photos.

Epson America Press Release

New Epson ‘More-in-Ones’ Give Home and Small Office Users the Most Value-Packed Set of Features for Printing, Scanning and Copying - The Epson Stylus® CX5000 and CX6000 Produce Long-Lasting Prints With DURABrite® Ultra Ink, Copy With Ease, Scan at Remarkable Resolutions, and Restore Faded Photos

LONG BEACH, Calif., Aug. 29 /PRNewswire/—Whether printing or copying client-ready documents, enlarging photos for reprints, or restoring color to old photos that have faded over the years, Epson’s new “More-in-One”™ products offer more unique features than any other all-in-ones priced less than $150. The new Epson Stylus CX5000 and CX6000, priced respectively at $99.99 and $149.99 (estimated street prices), provide versatile office and home printing solutions that can be used for everyday printing and a wide range of color and photo projects. “When it comes to choosing an all-in-one for your home or small office that gives you the most ideal combination of performance, quality, ease-of-use, and affordability, nothing beats an Epson—the brand overwhelmingly preferred by professional photographers,” said R. Craig Allen, product manager, consumer ink jet printers, Epson. “Offering more than just printing, copying and scanning, these products have aptly earned the nickname ‘more-in-ones’ because they’re packed with more unique features and benefits for end-users than any other all-in-ones at these prices.”

J.D. Power and Associates Press Release

Brand Loyalty among Digital Camera Buyers Falls Significantly as Increasing Choices Diminish Product Differentiation - Nikon, Kodak, Canon and Olympus Lead the Industry in Satisfying Digital Camera Owners

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif.: 24 August 2006 — As increasing digital camera model offerings challenge perceived product differentiation among consumers, only 26 percent of digital camera buyers say they would purchase the same camera brand in the future—down from 35 percent in 2005, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2006 Digital Camera Satisfaction StudySM released today. The study measures customer satisfaction among buyers of digital cameras in four price segments: $199 or less, $200-$399, $400-$599 and $600 or more.  Overall customer satisfaction has declined to 805 points (on a 1,000-point scale) in 2006—down from 816 points in 2005. Satisfaction is down most significantly among entry-level camera buyers ($199 or less), falling 27 index points from 2005, while satisfaction essentially remains flat compared to 2005 in the $200-$399 and $400-$599 segments.  Satisfaction among buyers in the high-end segment ($600 or more) has increased 12 index points versus 2005.

Toshiba Press Release

TOKYO—Toshiba Corporation today announced that it would launch two new series of SD Cards offering high level data transfer rates and read-write performance. The “high-speed series” will offer a maximum data transfer rate of 5-megabytes (MB) a second, while the “ultra high-speed series” will push transfer rates to as high as 20MB per second, double the rate of any other Toshiba-brand SD Cards. Both series will be rolled out this autumn; initially in Japan in October, and globally in November. In May this year, the SD Card Association introduced the SD Speed Class, defining three minimum data transfer rates for next generation SD Cards: Class 2 supports a minimum data transfer rate of 2MB a second; Class 4 supports 4MB a second; and Class 6 6MB a second. Toshiba is first in the industry to announce the launch of Class 6 products.

Zimbio Press Release

Zimbio Offers Photo Sharing to Members Through KODAK EASYSHARE Gallery

REDWOOD CITY, Calif.—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Aug. 29, 2006—Zimbio (http://www.zimbio.com) today announced the launch of a “Linked Services” feature with KODAK EASYSHARE Gallery, the leading online digital photo service. Users can now easily share photos from their KODAK EASYSHARE Gallery account on Zimbio’s Public Portals. “Zimbio is a great resource for people who want to learn about niche topics such as Skydiving or Green Weddings and we’re thrilled to help people integrate photos into that experience,” said David Westendorf, Senior Director of Partnerships, Kodak Imaging Network, Inc. “By providing companies like Zimbio with our photo sharing services and specialty products, we’re expanding our reach and enriching the social networking experience with photos.”

It seems that the new 10.2 megapixel Sony A100 DSLR camera is doing more than impressing the reviewers - it’s even selling well in Japan, taking market share from Canon and Nikon, according to a report by Bloomberg.

“Sony, which began selling its ``alpha DSLR-A100’’ on July 21, had a 21.6 percent share in the month and a 19 percent share in the three weeks to Aug. 20, compared with the Tokyo-based company’s target for 10 percent of the global market this year, according to data compiled by BCN.”

Website: Bloomberg - Sony Digital SLR Is Third-Best Seller, Takes Share From Canon

Nikonians Press Release

The 1,600 suppliers from 50 countries at this year’s “World of Imaging” Photokina in Cologne, Germany will be joined by the fastest growing international community of Nikon-oriented photographers on the Internet.

(PRWEB) August 29, 2006—Nikonians have been attending the world’s largest photography trade show for more than 40 years. They just didn’t have an internationally recognized name, or a global Internet web-site to help them get organized — until now. It was the Cologne, Germany Photokina in 1960 when the famous Nikon F appeared with praise from a new breed of fans. These fans had to wait nearly 40 years to define themselves under the name Nikonians. The biggest difference between the first Photokina held in Cologne, Germany in 1950 to the 2006 edition is that Nikon is now a major participant and the brand’s users have organized to form a powerful international community. This year, they are not just fans and supporters of the Nikon brand. They are actively promoting excellence in photography by sharing their knowledge through the Nikonians community.

British Surfing Association Press Release

BSA Calls for Iconic Surf Photography to Document Its 40 Year History

The British Surfing Association (BSA), founded in 1966 to promote the sport of surfing and represent the interests of all surfers in Great Britain and the Channel Islands, marks its 40th anniversary this year. To celebrate this fantastic achievement, the BSA is translating the power and magic of the ocean to canvas in an exhibition, which captures the soul of British surfing over the past 40 years through 40 iconic photographs. Beginning today, the BSA is pleased to invite submissions for inclusion in their first ever surf photography exhibition, to be held in London on Thursday 21st September. The BSA’s intention is to involve and include images from any photographers who have unique and inspiring images that have captured the imagination and record an iconic moment in the rich and diverse British surf culture over the past 40 years.

That’s My Monkey Press Release

Topeka, Kansas – August 22, 2006 – Wedding photographer Bruce L. Snell and travel photographer Michael C. Snell have teamed up to create That’s My Monkey, a web-based resource for fellow digital photographers seeking to refine their craft. Drawing from their
decades of experience, the brothers provide tools and techniques to improve digital photos, workflow and business practices for photographers of all levels. What makes That’s My Monkey different is its point of view. The Snell brothers are both working photographers and speak from experience as they discuss what has worked — and not worked — for them as they’ve approached their respective genres. Through blogs and in-depth articles (many in pdf format for convenient printing and archiving) they offer a virtual “ride along” to other photographers interested in improving their skills. The Snells also sell Photoshop actions that they have created to enhance their own workflows.

Ulead DVD MovieFactory 5 Plus will be available in box and electronic versions in retail stores, PC World, Amazon, Dabs etc and at www.ulead.co.uk for £49.99 starting in late August. Users of DVD MovieFactory versions 3 and 4 can upgrade at www.ulead.co.uk

Ulead Systems Press Release

Consumer DVD Authoring Software Now Adds Wide Range Of Disc Burning Function.

Northampton August 24th 2006 - Ulead Systems, Inc., a 16-year industry leader in video, image and DVD software, today announced Ulead DVD MovieFactory® 5 Plus, an enhanced companion to its market-leading DVD MovieFactory 5 standard version.
“When we released DVD MovieFactory 5 in March, it earned high praise for its ease-of-use and intuitive DVD authoring”, said Eldon C. M. Liu, president of Ulead.  “The Plus version offers additional creative content and templates.  Digital media enthusiasts will appreciate the expanded disc burning functionality, multi-format disc copying, support for music DVDs and Blu-ray Direct-to-Disc burning.”

The Archos 404 is priced at $299.99 while the Archos 604 is $349.99, both available in early September.

Archos Press Release

ARCHOS Introduces 404 and 604 Large-Screen Portable Media Players; Perfectly Designed for Portable Video, New Products Feature Large Screens, Playback of All Standard Video Formats in Full DVD Resolution, TV Recording and Video Download Services Support

DENVER—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Aug. 24, 2006—ARCHOS, Inc., a global consumer electronics manufacturer and inventor of the portable video player, introduced today the latest in portable media players with the ARCHOS 404 and 604 models. The new products are a part of the Generation 4 line of portable media players, announced separately today. The first available in the line, the ARCHOS 404 and 604, play back all standard video formats(1), offer extreme portability and feature the most brilliant, award-winning screens in the industry. The new products will support movie downloads from the popular online video services and recording of content directly from the TV or DVD player(2). The new ARCHOS 404 and 604 are priced at $299.99 and $349.99, respectively, with retail availability in early September.

Kodak UK Press Release

New Porous Technology and Streamlined Portfolio Provide Consumers with a Simple, Truly Universal Inkjet Media Solution

London – August 2006—Eastman Kodak Company today announced changes across its entire line of consumer inkjet papers.  By incorporating porous media technology and streamlining the product portfolio, Kodak has improved the usability of the paper and the overall consumer experience. “Kodak inkjet papers provide a universal printing solution with phenomenal results regardless of what brand of printer or ink are used, and based on our new porous technology, they offer an easier out-of-the-box experience, eliminating the guesswork for the consumer,” said Carolyn Walsh, Product Sales Director Digital, Eastman Kodak Company. “Kodak inkjet papers give all inkjet users an effortless way to get beautiful pictures.”

DigitalSecrets Press Release

DigitalSecrets announces the release of the latest and most elaborate eBook in the DSLR series. The new eBook, DSLR: Nikon™ D200 by Peter iNova and Uwe Steinmueller tackles the 10 MP Nikon D200 camera, revealing its many secrets and disclosing the numerous cutting edge features of the camera in a way professionals and advanced enthusiast photographers will appreciate. Unlike prior eBooks, the Nikon D200 title is in a new screen-filling horizontal format with a great number of interactive images that emphasize, animate, compare and illustrate the science, technology and art of digital photography. Embedded in the pages of the PDF eBook are movies that illustrate sequential operations, complex menu choices and time-lapse scenes shot with the camera.

Imatest Press Release

Gamutvision ICC profile visualization/analysis software released

Boulder, Colorado - August 23, 2006 - Imatest LLC announces the release of Gamutvision, a powerful program for visualizing digital color workflows and color management operations. Gamutvision is much more than just a gamut viewer. You can view gamut mappings and rendering intents in depth, and you can preview the effects of workflow settings and materials on your final output.

lynda.com Press Release

lynda.com Releases Secrets to Selling and Publishing Photography Self-Paced Training for Aspiring Professional Photographers - lynda.com, the company specializing in self-paced career and computer training in digital media and design, announced today the release of Secrets to Selling and Publishing Photography.

Ojai, CA (PRWEB) August 29, 2006—lynda.com, the company specializing in self-paced career and computer training in digital media and design, announced today the release of Secrets to Selling and Publishing Photography. Scott Bourne, a professional photographer with over 30 years’ experience, identifies his tried and true methods for starting and maintaining a successful career as a photographer. In Secrets to Selling and Publishing Photography, Scott explains how to make a profitable living in this demanding field by developing a professional identity, setting realistic goals, getting publicity, finding customers, getting published, and working with agents.

Nikon Press Release

Send images straight from the camera to friends across the world, with Nikon’s exciting new service.

TOKYO – Nikon Corporation is proud to announce COOLPIX CONNECT – an exciting service that’s entirely new and completely free of charge, it lets users enjoy photo sharing over the Internet, without the need for computer setup. Surprisingly simple and available with the COOLPIX S7c, COOLPIX CONNECT allows anyone to take a picture, then send it to friends across the world in mere seconds!

Olympus have released a new firmware version, 1.1, for the mju 810 digital camera, which offers faster start-up speed when using an xD-Picture Card.

Website: Olympus mju 810 v1.1 Firmware

Latest Prices / User Reviews

In a brand new series, we cast the spotlight on members of the PhotographyBLOG Gallery and ask them about their photography. The eighth member to sit in the interview chair is gav_davies.

“Without having had any training in photography, the only way I’ve found to improve is by submitting my photos to galleries such as this and getting constructive feedback from other people. I like the fact that you can upload a photo, and get different peoples perspective on your photos that you may not have thought about.”

Website: Gallery Member Spotlight - gav_davies

Luminous Landscape have quickly reviewed both the new 10 megapixel Panasonic LUMIX DMC-LX2 and the ultra-zoom Panasonic DMC-FZ50.

“As can be seen below, ISO 100 is clean, though not without obvious smoothing artifacts when viewed at 100%. (All shots were taken with JPG settings to their lowest levels, and with no post processing). At ISO 200 noise is still suppressed, but artifacting starts to become more noticeable as detail continues to become smoothed over. By ISO 400 noise is evident, though not terrible, as is an even greater amount of detail smoothing and artifacting due to noise reduction (look at the eyelashes). ISO 800 is simply unacceptable to my eye, and 1600 isn’t worth discussing.”

Website: Luminous Landscape - Panasonic LUMIX DMC-LX2 Review

Website: Read our Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX2 Review

Latest Prices / User Reviews