Nokia Press Release

Nokia and Yahoo! add Flickr support in Nokia Nseries Multimedia Computers - Easy mobile photo sharing directly from your device

Berlin, Germany and Hong Kong, China - Nokia, the world leader in mobile communications, and Yahoo!, the number one Internet destination, announced that they are making it easy for mobile photographers to upload and add comments to photos directly from their Nokia Nseries multimedia computers to Flickr, the largest online photo sharing community on the Web. Consumers will be able to connect to their online Flickr accounts without the need to download or install any additional applications. The Nokia N93, Nokia N73 and Nokia N72, also announced today, are the first Nokia Nseries devices to support Flickr. “More and more people are using mobile products to access Internet services and applications, which is why we are adding support for services like Flickr to our Nokia Nseries devices,” said Mikko Pilkama, director, Multimedia, Nokia. “Powerful multimedia computers like the Nokia Nseries are the best way to enjoy these new experiences and have them with you all the time. Being able to share a spontaneously captured photo with friends, or even complete strangers, is easy when you have a connected computer sitting in your pocket.”

Nokia Press Release

Adobe and Nokia Join Forces to Bring Consumers a Complete Video Editing Solution - Award-winning Adobe Premiere Elements 2.0 software for video capture, editing and sharing to ship with the new Nokia N93

Berlin, Germany; Hong Kong, China and San Jose, Calif. - Nokia, the global leader in mobility, and Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq: ADBE), have announced that the standard sales pack of the new Nokia N93 mobile device will incorporate Adobe Premiere Elements 2.0 software for Windows XP. With Adobe Premiere Elements 2.0, video captured using the Nokia N93 can now be transferred to compatible desktop PC’s to edit, burn to DVD, and export to other formats for Web streaming and email. Delivered free of charge to Nokia N93 customers, Adobe Premiere Elements 2.0 (valued at US$99.99) will further enhance the video capture and sharing experience.

Apple UK Press Release

Apple Introduces 17-inch MacBook Pro with 2.16GHz Intel Core Duo Processor Up to Five Times Faster Than PowerBook G4

CUPERTINO, California - April 24th, 2006 - Apple today unveiled its new 17-inch MacBook Pro notebook computer featuring the Intel Core Duo processor and an all-new system architecture that delivers up to five times the performance of the PowerBook G4. The new 17-inch MacBook Pro features a stunning aluminium enclosure just one inch thin, weighs only 6.8 pounds, includes a built-in iSight video camera for video conferencing on-the-go, and the breakthrough Front Row media experience with Apple Remote. The new 17-inch MacBook Pro also features a MagSafe Power Adaptor, invented by Apple especially for mobile users. “The 17-inch MacBook Pro delivers the speed and screen area of a professional desktop system in the world’s best notebook design”, said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. “With Intel’s state of the art dual-core processor, the new 17-inch MacBook Pro delivers unrivalled performance in an innovative, sleek, one-inch thin design”.

Lexmark USA Press Release

Lexmark’s new all-in-ones raise the bar on value and ease of use in home printing - New toolbar optimizes printing of Web content

LEXINGTON, Ky. - 04/25/2006 - Lexmark International, Inc. (NYSE: LXK) today introduced three new all-in-one (AIO) printers that deliver industry-leading value and ease of use for the home printing market. The new Lexmark X3470 and X2470 AIOs offer some of the best values in the industry for feature-rich direct photo printing and reliable everyday print, scan and copy functionality. The X3470 and X2470 also include the new Lexmark Web Toolbar, which makes it quick and easy to print pages, text and photos from the Web. The new Lexmark X1270 is the industry’s price-leading AIO, combining high quality printing, scanning and copying in a compact, stylish design. “Our new family of all-in-ones gives your family the capability to do more, whether you are printing homework, Web pages, photos or other everyday documents. These reliable, easy-to-use all-in-ones represent a terrific value,” said Najib Bahous, Lexmark vice president and president of its Consumer Printer Division.

OpenRAW.org Press Release

Will the digital camera you buy tomorrow fairly serve the future of photography? Are today’s camera manufacturers making decisions that may adversely affect the preservation of photographic works for future generations? More than 19,000 digital photographers and preservationists from around the world have now weighed in with opinions on RAW imaging technology, a concept that many compare to a “digital negative.“The OpenRAW initiative (http://www.OpenRAW.org/) is a one-year-old international organization representing the interests of photographers and digital imaging practitioners. From January 31 to March 15, 2006, OpenRAW conducted an international online survey (http://www.OpenRAW.org/survey/) designed to give photographers and other interested parties a voice in the further development of RAW imaging technology. The response was outstanding. During the six-week 2006 RAW Survey, over 19,000 individuals – professional photographers, dedicated amateurs, and other imaging specialists – answered all 25 of the survey’s targeted questions. The average respondent had 19.5 years’ experience in photography.

Buried away in the USA press release for the V610 launch was news of a 6 megapixel update to the Kodak Easyshare-One camera. This wasn’t in the UK version, so I’m not sure yet if it only applies to the US.

Kodak UK have confirmed that there no plans at present for a UK release of the new 6mp version.

Extracted from Kodak USA Press Release

Also introduced today is the next generation of the award-winning EASYSHARE-ONE, the world’s first Wi-Fi consumer digital camera, and the only camera in the world from which people can e-mail pictures. The new KODAK EASYSHARE-ONE 6 MP digital camera combines the power of taking, sharing, organizing, and printing pictures into a single, highly innovative product. Its new WISPr (Wireless Internet Service Provider recommendation) protocol increases the number of hot spot locations to connect anytime, anywhere, wirelessly. The EASYSHARE-ONE 6 MP camera will be available in the U.S. beginning this summer for US$299 (MSRP). The Wi-Fi card is an optional accessory US$99.

VSO Software Press Release

Toulouse. April 26th, 2006—In one click, Image Resizer by VSO Software resizes pictures or changes their format as desired: the reduced file size enables faster loading, improved pictures management and saves storage space. Image files which are smaller in size are more easily sent by email, something difficult to do with the original file size. It is also the perfect tool for webmasters or people wanting to publish images on the internet. Image Resizer handles images in all popular formats: bmp, jpeg, gif, png and can converts them at the preferred resolution (from 320x200 to 1600x1200, including even Ipod photo and video, Sony PSPS, HDTV and DVD). The images will adjust automatically to the size of the desktop or to the source used to display them.

InfoTrends Press Release

Camera Function Tops List of Frequently Used Features on Cell Phones, According to InfoTrends’ Study

(Weymouth, MA) April, 25 2006… According to recent research by InfoTrends, the camera is the most popular mobile application. Although consumers may not be purchasing phones initially for their imaging components, it seems that once they try the camera feature, they are pleasantly surprised by its utility. Of course, as digital cameras on cell phones become more widely available, the function is graduating from a special feature to one of a list of product specifications. InfoTrends’ data shows that 29% of U.S. Internet users now have a camera phone, up from 18% in June of 2005. As the market moves towards an early majority phase, behaviors will change accordingly. For example, the number of images captured per month has been cut by more than 60% from 2004 to 2005. The cause of this decline can be attributed to some consumers no longer purchasing camera phones for “fun” and “spontaneity,” but rather because the handset was the most affordable and had the best overall features.

Gitzo Press Release

Gitzo, revered throughout the world for its precision, quality and innovation in bringing new products to market for both the professional photo and video markets, is proud to introduce the world’s first monopod developed from volcanic rock – the GM2940 Basalt Monopod. In 2005, Gitzo, maker of the original carbon fiber tripods and magnesium alloy photographic heads, introduced their new, exclusive Basalt technology.  The volcanic-based basalt materials used to develop the line of tripods and monopods provide photographers advanced performance and durability at affordable prices. Basalt tripods and monopods are designed to achieve the best performance for camera support applications.  The new line is composed of Gitzo’s innovative fiber tube fabrication capabilities, which were developed for the space program because of the material’s lightweight and insulating fire-proof properties.

The Plugin Site Press Release

April 24, 2006 - The Plugin Site (www.thepluginsite.com) released the MacOS X version of LightMachine, a plugin for performing all kinds of light adjustments in photos. LightMachine combines shadow/highlight, virtual lighting and color-based correction tools for performing sophisticated corrections without the need for time-consuming selections and layer stacks. It lets you selectively correct photos taken under bad light conditions or with inadequate camera settings and achieve results that rival photos taken under the best circumstances. Additionally LightMachine can achieve special effects like glows, sunsets, high key and selective b/w effects, replace one color with another and simulate polarizing filters. LightMachine works in several graphics applications including Photoshop, Photoshop Elements, Illustrator, Painter, Canvas and Fireworks. LightMachine can be applied to 8bit and 16bit RGB images.

JP Distribution, the UK distributor for Mamiya, have today issued the following statement in response to the recent internet news about their sale.

“We have been informed by Mamiya-OP Co., Ltd. that they are to transfer their Optical Equipment Business to Cosmo Digital Imaging Co., Ltd.

The Board of Directors have approved a contract to sell the entirety of the optical instruments business section to Cosmos Scientific Systems Inc. The plan will be put before shareholders at a general meeting scheduled for June 29th, 2006 - and if approval is gained, the transaction will be concluded on September 1st 2006.

This is a positive move for the Mamiya brand. The integration of Mamiya’s design and manufacturing techniques with Cosmo’s digital technology will enable the new organisation to fully exploit future growth opportunities.

Mamiya have confirmed that their forward plans include both professional medium format film and digital cameras.”

The KODAK EASYSHARE V610 zoom digital camera is announced today. The 6 megapixel Kodak V610 is the world’s smallest 10x zoom digital camera. The Kodak V610 will be available in the UK in May 2006 (£349.99 RRP).

Kodak UK Press Release

Kodak Develops World’s Smallest 10X Optical Zoom Digital Camera; Innovative Dual-Lens EASYSHARE V610 Camera Just 0.9 Inches Thick; Proprietary RETINA Dual Lens and Integrated BLUETOOTH Wireless Technologies Change the Rules for Camera Design and Capability

London, April 25 — Eastman Kodak Company today introduced the KODAK EASYSHARE V610 dual lens digital camera, the world’s smallest 10X (38 – 380 mm equiv.) optical zoom camera at less than an inch thick. Using innovative KODAK RETINA Dual Lens technology, the sleek, pocket-size V610 camera precisely combines two SCHNEIDER-KREUZNACH C-VARIOGON all-glass, non-protruding prism lenses to deliver such a long zoom range — a first for a camera so small (just 4.4 x 2.2 x 0.9 inches). The innovative 6-megapixel EASYSHARE V610 camera, with anti-blur technology, can be carried where bigger, bulkier high-zoom digital cameras cannot — in a pocket while skiing, in a small purse during a day on the town, or on a wrist while hiking. The result is the ability to get extremely close, high quality pictures of distant subjects without the obtrusiveness of a larger camera.

Kodak Marks the Fifth Anniversary of Revolutionary EASYSHARE System with a New Wave of Imaging Technologies For the Future - Dual lens BLUETOOTH Technology-Enabled Camera Launched,  Facial Recognition, Context Sorting and Auto Albuming Among Future Kodak Innovations Demonstrated

London, April 25 - Eastman Kodak Company today unveiled the next advances in imaging innovation while marking the fifth anniversary of its first ground-breaking EASYSHARE consumer digital camera and docking system.  Ranging from the market’s first dual lens BLUETOOTHÒ enabled 6 megapixel, 10X optical zoom pocket-size digital camera to facial recognition and auto albuming software, Kodak’s line-up of innovations offer consumers new ways to radically enhance their imaging experience. “Kodak continues to innovate to make the complex simple - delivering new technologies that enrich the consumer experience,” said Julian Baust, UK Country Manager, Eastman Kodak Company. “Today we’re unveiling the next innovations in consumer digital photography that will allow people to take, share and archive pictures in ways they never thought possible.”

Announced at PMA in February, the Nikon Coolpix P4 is Nikon’s top-of-the-range compact camera for 2006 (the Nikon P3 is the same camera with the addition of WiFi). 8 megapixels, a 2.5 inch LCD screen and 3.5x zoom lens are fairly standard features nowadays. More interesting on the Nikon P4 is the introduction of Vibration Reduction, the first time that an optical image stabilisation system has featured on a Nikon compact camera. 16 scene modes and Aperture-priority mode make the Nikon P4 of interest to both advanced photographers and casual snapshooters. Can the Nikon P4 live up to its “Performance” tag? Read the full review to find out.

Website: Nikon Coolpix P4 Review

News has emerged over the weekend that Mamiya, best known for it’s film medium format cameras, is in financial crisis. According to Engadget, the venerable Japanese company is planning to sell its camera division to IT company Cosmos Scientific in September.

“According to reports out of Japan (which we’ve confirmed with our Japanese bureau), Mamiya, best known for its high-end pro equipment, will be selling off its film and digital camera business to focus on other sectors. The company apparently has had “stagnant sales” of its digital models, including its 22-megapixel, $12,000, Mamiya ZD, which was released in Japan in December and in Europe just last month.”

Website: Engadget - Mamiya bailing on camera biz

Website: DPNow - Mamiya medium format camera business in crisis

BenQ Press Release

20 April 2006 - Stylish cameras featuring a large 2.4” TFT LCD screen and 3X Optical Zoom. BenQ unveils two new additions to its digital camera classic line-up, the BenQ DC C530 and C630. Both digital cameras offer an ultra-compact design and versatile feature set, and are ideal for consumers seeking a high-quality multi-function digital camera at an affordable price. In addition, the large 2.4” TFT LCD screen and 480x234 high resolution enable true-to-life, crisp photos with pristine clarity and superb contrast. The BenQ DC C530/C630 is available in the colors red, blue, black, white and silver, respectively. For the European Market the standard color offering will be Black and Silver.

Olympus have released a firmware update, version 1.1, for the Olympus mju 720 SW, a 7.1 megapixel, 3x zoom, 2.5 inch LCD, weatherproof digital camera.

New features in version 1.1:

13 languages (European) added to download service.

Website: Olympus mju 720 SW Version 1.1 Firmware Update

Kodak Press Release

KODAK Service & Support expands into new markets opening offices in Israel, Poland and South Africa

April 24, 2006 - As part of its continual strategy to offer customer and partner support worldwide, KODAK Service & Support, Eastman Kodak Company’s global service organisation, announces the opening of new offices in Israel (Tel Aviv), Poland (Warsaw), and South Africa (Johannesburg). Encompassing the complete product portfolio, Kodak’s field engineers and technical specialists will now provide industry-leading expertise locally in these growth markets, servicing and maintaining document imaging equipment, commercial print equipment and software and storage systems.

DIWA member Steves Digicams have just reviewed the new 6 megapixel Sony DSC-W50.

“I was pleased with the image quality of the W50’s 6M Fine mode. Outdoor images were well-exposed and sharp with true to life colors. Indoor shots are limited to small rooms and small group portraits because of the W50’s limited flash range (13 feet at wide angle) and the lens limited field of view at its full 38mm wide angle. Portraits had realistic skin tones, but the red eye reduction flash mode proved only marginally effective because of its relatively weak power.”

Website: Steves Digicams - Sony DSC-W50 Review

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DIWA member Steves Digicams have taken a look at the new 6 megapixel Sony DSC W30 which offers a 3x optical zoom lens and 2.5 inch LCD screen.

“Shooting performance was quite good for a camera in this class. Power up to first image captured measured just 1.5 seconds. Shutter lag, the time between depressing the shutter release and capturing an image, was less than 1/10 second when pre-focused and 3/10 second including autofocus time; add 1/10 second to those times if using the LCD viewfinder. The shot to shot delay measured a fast 1.1 seconds without the flash and between 1.3 and 4 seconds using the flash, depending on subject distance. Shutter lag when using red eye reduction flash mode measured 8/10 second, during which the LCD viewfinder goes blank; this is another time when you’ll appreciate the W30’s optical viewfinder.”

Website: Steves Digicams - Sony DSC-W30 Review

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