News
Adobe UK Press Release
Adobe Revolutionises Post-Production Workflows with All-New Adobe Production Studio, Includes Powerful New Versions of After Effects, Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe Audition, Adobe Encore DVD; Introduces Adobe Dynamic Link; and Delivers Advanced Flash Video Support
London. — January 17, 2006 — Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) today unveiled Adobe® Production Studio, an extension of the Adobe Creative Suite family of products. The most complete post-production software solution available today, Adobe Production Studio combines full new versions of Adobe’s world class video and graphics applications—Adobe After Effects® 7.0, Adobe Premiere Pro® 2.0, Adobe Audition® 2.0, Adobe Encore® 2.0 (also announced today, see separate releases) and the latest versions of Adobe Photoshop® CS2 and Adobe Illustrator® CS2—with time-saving innovations such as Adobe Dynamic Link that deliver a highly efficient workflow experience. Adobe Production Studio also integrates Flash video (FLV) export capabilities to provide video professionals with a new, fluid method of delivering content to the Web using this ubiquitous web video standard.
Adobe UK Press Release Adobe Revolutionises Post-Production Workflows with All-New Adobe Production Studio, Includes Powerful New Versions of After Effects, Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe Audition, Adobe Encore DVD; Introduces Adobe Dynamic Link; and Delivers Advanced Flash Video Support London. — January 17, 2006 — Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) today unveiled…
Sony UK Press Release
Instant digital prints anytime anywhere with Sony SnapLab ™
Revolutionary desktop photofinishing solution delivers new revenue opportunities for traditional and opportunistic photo printing channels
Basingstoke, 16 January 2006 – Sony today announced SnapLab™, a brand new desktop photofinishing solution designed to meet increasing consumer demand for digital photographs. SnapLab enables retailers to provide consumers with photographic-quality printed images via the ultra-small and ultra-light printer package – and at a price both parties can afford. This latest addition to the “Print by Sony” product family means that Sony provides solutions for every link in the digital photography value chain, from image capture to instant print.
Sony UK Press Release Instant digital prints anytime anywhere with Sony SnapLab ™ Revolutionary desktop photofinishing solution delivers new revenue opportunities for traditional and opportunistic photo printing channels Basingstoke, 16 January 2006 – Sony today announced SnapLab™, a brand new desktop photofinishing solution designed to meet increasing consumer demand for…
Ricoh have released a new firmware update for their 4 megapixel Ricoh Caplio RZ1 camera, which is nearly 18 months old now (veritably ancient in the digital world).
Improvements in v1.06:
Corrected the error that a time setting in a camera may be reset when you transfer images to a computer.
Website: Download the Ricoh Caplio RZ1 v1.06 Firmware Update
Ricoh have released a new firmware update for their 4 megapixel Ricoh Caplio RZ1 camera, which is nearly 18 months old now (veritably ancient in the digital world). Improvements in v1.06: Corrected the error that a time setting in a camera may be reset when you transfer images to a…
DIWA member Steves Digicams have reviewed the Nikon Coolpix S3, a 6 megapixel update of the S1 and S2. The Nikon S3 has a 3x 35-105mm zoom lens and 2.5 inch monitor.
“The S3 is a responsive performer. Power up to first image captured measured 2.5 seconds. Shutter lag measured 1/10 second when pre-focused and 5/10 second including autofocus time; both measurements include the slight delay in the LCD viewfinder’s live image. The shot to shot delay averaged about 2 seconds between frames without the use of the flash and between 2 and 5 seconds with the flash, depending on subject distance. When using red eye reduction flash mode, the LCD blanks during the pre-flash, a critical period of about one second. The LCD also goes blank and the camera freezes while the flash is recharging.”
DIWA member Steves Digicams have reviewed the Nikon Coolpix S3, a 6 megapixel update of the S1 and S2. The Nikon S3 has a 3x 35-105mm zoom lens and 2.5 inch monitor. “The S3 is a responsive performer. Power up to first image captured measured 2.5 seconds. Shutter lag measured…
DCResource have published their review of the 12.8 megapixel Canon EOS 5D digital SLR.
“As you’d expect, the 5D starts up almost instantanelously. As soon as you flip the power switch you’re ready to go. Autofocus speeds will vary a bit depending on yoru choice of lens, but on the lenses I used the most (16-35 and 50 mm), the cmaera focused very quickly. Straight out of the box the 5D isn’t very good at low light focusing, and that’s becuase there’s no AF-assist of any sort (either with the flash or a dedicated lamp). Instead, you’ll need to use the AF-assist beam on whatever external flash you’re using with the camera. I didn’t have a Canon flash to test this with (believe it or not), so I can’t say how well the camera performed with one.”
Website: DCResource - Canon EOS 5D Review
DCResource have published their review of the 12.8 megapixel Canon EOS 5D digital SLR. “As you’d expect, the 5D starts up almost instantanelously. As soon as you flip the power switch you’re ready to go. Autofocus speeds will vary a bit depending on yoru choice of lens, but on the…
Nature photographer Bjørn Rørslett has just published a detailed review of the new 10.2 megapixel Nikon D200 digital SLR camera.
“The Nikon D200 establishes itself firmly as the much longed-for “digital” F100. Alternatively, it can be seen as a wolf in lamb’s clothing. You get an image quality within a hair’s width of the D2X, Nikon’s current digital flagship. In some aspects the D200 performs even better, for example, ISO noise is slightly lower over much of the range and the risk of blown highlights is subtly reduced when the camera is run on automatic metering modes. On the other hand, D2X excels in terms of sheer ruggedness, better auto white balance, faster shooting speeds, HSC (High-Speed Crop) feature, and handling, although consideration of the latter surely is up to the end user. You get a very decent viewfinder, excellent AF performance, GPS support just like the professional big brothers (D1H, D1X, D2Hs, D2X), and a metering system that you can rely on. Plus the opportunity to switch from having a small, neat camera for long hikes to a bigger unit with the bolt-on MB-D200 power grip.”
Website: Bjørn Rørslett - Nikon D200 Review
Nature photographer Bjørn Rørslett has just published a detailed review of the new 10.2 megapixel Nikon D200 digital SLR camera. “The Nikon D200 establishes itself firmly as the much longed-for “digital” F100. Alternatively, it can be seen as a wolf in lamb’s clothing. You get an image quality within a…
TrustedReviews have published their review of the new Sony DSC-H1 digital camera. The DSC-H1 has a 12x optical zoom lens (equivalent to 36-432 millimeters), 5 megapixel CCD and 2.5 inch LCD screen.
“This may be Sony’s first SLR-style camera, but it is a very accomplished debut. It is quite large compared to its direct competitors, but it has a comfortable ergonomic design reminiscent of the Fuji S20 Pro or Nikon 8800. The body is strong polycarbonate plastic over a metal chassis, but the lens barrel is all metal. It has a large comfortable rubberized handgrip with a sculpted thumb rest on the back. The controls are sensibly laid out and easy to operate, and the big 2.5in 115KP LCD monitor is bright and clear, although rather vulnerable to scratches and finger marks.
However the most eye-catching feature, and the camera’s main selling point, is its huge 12x optical zoom lens, equivalent to a whopping 36-432mm on a 35mm camera. Like many recent super-zoom cameras, it also features optical image stabilization, essential when using a lens of this size.”
Website: TrustedReviews - Sony DSC-H1 Review
TrustedReviews have published their review of the new Sony DSC-H1 digital camera. The DSC-H1 has a 12x optical zoom lens (equivalent to 36-432 millimeters), 5 megapixel CCD and 2.5 inch LCD screen. “This may be Sony’s first SLR-style camera, but it is a very accomplished debut. It is quite large…
The Samsung GX-1S digital SLR is unveiled today. DIWA member and Norwegian website Digit.no has the scoop on the new Samsung GX-1S digital SLR camera. The Samsung GX-1S is a 6 megapixel digital camera that uses the Pentax lens mount and the new Schneider D-XENON lenses. The GX-1S has a large 2.5 inch LCD screen, ISO range of 200-3200 and continuous shooting speed of 2.8 fps up to 8 frames in JPEG mode. If it looks at all familiar to you, that’s because the GX-1S is a rebadged version of the Pentax *ist DS2. Digit.no have kindly sent us the English version of the full specification for the Samsung GX-1S - just click the Read the Full Story link below to view the spec, full press release and larger pictures.
The Samsung GX-1S digital SLR is unveiled today. DIWA member and Norwegian website Digit.no has the scoop on the new Samsung GX-1S digital SLR camera. The Samsung GX-1S is a 6 megapixel digital camera that uses the Pentax lens mount and the new Schneider D-XENON lenses. The GX-1S has a…
Think Tank Photo Press Release
Airport Security Designed to Alleviate Photographers’ 4 Greatest Fears
SANTA ROSA, CALIF – For photographers, having to check their gear before boarding an airliner or leaving it unattended at a shoot exposes them to one of their greatest fears: the theft of their equipment and possibly their livelihood. Think Tank Photo’s new Airport Security rolling carry-on bag (www.thinktankphoto.com) not only allows photographers to roll their bodies, lenses, and accessories onto an airliner and legally store them in an overhead bin, it features front- pocket and main compartment combination locks and a cable from a secret rear hatch that allow them to secure their bag to posts, trees, and other immovable objects.
Think Tank Photo Press Release Airport Security Designed to Alleviate Photographers’ 4 Greatest Fears SANTA ROSA, CALIF – For photographers, having to check their gear before boarding an airliner or leaving it unattended at a shoot exposes them to one of their greatest fears: the theft of their equipment and…
The Plugin Site Press Release
January 16, 2006 - The Plugin Site (www.thepluginsite.com) is pleased to announce the release of the MacOS X versions of FocalBlade. FocalBlade is a Photoshop-compatible plugin for sharpening photos for screen display and printing and for producing great looking blur, soft focus and glow effects on 8bit and 16bit images. FocalBlade sharpens photos without amplifying noise or artifacts and produces impressive sharpening results even on low quality images. It can be used with a wide range of graphics applications, e.g. Photoshop, Photoshop Elements, Illustrator, Painter, Fireworks, Canvas, Photoline and GraphicConverter.
The Plugin Site Press Release January 16, 2006 - The Plugin Site (www.thepluginsite.com) is pleased to announce the release of the MacOS X versions of FocalBlade. FocalBlade is a Photoshop-compatible plugin for sharpening photos for screen display and printing and for producing great looking blur, soft focus and glow effects…
Pantone Press Release
New Pantone(R) huey(TM) Improves Color and Solves Digital Image Problems on Monitors; Family of Monitor Color Correction Tools Delivers Accurate Digital Images, Intensifies Online Gaming, Enhances e-Commerce and Web Experiences
CARLSTADT, N.J.—Jan. 16, 2006—Pantone, Inc., the global authority on color and provider of professional color standards for the design industries, today announced the availability of huey(TM), an easy-to-use monitor calibration tool designed for digital photo enthusiasts, gamers and any computer user wanting absolute color and clarity.
Developed in partnership with GretagMacbeth and brought to market by Pantone, huey is based on GretagMacbeth’s technology for professional-level products and delivered in an easy-to-use, affordable device—a true breakthrough in terms of form, function and usability. About the size of a small marker, huey delivers excellent results on LCD, laptop and CRT displays without requiring users to have any knowledge of color management. In addition, huey is the first monitor calibration device to continually adjust the monitor as room lighting changes.
Pantone Press Release New Pantone(R) huey(TM) Improves Color and Solves Digital Image Problems on Monitors; Family of Monitor Color Correction Tools Delivers Accurate Digital Images, Intensifies Online Gaming, Enhances e-Commerce and Web Experiences CARLSTADT, N.J.—Jan. 16, 2006—Pantone, Inc., the global authority on color and provider of professional color standards for…
Colour Confidence Press Release
Birmingham UK, 16th January, 2006 - Colour Confidence, the leading independent colour management specialists, have today announced their appointment as distributor of the complete range of PANTONE®/gretagmacbeth monitor calibration devices. This includes the all new huey™, Eye-One® Display LT and Eye-One Display 2. This family of products completely breaks though barriers of cost and complexity that have kept many potential users away and also provides a migration path for users as their needs grow. They are all available immediately from www.colourconfidence.com
“Colour Confidence is the single largest Colour Management operation in the United Kingdom. They are focussed on colour management and possess the most comprehensive source of knowledge in that area,” commented Helmut Eifert, vice president of European Operations at Pantone. “Partnering with Colour Confidence means the widest possible audience will have access to the complete range of Pantone products, including the new family of monitor calibration devices.”
Colour Confidence Press Release Birmingham UK, 16th January, 2006 - Colour Confidence, the leading independent colour management specialists, have today announced their appointment as distributor of the complete range of PANTONE®/gretagmacbeth monitor calibration devices. This includes the all new huey™, Eye-One® Display LT and Eye-One Display 2. This family of…
Just Rams Press Release
Just Rams Adds a Splash of Colour to Your Life
London, 16 January 2006 – Just Rams Plc today announces five colourful new additions to its USB 2.0 Drive range, the Integral USB 2.0 SPLASH Drives. Available in blue, green, yellow, pink and lilac, and incorporating Windows™ compatible Security and ZIP compression software makes the Integral USB 2.0 SPLASH Drives a safe and stylish way of moving files between school or college, office and home.
- Integral launches Five New Colourful USB 2.0 SPLASH Drives
- Windows™ Compatible Security and ZIP Compression Software
- Available with a 128MB, 256MB, 512MB, 1GB or 2GB capacity
Just Rams Press Release Just Rams Adds a Splash of Colour to Your Life London, 16 January 2006 – Just Rams Plc today announces five colourful new additions to its USB 2.0 Drive range, the Integral USB 2.0 SPLASH Drives. Available in blue, green, yellow, pink and lilac, and incorporating…
Light Crafts Press Release
LightZone for Macintosh most significant advance in digital photo editing in more than a decade.
Palo Alto, CA & San Francisco Macworld Expo 2006 (PRWEB) January 13, 2005—Light Crafts, Inc. today announced that it’s breakthrough photo editing software – LightZone for Macintosh – has received a “Macworld Best of Show Award,” representing the most exciting hardware and software products announced at Macworld Conference & Expo in San Francisco. LightZone provides a complete photo editing tool that significantly reduces the time photographers spend after a shoot, producing high quality photographs. LightZone offers photographers an advanced RAW editing experience that is easy to use while delivering a highly integrated editing environment that produces professional results.
Light Crafts Press Release LightZone for Macintosh most significant advance in digital photo editing in more than a decade. Palo Alto, CA & San Francisco Macworld Expo 2006 (PRWEB) January 13, 2005—Light Crafts, Inc. today announced that it’s breakthrough photo editing software – LightZone for Macintosh – has received a…
Photo.net have reviewed the Tamron AF55-200mm F/4-5.6 Di II MACRO LD lens. The Tamron 55-200mm lens is designed for digital SLR cameras with APS sized (24mm x 16mm) sensors.
“The Tamron AF 55-200mm Di II LD Macro is clearly aimed at a narrow - but significant - market segment. That’s the people who have bought a DSLR with an included 18-55mm “kit lens” and now find that they’d like something longer than 55mm. Now some people won’t blink at paying hundreds of dollars (if not thousands…) for fast, “L” series glass, and some won’t mind carrying lenses which are significantly larger and heavier than the Tamron AF 55-200mm Di II LD Macro. However there’s certainly a good number of new DSLR owners who will be looking for something small, light and fairly inexpensive, and the Tamron AF 55-200mm Di II LD Macro fits that bill.”
Photo.net have reviewed the Tamron AF55-200mm F/4-5.6 Di II MACRO LD lens. The Tamron 55-200mm lens is designed for digital SLR cameras with APS sized (24mm x 16mm) sensors. “The Tamron AF 55-200mm Di II LD Macro is clearly aimed at a narrow - but significant - market segment. That’s…
Luminous Landscape have just reviewed the new PrintFIX PRO profiling system from ColorVision.
“If one wishes a reasonable match between one’s inkjet printer results and monitor, as well as maximal print quality, it is best to have a color managed system, in which ICC profiles act as a “translator” between the various ways that these devices interpret colors. These profiles may be supplied with the devices, purchased, or one may generate them with appropriate equipment. There are various approaches, but it is generally accepted that specialized hardware, designed for the purpose, does the best job. In years past this was very expensive, but prices have fallen dramatically in recent years for monitor colorimeter based systems, and now this is also true for hardware based printer profiling.”
Luminous Landscape have just reviewed the new PrintFIX PRO profiling system from ColorVision. “If one wishes a reasonable match between one’s inkjet printer results and monitor, as well as maximal print quality, it is best to have a color managed system, in which ICC profiles act as a “translator” between…
DigiCamReview have reviewed the Ricoh Caplio R3, a 5 megapixel compact camera with a 7x optical zoom lens equivalent to 28-200mm and vibration correction of the CCD.
“The camera is very easy to use, especially in AUTO mode, or one of the scene modes, even though the camera has a lot of options. The controls on the back of the camera are quite straight forward - the menus are very responsive and easy to read and navigate. The menus are also easy to use, and the options are big enough and easy enough to see clearly. The modes are easy to access, quick and simple, mainly thanks to the right number of dials and buttons on the camera (the adjust button making it especially easy to get to regularly used options). Most functions can be worked out without having to refer to the manual.”
Website: DigiCamReview - Ricoh Caplio R3 Review
Website: Read my Ricoh Caplio R3 Review
DigiCamReview have reviewed the Ricoh Caplio R3, a 5 megapixel compact camera with a 7x optical zoom lens equivalent to 28-200mm and vibration correction of the CCD. “The camera is very easy to use, especially in AUTO mode, or one of the scene modes, even though the camera has a…
Nikon announced earlier this week that they are ending production of virtually all of their film-based cameras and lenses, with the exception of the new F6, the manual FM10 and a few manual lenses. More than 95% of Nikon’s UK business now comes from digital, with digital SLRs like the D50 and D70 helping to increase the Japanese giant’s recent profit levels. Do you think Nikon’s decision is just an inevitable sign of the times, with announcements from other companies on the way soon? Are you saddened by this announcement, or is it just more water under the bridge? Shout out now…
Nikon announced earlier this week that they are ending production of virtually all of their film-based cameras and lenses, with the exception of the new F6, the manual FM10 and a few manual lenses. More than 95% of Nikon’s UK business now comes from digital, with digital SLRs like the…
Here are the stand-out news stories from the last 7 days:
New Cameras
Nikon Ends Film Camera Sales
Hasselblad H2D-39 39 Megapixel Camera
Ricoh Caplio R30
New Accessories
ColorVision Spyder2Express
Epson Stylus CX5800F Multifunction Printer
Wacom Intuos3 Widescreen 12x19 Pen Tablet
New Software
Adobe Lightroom
ACDSee Pro Photo Manager Now Shipping
Apple iLife ‘06
Other Headlines
See Your LCD Screen in Bright Sunlight
Planet82 SMPD Image Sensor to Spell the End of Flash?
CompactFlash Transfer Rate Reaches 133MB/sec
Here are the stand-out news stories from the last 7 days: New CamerasNikon Ends Film Camera SalesHasselblad H2D-39 39 Megapixel CameraRicoh Caplio R30 New AccessoriesColorVision Spyder2ExpressEpson Stylus CX5800F Multifunction PrinterWacom Intuos3 Widescreen 12x19 Pen Tablet New SoftwareAdobe LightroomACDSee Pro Photo Manager Now ShippingApple iLife ‘06 Other HeadlinesSee Your LCD Screen…
The winners of the December 2005 PhotographyBLOG Competition have now been decided. The theme for December was “Age” - you can view all of the entries in this gallery. Here are the 5 winners:
1st Place
“A Day In The Life” by garybowers
View this entry
ShutterPoint.com one-year subscription with 100 megabytes of storage space
Kindly donated by ShutterPoint.
http://www.shutterpoint.com
The winners of the December 2005 PhotographyBLOG Competition have now been decided. The theme for December was “Age” - you can view all of the entries in this gallery. Here are the 5 winners: 1st Place “A Day In The Life” by garybowersView this entry ShutterPoint.com one-year subscription with 10…