News
The Casio EX-S600 is announced today. The Casio EX-S600 is a 6 megapixel ultra-slim digital camera. An advanced movie mode includes a movie stabilizer function that reduces camera shake when recording movies. The Casio EX-S600 will be available in three colours - silver, blue and orange - in early 2006, price to be announced.
Casio Europe Press Release
CASIO’s EXILIM CARD Boasts Advanced Movie Recording Capability
New Digital Camera Reduces Camera Shake in Movies, Takes Quality Photos
October 24, 2005, Norderstedt - CASIO Europe GmbH, in conjunction with its parent company CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD. announced the release of the latest addition to its EXILIM digital camera series with the EXILIM CARD EX-S600, the next evolution in this popular line of ultra-slim card-sized high resolution digital cameras. In addition to 6 mega pixel photos, a major addition to this line is the EX-S600’s ability to reduce camera shake instantaneously when recording quality MPEG-4 movies.
The Casio EX-S600 is announced today. The Casio EX-S600 is a 6 megapixel ultra-slim digital camera. An advanced movie mode includes a movie stabilizer function that reduces camera shake when recording movies. The Casio EX-S600 will be available in three colours - silver, blue and orange - in early 2006…
Fujifilm UK Press Release
Discover the Fujifilm FinePix S9500 Zoom and win a chance to explore Amsterdam
Visitors to Fujifilm’s new FinePix S9500 Zoom micro-site could be in with a chance of winning a two-night break for two in Amsterdam. The site (http://www.S9500.co.uk) offers users an opportunity to get to grips with the camera’s features by way of clever video footage and moving images - and also includes a simple-to-enter competition, giving one lucky person the chance to win two nights away in the picturesque city of Amsterdam. The online demo is both a useful tool for those considering purchasing the newly-launched digital camera, and an extra resource for current owners seeking help to maximise its key strengths.
Fujifilm UK Press Release Discover the Fujifilm FinePix S9500 Zoom and win a chance to explore Amsterdam Visitors to Fujifilm’s new FinePix S9500 Zoom micro-site could be in with a chance of winning a two-night break for two in Amsterdam. The site (http://www.S9500.co.uk) offers users an opportunity to get to…
DIWA member and Czech website FotoAparat have just reviewed the new Sony Cyber-shot DSC-R1, a 10.3 megapixel compact camera with an APS-C sized sensor that allows for a “live” preview.
Website: FotoAparat - Sony Cyber-shot DSC-R1 Review
DIWA member and Czech website FotoAparat have just reviewed the new Sony Cyber-shot DSC-R1, a 10.3 megapixel compact camera with an APS-C sized sensor that allows for a “live” preview. Website: FotoAparat - Sony Cyber-shot DSC-R1 Review Check the Latest Prices for the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-R1 Write a Review of…
Petteri’s Pontifications has a great article on the fors and againsts of full-frame digital SLR cameras.
“My gut feeling when looking at what’s available now and what it needs to do is that the successor to 35 mm film is, indeed, digital APS-C. Full-frame is a little too hot (most lenses at most apertures and most focal lengths can’t quite keep up with the demands of the format, and the chips are difficult and expensive to produce, at least at the current state of the art), while 4/3 is a little too cold (Olympus has been forced to come out with monster f/2.0 zooms to provide even rudimentary available-light capacity, given the comparatively poor high-ISO performance of at least the current 4/3 sensors), while APS-C is just right—the sensors sharp enough and fast enough for almost any purpose, without putting too burdensome demands on the lenses.”
Website: To Full-Frame or Not To Full Frame?
Petteri’s Pontifications has a great article on the fors and againsts of full-frame digital SLR cameras. “My gut feeling when looking at what’s available now and what it needs to do is that the successor to 35 mm film is, indeed, digital APS-C. Full-frame is a little too hot (most…
Olympus have issued an advisory notice about the recent CCD problem that most other camera manufacturers have reported. The Camedia C-5050 Zoom (pictured) and C-730UZ cameras are the models at risk.
Olympus Advisory Notice Excerpt
It has recently come to our attention that a limited number of C-5050 Zoom and C-730UZ cameras may exhibit the following symptoms:
In picture taking mode, the camera will produce pictures that are of a gray or purple tone or the pictures will becompletely black. If the LCD monitor (or the C-730UZ electronic viewfinder) is used to compose the picture, the preview display will also be dark.
Olympus have issued an advisory notice about the recent CCD problem that most other camera manufacturers have reported. The Camedia C-5050 Zoom (pictured) and C-730UZ cameras are the models at risk. Olympus Advisory Notice Excerpt It has recently come to our attention that a limited number of C-5050 Zoom and…
DCViews have published their review of the Kodak Easyshare V550, a 5 megapixel camera with 3x optical zoom lens and 2.5inch LCD screen.
“The Kodak V550 is equipped with an all glass f/2.8-4.8 36-108mm (eq.) Schneider-Kreuznach lens with aspheric elements and a 3x zoom range, which is quite common in this class of camera. We were quite pleased with the performance of this lens as it shows only very mild barrel distortion at wide angle and no signs of vignetting or blur at all. Images were sharp from corner to corner and well-exposed with nice saturated colours. In bright lighting conditions saturation might prove to be a bit much, but if you prefer more subdued colours you could set colour mode to Low for more realistic results. Noise was not a problem at low ISO settings and even at 400 ISO it should be possible to get prints without too much visible grain. An 800 ISO setting is provided but this can only be used at the smallest resolution (1.8Mp) and noise levels are too high even for standard print sizes.”
Website: DCViews - Kodak Easyshare V550 Review
DCViews have published their review of the Kodak Easyshare V550, a 5 megapixel camera with 3x optical zoom lens and 2.5inch LCD screen. “The Kodak V550 is equipped with an all glass f/2.8-4.8 36-108mm (eq.) Schneider-Kreuznach lens with aspheric elements and a 3x zoom range, which is quite common in…
DIWA member and Norwegian website Digit.no have published their review of the Fujifilm FinePix S9500 Zoom, a new 9 megapixel digital camera with a 28-300mm lens with twist-barrel zoom control (also known as the S9000).
Website: Digit.no - Fujifilm FinePix S9500 Zoom Review
Website: Read my Fujifilm Finepix S9500 Zoom Review
DIWA member and Norwegian website Digit.no have published their review of the Fujifilm FinePix S9500 Zoom, a new 9 megapixel digital camera with a 28-300mm lens with twist-barrel zoom control (also known as the S9000). Website: Digit.no - Fujifilm FinePix S9500 Zoom Review Website: Read my Fujifilm Finepix S9500 Zoom…
DIWA member LetsGoDigital have published their review of the 12.8 megapixel Canon EOS 5D digital SLR.
“Impressive is the Canon EOS 5D certainly where image quality is concerned in combination with the new EF 24-105 f/4 L IS USM lens. The sharpness is outstandingly high and the colour reproduction especially accurate. Picture Style lets you adjust it to your own taste. What’s more is the fact that the new Canon EOS 5D excels on noise and dynamic range. Moreover, ISO 3200 can be used perfectly for high quality prints and in light as well as dark areas the detail remains clearly visible. This is really impressive; you have to see it to believe it. The Canon 5D and the EOS-1D Mark II N are similar in this case. For the competitors it will be a hard nut to crack!”
Website: LetsGoDigital - Canon EOS 5D Review
DIWA member LetsGoDigital have published their review of the 12.8 megapixel Canon EOS 5D digital SLR. “Impressive is the Canon EOS 5D certainly where image quality is concerned in combination with the new EF 24-105 f/4 L IS USM lens. The sharpness is outstandingly high and the colour reproduction especially…
Norwegian website Akam.no have just reviewed the new Samsung Digimax i5, a slim 5 megapixel digital camera with 3x optical internal zoom lens equivalent to 39-117mm and a 2.5” 230K-pixel high resolution LCD.
Website: Akam.no - Samsung Digimax i5 Review
Norwegian website Akam.no have just reviewed the new Samsung Digimax i5, a slim 5 megapixel digital camera with 3x optical internal zoom lens equivalent to 39-117mm and a 2.5” 230K-pixel high resolution LCD. Website: Akam.no - Samsung Digimax i5 Review Check the Latest Prices for the Samsung Digimax i5 Write…
ByteSector have reviewed the HP Photosmart 475 compact photo printer, which can store up to a thousand photos internally on an internal hard drive, eliminating the need to store images on a PC or camera.
“The quality of the prints was variable, but mostly excellent. The colours were vibrant, the edges crisp, perfectly aligned, and felt like a real picture when you examined it closely. The printer ran into trouble when dealing with some very bright objects and with large amounts of foliage or texture outside of the cameras focus (some of this is attributable to the camera used). It is also very important to realign the cartridge whenever you move the printer (this is standard for all inkjet printers) to maintain the acuity of the pictures.”
Website: ByteSector - HP Photosmart 475 Review
ByteSector have reviewed the HP Photosmart 475 compact photo printer, which can store up to a thousand photos internally on an internal hard drive, eliminating the need to store images on a PC or camera. “The quality of the prints was variable, but mostly excellent. The colours were vibrant, the…
Bob Atkins has reviewed the new Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM lens, which features Canon’s latest 3-stop Image Stabilisation system and replaces the existing EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM lens.
“In a brief series of tests consisting of multiple shots taken with the old lens and the new lens at a shutter speed of 1/60s and a focal length of 300mm, the new lens delivered sharper images in almost every case. Not every shot was equally sharp and not every shot was as sharp as it would have been using a tripod, but the new lens definitely gave a higher percentage of higher sharpness images.”
Website: Bob Atkins - Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM Lens Review
Bob Atkins has reviewed the new Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM lens, which features Canon’s latest 3-stop Image Stabilisation system and replaces the existing EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM lens. “In a brief series of tests consisting of multiple shots taken with the old lens and the new lens…
Lone Star Digital have published their review of the new 12 megapixel Nikon D2X digital SLR.
“It certainly looked tempting, but I told him I thought it was “just too expensive”. I’d recently commented to him that I couldn’t see myself spending more than $1,999 on a camera again. Cameras like the Nikon D100, Canon 20D, Olympus E1, Nikon D70, and the pre-D2Hs Nikon D2H (with its big price drop) showed me that it didn’t necessarily require big bucks to buy a high quality digital SLR. My friend paused for a moment. “C’mon, John”, he said. “Think about it ... If not now, when?” “
Website: Lone Star Digital - Nikon D2X Review
Lone Star Digital have published their review of the new 12 megapixel Nikon D2X digital SLR. “It certainly looked tempting, but I told him I thought it was “just too expensive”. I’d recently commented to him that I couldn’t see myself spending more than $1,999 on a camera again. Cameras…
The Czech website Digineff have just reviewed the Panasonic DMC-FZ30. This is an 8 megapixel compact digital camera with a 12x Leica optical zoom lens equivalent to 35-420mm, optical image stabilizer, addition of a manual zoom ring and rotating LCD screen with 235,000 pixels.
Website: Digineff - Panasonic DMC-FZ30 Review
The Czech website Digineff have just reviewed the Panasonic DMC-FZ30. This is an 8 megapixel compact digital camera with a 12x Leica optical zoom lens equivalent to 35-420mm, optical image stabilizer, addition of a manual zoom ring and rotating LCD screen with 235,000 pixels. Website: Digineff - Panasonic DMC-FZ30 Review…
DigitalCameraInfo have just reviewed the Panasonic DMC-FZ30. This is an 8 megapixel compact digital camera with a 12x Leica optical zoom lens equivalent to 35-420mm, optical image stabilizer, addition of a manual zoom ring and rotating LCD screen with 235,000 pixels.
“With a list price of less than $700, the FZ30 is a camera that promises versatility and large images for a lot less money than an SLR. The FZ30 includes Panasonic’s very effective “MEGA Optical Image Stabilization” to combat blur due to camera shake, a vital feature in a camera with a 420mm (equivalent) telephoto range. Panasonic has an excellent reputation for image stabilized compact cameras, compelling those photographers looking for a strong SLR alternative with high resolution to take a hard look at the FZ30. “
Website: DigitalCameraInfo - Panasonic DMC-FZ30 Review
DigitalCameraInfo have just reviewed the Panasonic DMC-FZ30. This is an 8 megapixel compact digital camera with a 12x Leica optical zoom lens equivalent to 35-420mm, optical image stabilizer, addition of a manual zoom ring and rotating LCD screen with 235,000 pixels. “With a list price of less than $700, the…
DPReview have reviewed the Olympus E-500, an 8 megapixel DSLR with a 2.5 inch LCD screen in a body with a classic penta-prism design.
“Pick up the E-500 and it feels immediately familiar, good ergonomics, a comfortable hand grip and a ‘normal’ pentaprism viewfinder mean that although its a whole new mount/sensor system it feels like a traditional SLR (and that’s really important). The more traditional body feels stiffer and better put together than that of the E-300. The E-500 is the lightest (body only) digital SLR available at the moment, but not the smallest, and honestly that’s not a bad thing. The EOS 350D (Digital Rebel XT) is just a little too small, mostly lost to the hand grip which can feel thin and cramped. The E-500 has clearly been designed by people who really go out and use the cameras.”
Website: DPReview - Olympus E-500 Review
DPReview have reviewed the Olympus E-500, an 8 megapixel DSLR with a 2.5 inch LCD screen in a body with a classic penta-prism design. “Pick up the E-500 and it feels immediately familiar, good ergonomics, a comfortable hand grip and a ‘normal’ pentaprism viewfinder mean that although its a whole…
ePhotoZine have published a review of the Nikon D50, a new affordable 6.1 megapixel digital SLR.
“I found it a little difficult to get used to the smaller size and weight of the D50, but found the controls well laid out. The size and weight of the camera can be seen as both a positive and a negative point, depending on the user. Both viewfinder and rear LCD display are clear and bright. The kit lens supplied was the 18-55mm and gave good results. I was impressed by the quality of the camera; I expected a lot less for an entry level DSLR. My only real problem was the silver finish, which I found to mark easily. In longer usage it would start to wear and look tatty.”
Website: ePhotoZine - Nikon D50 Review
Website: Read my Nikon D50 Review
ePhotoZine have published a review of the Nikon D50, a new affordable 6.1 megapixel digital SLR. “I found it a little difficult to get used to the smaller size and weight of the D50, but found the controls well laid out. The size and weight of the camera can be…
The Konica Minolta Dynax 5D is a new entry-level 6 megapixel digital SLR that is currently one of the most compact DSLRs currently available. Highlights of the Konica Minolta Dynax 5D include a large 2.5 inch LCD screen, unique CCD-shift anti-shake mechanism that enables you to take sharp photos at slower shutter speeds than normal and a 9 point auto-focus system. Interchangeability with all Konica Minolta lenses and a range of different picture modes for beginners and experienced photographers alike complete the specification. Perhaps more importantly, all of this is available for an RRP of £599/799 body only or £649/$899 with the 18-70mm kit lens. This drastically undercuts the older and (slightly) higher-spec Konica Minolta Dynax 5D camera and puts the 5D into direct competition with the likes of the Nikon D50, Pentax *ist DL and Canon Rebel XT/350D. So is the Konica Minolta Dynax 5D a better buy than its more expensive, older sibling, and also the other brands that are battling to dominate this rapidly growing sector of the market? Carry on reading to find out.
Website: Konica Minolta Dynax 5D Review
The Konica Minolta Dynax 5D is a new entry-level 6 megapixel digital SLR that is currently one of the most compact DSLRs currently available. Highlights of the Konica Minolta Dynax 5D include a large 2.5 inch LCD screen, unique CCD-shift anti-shake mechanism that enables you to take sharp photos at…
BenVista Press Release
ARNHEM - October 21, 2005 - BenVista today announced to have achieved an agreement of cooperation with Shortcut. In doing so, BenVista takes over responsibility of the Shortcut photo software range, consisting of PhotoZoom Professional, PhotoMagic and PhotoArtist. As of today, these products will be further developed, supported, and sold on-line by BenVista. Shortcut will exclusively focus on retail sales, and continue to publish these products under the Shortcut brand through retail channels.
Together with the software range, also its development and support teams have become part of BenVista. Applying their knowledge and experience, both teams are taking part in fulfilling BenVista’s main focus: developing and improving software.
BenVista Press Release ARNHEM - October 21, 2005 - BenVista today announced to have achieved an agreement of cooperation with Shortcut. In doing so, BenVista takes over responsibility of the Shortcut photo software range, consisting of PhotoZoom Professional, PhotoMagic and PhotoArtist. As of today, these products will be further developed…
Phase One Press Release
Phase One A/S, PhotoPlus East, New York, US (October 20, 2005): Phase One®, the world leader in digital imaging solutions, is proud to announce the world launch of the new P 30 digital back.
Since the announcement of complete openness into the Phase One 18 months’ product roadmap in July this year, photographers have been aware of and waiting for the upcoming launch of three new backs from Phase One — the P 30, the P 45, and the P 21. The P 30 is the first one to see the light of day and it will be launched at the PhotoPlus East show in New York.
Phase One will be represented at the show by their two US partners; Digital Transitions (booth #360) and Calumet Photographic (booth #626), both working out of New York premises. Both partners
will be presenting and demoing the P 30 back to visitors at the show.
The new P 30 camera back contains a 31MP sensor, provides virtually Moiré free shooting — and is therefore aimed at the world’s leading fashion photographers who require sharp, noise-free images with natural colors at all times.
Phase One Press Release Phase One A/S, PhotoPlus East, New York, US (October 20, 2005): Phase One®, the world leader in digital imaging solutions, is proud to announce the world launch of the new P 30 digital back. Since the announcement of complete openness into the Phase One 18 months’…
Phase One Press Release
Phase One A/S, Photo Plus East, New York, US (October 20, 2005): Phase One®, the world leader in digital imaging solutions, is proud to announce a brand new Color Moiré Suppression tool with the latest version of Capture One 3.7.2 PRO and DB (Mac only). The technology behind this tool is patented by Phase One.
With the new Moiré tool, photographers can effectively suppress and remove color Moiré in images from the range of Phase One digital backs listed here:
• H25 and H 20
• All existing and new P-backs
Phase One Press Release Phase One A/S, Photo Plus East, New York, US (October 20, 2005): Phase One®, the world leader in digital imaging solutions, is proud to announce a brand new Color Moiré Suppression tool with the latest version of Capture One 3.7.2 PRO and DB (Mac only). The…