Canon USA Press Release

Companies to Integrate Components of Adobe(r) LiveCycle(tm) for Paper-to-Digital, Security and Print Solutions based on Adobe PDF with imageRUNNER Product Line

London - Sept. 14, 2005 - Canon Inc. (NYSE: CAJ) and Adobe Systems Incorporated (NASDAQ: ADBE) today announced they are working together to develop paper-to-digital scanning, security and print solutions based on Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF). The combination of Adobe LiveCycle and Adobe PDF technologies with Canon’s imageRUNNER multi-function product (MFP) line and imageWARE software products will make it easier for information workers to integrate paper processes into more secure digital workflows. Organisations will be able to bridge the gap between the familiarity and prevalence of paper and the digital world of electronic business processes.

Fuji Photo Film USA Press Release

New Study Reveals Consumer Desire to Print Camera Phone Pictures; Survey Details Consumer Attitudes and Camera-Phone Printing Behaviors

VALHALLA, N.Y.—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Sept. 13, 2005—Fuji Photo Film U.S.A., Inc. today released findings from a camera phone behavior study completed by NPD Techworld, a division of the NPD Group, Inc., revealing that 44.6 percent of participants said they have taken pictures with their camera phone that they wished they had printed. The most commonly noted reasons for not printing these images included image quality, simplicity of process and overall perceived cost.

“Clearly, the camera phone market continues to enjoy a healthy boom,” said Neil Strother, research director for mobile devices for The NPD Group. “Our data show that last year camera phones had penetrated 7 percent of the U.S. market, and now that number is close to 22 percent - a dramatic year-over-year increase of nearly 200 percent. As more megapixel camera phones enter the market and image quality improves, the expectation is that significantly more consumers will want to print the photos taken with these improved products.”

The Sony Cyber-shot M2 digital hybrid camera is announced today. The The Sony M2 is a 5 megapixel diigtal camera which also offers MPEG-4 movies in a stylish upright design (similar to the Sanyo Xacti series of cameras). The Sony Cyber-shot M2 will be available from November 2005, price to be announced.

Sony UK Press Release

Quality still pictures, movie footage and fun playback options - in one stylish device

The Sony Cyber-shot M2 features 5.1 effective Megapixel resolution and a high quality movie mode (MPEG-4 recording) in a stylish, ergonomically designed camera. The Cyber-shot M2 combines the best of both worlds: great quality photography is guaranteed, thanks to the 5.1 effective Megapixel Super HAD CCD, a large and bright 2.5 inch Hybrid LCD screen and a Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar folded-path 3x Optical Zoom lens. In addition, the same device gives you casual movie-shooting capabilities, allowing you to capture up to 50 minutes of good quality footage on a Memory Stick PRO Duo™ with one charge of the supplied InfoLITHIUM battery.  Or why not choose the ‘5 Sec Rec’ mode for a fresh style of snappy movie making.

The Ricoh GR Digital is announced today. The Ricoh GR Digital is an 8 megapixel compact digicam based on the GR Series of 35mm compact film cameras. The GR Digital has a a F2.4 fixed focal length lens equivalent to 28mm and a new GR Engine image-processing system. The Caplio GR Digital will be available from October for £399.99.

Ricoh UK Press Release

Ricoh announces the GR Digital Professional Grade High Resolution Compact Digital Camera

Northampton 2005. September 13 - Ricoh announced today the launch of the GR Digital, a newly developed professional-grade high-resolution compact digital camera. In addition to a CCD with 8,130,000 effective pixels, the new digital camera boasts superb resolution through a newly developed high-performance lens, image-processing algorithms, and other innovations, as well as low noise and low chromatic aberration.

The new GR Digital inherits the superb image quality that made the award winning GR Series (first launched in 1996) of 35mm compact film cameras so popular, as well as the depictive performance to satisfy professional photographers, distilled into a compact 25-mm thin body.

With a high-quality feel and superb expandability, this is the perfect tool for both professional photographers and advanced amateurs.

Colour Confidence Press Release

Projector sales set to rise to 4.5 million per year by 2007 - Fastest selling monitor calibrator adds even more value

Birmingham, UK, August 31st 2005, Colour Confidence, the leading independent colour management specialists, have today announced the impending availability of a free software update for the Spyder2PRO Studio which will introduce the capability of projector calibration. Spyder2PRO Studio with projector calibration capabilities will be available imminently and a free of charge software update can be obtained from www.colourconfidence.com

The upgrade introduces unparalleled colour accuracy to multimedia projectors, meaning users no longer have to adjust their projectors colour with subjective judgements made using the naked eye. As well as correcting the contrast and brightness, the Spyder2 colorimeter and software scientifically measure the Red, Green and Blue chromaticity values of the display screen. Those readings are then stored as custom ICC profiles, and loaded to the video card as calibration corrections.

Website: Read my Spyder2PRO Studio Review

Sony Press Release

2GB Memory Stick: More Memory for Less

SAN DIEGO, Sept. 12 /PRNewswire/—At the end of September, Sony Electronics will offer Memory Stick media in 2GB capacities for about $200 or less. The Memory Stick Pro and the Memory Stick Pro Duo are used to capture and store digital video, images and music files.

Both varieties of the 2GB capacity Memory Stick Pro are available for pre-sale at sonystyle.com, at will be available at Sony Style stores and authorized retailers nationwide.

Scoopt Press Release

Scoopt (http://www.scoopt.com), the world’s first ‘citizen journalism’ picture agency, achieved a treble success in early September.

•    Bristol-based Stephen Bell captured the immediate aftermath of a dramatic car chase, and Scoopt immediately sold his pictures to the ‘Bristol Evening Post’.
•    Scoopt member James Pearson used his cameraphone to photograph and film a commuter train fire at Abbey Wood Station, London. ITV’s ‘London Today’ news programme licensed and broadcast the video
•    Another Scoopt member obtained exclusive pictures of Jodie Kidd’s wedding. Scoopt sold one picture to the Sun, where it was published on Monday 12th.

Westinghouse Digital Press Release

Westinghouse Digital Expands into New LCD Display Market with Digital Photo Frames; Stylish LCD Frame Accepts Six Flash Card Standards Including XD

SANTA FE SPRINGS, Calif.—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Sept. 13, 2005—Westinghouse Digital Electronics, a leading North American LCD TV and monitor provider, today announced its entry into the digital photography marketplace with the introduction of its Digital Photo Frame (model #DPF-0561), allowing multiple photographs to be displayed in a single frame.

The 5.6-inch LCD display is easily customizable to match any home or office decor by attaching the included interchangeable mahogany, black or brushed aluminum frames. Ideal for displaying wedding photos, birthday parties, anniversary celebrations, photos of loved ones, and other special events, the frame allows consumers to create a slideshow or view individual digital snapshots by simply plugging in a digital camera memory card or downloading images from the computer’s hard drive via a USB port.

The Hungarian website Index Digicam have published a range of sample shots taken with a production version of the Fujifilm FinePix S9500 Zoom, a new 9 megapixel digital camera with a 28-300mm lens with twist-barrel zoom control.

Website: Index Digicam - Fujifilm FinePix S9500 Zoom Sample Images

PCMagazine have reviewed the new 5 megapixel Samsung Digimax U-CA5 camera.

“We can’t quibble with the 5.1MP Samsung Digimax U-CA 5’s $250 price tag, but when it comes to features and performance, the camera disappoints. The resolution is in the 4MP range, the menus are clunky, and we noticed a good deal of shutter lag during testing. The market is crowded with consumer cameras vying for your money, and most of them are better than this one.”

Website: PCMagazine - Samsung Digimax U-CA5 Review

Slovenian website Slo-foto.net have just reviewed the Epson P-2000 Multimedia Storage Viewer and Nikon Coolwalker portable storage devices.

Website: Slo-foto.net - Epson P-2000 Multimedia Storage Viewer / Nikon Coolwalker Review

Website: Read my Epson P-2000 Multimedia Storage Viewer Review

The Slovenian website Slo-foto.net have published their review of the Nikon D50, a new affordable 6.1 megapixel digital SLR.

Website: Slo-foto.net - Nikon D50 Review

Website: Read my Nikon D50 Review

Check the Latest Prices for the Nikon D50

Write a Review of the Nikon D50

DIWA member and Spanish website Nuevafotografia have published their review of the 7 megapixel Sony Cybershot DSC-V3.

Website: Nuevafotografia - Sony Cybershot DSC-V3 Review

Check the Latest Prices for the Sony Cybershot DSC-V3

Write a Review of the Sony Cybershot DSC-V3

The Lexmark P450 printer is announced today. The Lexmark P450 is a 4x6 inch photo printer with a unique feature, a built-in CD burner. The Lexmark P450 has an estimated street price of $199 and will ship in the US in October.

Lexmark Press Release

Lexmark Introduces First-Ever Inkjet Photo Printer with Built-In CD Burner

—Lexmark P450 makes it easy to save, organize and share digital memories without a computer –

LEXINGTON, Ky., Sept. 12, 2005—Lexmark International, Inc. (NYSE: LXK) today introduced the Lexmark P450 4x6-inch inkjet photo printer, featuring the industry’s first-ever built-in CD photo burner, giving users a complete photo processing center and easy-to-use digital image archiving system—all with no PC hassle.

Users will find it easy and affordable to transfer images from their camera cards to CDs using the built-in CD burner, creating digital archives on CD that are simple to save, organize and share.

“The Lexmark P450 brings more photo processing functions to the home. People can now save and organize their digital photos on CD, print from a cell phone, view their photos on a television and much more. The Lexmark P450 is quite intuitive, easy to use and affordably priced,” said Najib Bahous, Lexmark vice president and president of its Consumer Printer Division.

A couple of Canadian websites are reporting that Konica Minolta has decided to close its Canadian arm. “Stiff competition” is apparently to blame for the closure. Konica Minolta products will continue to be sold in Canada through distributors.

Website: Digital Home Canada - Konica closes Canadian Camera unit

Website: Graphic Exchange News - Konica shuts down Canadian digital camera operation

DIWA member and Polish website Fotopolis have an exclusive review of 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: Fotopolis - Sony Cyber-shot DSC-R1 Review

ProFotoSoftware Press Release

ProFotoSoftware, the UK based Digital Imaging Software House, today announced their strategy to eliminate the artificial gap created by proprietary (‘Raw’) Image Formats that are produced by many digital cameras.

This gap is the need to firstly ‘develop’ Raw Images into another format before performing the ‘traditional’ image adjustments such as sharpening, altering saturation and so forth. This has led to the creation of many Raw Development packages, of various costs and qualities, which photographers must use before they can access their images.

Said ProFotoSoftware Founder Andy Bell, “It is our intention to bridge the gap caused by Raw Image Formats by seamlessly integrating them into all our image editing products. Our software will no longer require separate treatment of Raw Images before they can be accessed and edited. “

Smugmug Press Release

Smugmug Aims to Conquer the Earth… One Picture at a Time

“Travel and photos go together like peanut butter and jelly. Putting them together was a ‘No duh’ concept,” says Smugmug founder.

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. - Smugmug Inc., the ultimate photo sharing site, has announced the launch of smugMaps – a feature that allows users to combine photos and maps with a click.

“If you’ve been there and done that, smugMaps let you prove it,” said Don McAskill, co-founder and Chief Geek, Smugmug Inc. “Bragging rights aside, it’s a great way to store your photos by location or let your friends and family experience your travels as though they were actually there.”

Fujifilm UK Press Release

Fujifilm sponsors exhibition of legendary photographer Mick Rock’s most iconic work

Fujifilm is to be the official sponsor of legendary music photographer Mick Rock’s major new exhibition, ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Icons: The Photography of Mick Rock’. The exhibition will have its world premiere at the Urbis, Manchester, from 29 September 2005, running until 8 January 2006, and will present the artist’s most iconic portraiture, along with some of his contemporary work, such as Razorlight, Kasabian and The Killers.

The Urbis exhibition will showcase more than 150 images, chronicling intimate moments with some of the world’s greatest rock legends and will include some rare and previously unseen material. Full details can be found at www.urbis.org.uk.

Nikon USA Press Release

Nikon Kicks off the ‘D50 Digital Experience’ Multi-City Road Tour, Proving To Consumers That Incredible Photos are Incredibly Simple to Take with a D50

MELVILLE, N.Y., Sept. 2 /PRNewswire/—This fall consumers in major cities across America will have the chance to see for themselves what the buzz surrounding digital SLR cameras is all about, as Nikon today embarks on a national multi-city road tour to put its newest, lightest and easiest-to-use digital SLR camera - the D50 - directly into the hands of curious consumers. Nikon’s “D50 Digital Experience” tour kicks off today at the St. Louis County Fair and Air Show in St. Louis, Missouri, and will continue on to stops in 11 major cities across the country, helping people experience firsthand how easy taking incredible photos can be using the D50.