Delsey Press Release

A New Line of Bags Truly for the Get Up and Go Shooter

Ramsey, NJ (September 7, 2005) – It’s a fact; digital camera technology just keeps getting smaller. Changing with the times, Delsey has cut out the bulk and crafted its line of GOPIX bags and cases around the evolving technology and the user, providing carrying solutions that make it easier to get up and go without being weighed down by a large unnecessary bag. As with all Delsey products, each GOPIX bag and case is designed focusing on three core ideals which have become the hallmark of the Delsey brand; protection, function and style.

GOPIX 50
The new GOPIX 50 is suitable for compact digital cameras, video cameras or even a CD player. The GOPIX 50 has enough storage for six CDs and features external zippered side pockets and an opening for an earphone connection. The bag is very light, weighing approximately .60 pounds and, like the entire GOPIX line, features a compact design with measurements of 4” (L) x 2 3/4” (W) x 6” (H).

MAGIX Press Release

MAGIX PHOTOSTORY ON CD & DVD 4 TURNS PHOTO COLLECTIONS INTO MULTIMEDIA SLIDESHOWS

September 6, 2005, Miami, FL – MAGIX, the worldwide leader in music and video editing software1 announced today the new MAGIX Photostory on CD & DVD 4.  MAGIX Photostory on CD & DVD 4 gets more out of digital camera, mobile phone, video, and film camera snapshots.  By automatically fixing photos and adding exciting 3D transitions, fades, effects and sounds, the software turns simple photo collections into sophisticated multimedia slideshows.  Slideshows can then be easily burned onto CD or DVD and viewed on any TV or computer screen.  MAGIX Photostory on CD & DVD 4 will be available in stores for $39.99 starting September 15th and online at www.magix.com starting September 8th.

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-R1 digital camera is announced. The Sony DSC-R1 is a 10.3 megapixel compact camera with an APS-C sized sensor that allows for a “live” preview, making it unique. The Sony DSC-R1 has a 24mm - 120mm lens, 2 inch LCD screen and electronic viewfinder. The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-R1 will retail for $999 / approx £699.

Sony Press Release

SAN DIEGO, Sept. 8, 2005 - Sony intends to create a new benchmark in digital photography with the introduction of its high-end Cyber-shot® DSC-R1 camera.

The Cyber-shot® R1 camera is the world’s first integrated lens digital still camera to combine a professional-grade, 10.3-megapixel image sensor and the flexibility of live preview while shooting. With its ultra-wide Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* zoom lens (24mm - 120mm) and free-angle, two-inch LCD, the Cyber-shot R1 brings professional level imaging performance to mainstream consumers.

“The R1 represents a breakthrough in digital camera technology and construction,” said James Neal, director for digital imaging products at Sony Electronics. “You can grab this camera and go, confident that you will be prepared for a wide range of shooting situations. Its many convenience features and exceptional performance can not easily be matched with a typical consumer-level digital SLR.”

Corel Paint Shop Pro X and Corel Photo Album 6 software is announced today. Available for $129 US / £85, Corel Paint Shop Pro 10 includes Corel Photo Album 6 - Standard Edition, Pixmantec RawShooter essentials, two hours of free lynda.com video instruction and a printed user manual. Corel Photo Album 6 - Deluxe Edition is available for $49 US / £25. It includes PhotoRecovery software ($29 value), Xtras Scrapbook Templates, Volumes I and II ($40 value), Pixmantec RawShooter essentials, and a printed user guide.

Corel Press Release

Corel Corporation Announces Corel(R) Paint Shop Pro(R) X and Corel(R) Photo Album(TM) 6; Digital Imaging Software Sets New Standard in Ease of Use, Discoverability of Features
 
OTTAWA—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Sept. 6, 2005—Corel Corporation today announced the release of Corel(R) Paint Shop Pro(R) X and Corel(R) Photo Album(TM) 6, two major new products from Corel’s digital imaging portfolio and the first versions of the software to be introduced since Corel’s acquisition of Jasc in October 2004. Corel Paint Shop Pro X and Corel Photo Album 6 will be widely available through Corel’s global channel partners over the coming weeks and through www.corel.com starting today. This is the first simultaneous worldwide shipment in the product line’s history.

The Ricoh Caplio R3 digital camera is announced. The Ricoh R3 is a 5 megapixel compact camera with a 7x optical zoom lens equivalent to 28-200mm. The R3 also features vibration correction of the CCD. The Ricoh Caplio R3 will be available in both black and silver colour. Price and availability to be confirmed.

Ricoh UK Press Release

The Caplio R3: A pocket-sized digital compact that combines the 7.1x optical zoom with vibration control.

London 2005. Ricoh announces the launch of the Caplio R3 compact digital camera. This new model features a 7.1x optical wide zoom - the largest in its class *  – and a vibration correction function.

* Among digital cameras lighter than 150g as of Aug 29th          

With a smaller body, the new Caplio R3, has a 7.1x (28—200 mm) wide-angle, high-powered zoom lens - the biggest in its class. The lens was created by adopting the newly developed Double Retracting Lens System, an advance on the highly successful Retracting Lens System, the original lens storage system engineered by Ricoh for its innovative products. Moreover, to address blurred images caused by hand movement inherent to long focal ranges, the Caplio R3 avoids this problem in telephoto, macro, or indoor shots with the addition of a vibration correction function.

Professional Photography Industry Establishes Relief Fund to Aid Colleagues Devastated by Hurricane Katrina

DEERFIELD, ILLINOIS – In response to the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina, members of the professional photography trade have established a relief effort to help industry colleagues get back on their feet.  The P.H.O.T.O. Foundation (Photographic Industry Helping Others To Overcome) aims to rally industry support in the form of financial contributions, loaned equipment, extended billing and payment arrangements, and in-kind services to help photographers rebuild their businesses.  Donations may be mailed to: P.H.O.TO. Foundation, PO Box 611, Deerfield, IL 60015.

Creation of the foundation was inspired by the story of Neil Hurd, owner of Neil Hurd Photography in Metairie, Louisiana. On August 31, Hurd called his friends at Zookbinders Inc. in Deerfield, Illinois, to let them know he was safe.  Karyn Newman, the album company’s key customer representative, learned that Hurd and his wife had evacuated, but lost everything in the storm – all of his photography equipment, files and portraits.  Hurd estimates it will take more than a year to rebuild his 27-year-old business.

Phase One Press Release

Copenhagen, Denmark: Phase One®, a world leader in professional digital imaging camera backs and software, is pleased to announce that the Capture One™ RAW Workflow Software is now available for sale in Apple® Store Europe.

Phase One’s popular RAW workflow software Capture One PRO is now available for on-line sales in Apple Store Europe. Trine Voss, VP Capture One sales & marketing states: “We are of course pleased that Apple Store Europe has shown an interest in our product. Apple is without a doubt one of the most respected brands in the digital photographic industry, and it makes a lot of sense for us to sell Capture One RAW workflow to Apple’s wide range of professional users. Phase One’s digital back sales have shown us that the majority of the high-end professional market chooses Mac OS as their preferred operating system, we are confident that they will also choose Capture One PRO as their preferred RAW workflow.”

THE pod INDUSTRIES Press Release

THE pod INDUSTRIES Partners with Bogen Imaging to Deliver Contemporary Photo Gear in the United States

Ramsey, NJ (September 6, 2005) – THE pod INDUSTRIES, creators of the breakthrough pod™ camera platform for digital cameras and mini-DV cameras, has teamed up with Bogen Imaging to act as the exclusive distributor of THE pod products in the U.S.

Designed with durability and portability in mind, THE pod is a camera platform that can be taken anywhere and setup on virtually any surface. Small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, THE pod can be used at home or on the road by simply attaching any camera or camcorder to its universal locking bolt.  Boasting a unique design similar to that of a hockey puck, THE pod contains plastic beans, is Velcro-sealed and is the ideal solution for situations where a tripod is not allowed. Images taken with THE pod offer a wider variety of angles, sharper photographs and better overall saturation than that of handheld shots.

Just Show Me How Press Release

September 7th, 2005—Last season’s sold out Just Show Me How Pro tour is back, with new tips, new techniques, and new ideas for your digital photography workflow. World-renowned photographer, author, and teacher, Kevin Ames, will educate and entertain you as he shares the secrets of professional workflow. Kevin is the newest associate of Blue Pixel Digital Experts, leading photographers and consultants committed to teaching digital photography from an unbiased, real world perspective. The tour begins on October 2nd in Miami, and travels to eight U.S. cities through the beginning of December.

This one-day seminar will take professional photographers through what to do with all of those digital files after the photo has been captured. Kevin covers the ins and outs of downloading from memory cards, adding metadata, backing up, image optimization, controlling color, delivering files, and creating bulletproof archives of digital negatives. Attendees will learn how to achieve better results faster through automation, without sacrificing the integrity of their images or the quality of their files. As a highly respected photographer, Photoshop author and instructor, Kevin will also share techniques that are essential to any photographer’s creative workflow.

DIWA member Steves Digicams have reviewed the new HP Photosmart R817, which offers 5 megapixels and a 5x optical zoom lens.

“Image quality was what we have come to expect from HP. When using its 5M *** mode, it produces sharp images with great exposure and color saturation. Its 5x optical zoom lens offers a more versatile range when compared to typical 3x zoom digicams. I did notice an average amount of noise in High/Low contrast areas (especially at higher ISOs), but nothing that will be visible in your average 4x6 to 8x10-inch prints.”

Website: Steves Digicams - HP Photosmart R817 Review

Website: Read my HP Photosmart R817 Review

Check the Latest Prices for the HP Photosmart R817

Write a Review of the HP Photosmart R817

Luminous Landscape editor Michael Reichmann has published some sample images taken with a pre-production Canon EOS 5D digital SLR, and alos posted his initial impressions of the image quality. As usual, it makes for interesting reading!

“There is no noise visible. None, even at 100% magnification. Skin tones are lovely and colour reproduction totally satisfying. There is considerable detail both in the black fur and the white. Dynamic range is excellent. Resolution appears to only be limited by the lens. Other test shots taken of static objects with some of Canon’s top lenses show this to indeed be the case.”

Website: Luminous Landscape - Canon 5D - Initial Image Quality Impressions and Samples

Meanwhile, Mike Johnston also delivers his preliminary verdict on Canon’s 12.8 megapixel, full frame DSLR.

“I would say that my current fave camera, the estimable Konica-Minolta 7D, has rewarded me with some truly delightful results (my published review of the 7D will appear in Black & White Photography magazine a few months from now). Then again, I got some delightful pictures with my li’l ol’ 3-mp Olympus C-3040z, too. But the different potential of more expensive gear only encourages Magic Bullet Syndrome: people detect the incremental, provisional increase in specialness they’ve bought for themselves with their latest toys, and extrapolate out to absolutes – that is, they assume that ultimate specialness will be the fruit of the ultimate gear, if only they could find and afford it.”

Website: The Sunday Morning Photographer - The Magic Bullet

Epson Press Release

Offer high quality and economical multi-function solutions

Epson introduces the Stylus DX3800 Series and DX4800 Series for the consumer who needs high quality printing, scanning and copying capabilities in an economical and space-saving package.

September 2005 – Epson introduces the Stylus DX3800 Series and DX4800 Series, all-in-one devices for the home or small office. These multi-function devices offer laser-like print quality and highly durable prints alongside scanning and copying capabilities for high-resolution copies and enlargements. Four individual ink cartridges ensure both models are designed with economy in mind – you only need to replace the cartridge you have used. The introduction of Epson’s unique new ink – DURABrite Ultra™, gives you the freedom to print durable, long lasting images, whether you want a plain paper document or a glossy photograph.

Hitachi Press Release

Hitachi Presents Miniature Hard Drives as the New Must-Have Accessory—the New ‘‘Bling’’

BERLIN—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Sept. 2, 2005—8-GB “Mikey” & 30/60-GB “Slim” Hard Drives Stimulate New MP3 and Mobile Phone Designs; Hitachi Gives Away Real “Bling” as Part of Celebration  

While the ultimate fashion accessory of recent popular culture is flashy jewelry—known by its street name “bling”—Hitachi Global Storage Technologies is today saying high-capacity, miniature hard drives are the new “bling” for their ubiquity and desirability among the consumer digerati (see “Hard Drive is the New Bling” video at http://www.hitachigst.com/harddrivebling). Hitachi’s latest “bling” are the industry’s smallest one-inch and lightest 1.8-inch hard drive, introduced in concept earlier this year under the monikers Mikey and Slim.

Panasonic Press Release

Lightweight, Ultra-Compact Model SDR-S100 Features Leica Dicomar Lens, Optical Image Stabilizer, 10X Optical Zoom

SECAUCUS, NJ (September 2, 2005)—Panasonic today announced another ground-breaking innovation in digital video and optical technologies: the world’s first 3CCD SD camcorder. The lightweight, super-portable SDR-S100 records high-quality MPEG2 video onto SD Memory Cards, and features a high-performance Leica Dicomar lens, 10X optical zoom and Optical Image Stabilization. The SDR-S100’s fast response time and rugged, shock-resistant design also make it the perfect “take-anywhere” camcorder for spontaneous shooting.

Fujifilm UK Press Release

Introduction of full Memory Stick™ range completes Fujifilm’s media card line-up

Fujifilm now offers professional photographers and consumers every digital memory card format on the market

Fujifilm, already the market leader in memory cards for digital devices, has announced the introduction of the Memory Stick Duo™, Memory Stick Pro™ and Memory Stick Duo Pro™ to its range. The additions complete Fujifilm’s media card offering, which now includes every format available on the market.

ePhotoZine have reviewed the Sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 APO DG MACRO lens, which offers macro photography with a 1:2 maximum magnification at the 300 mm focal length.

“The extended focus, providing the 1:2 macro facility, is especially useful and performed well giving good definition at close quarters. The new multi-coating, which gives the lens it’s DG (optimised for digital) classification, helps a design that is good to start with, that extra bit of help in controlling artefacts. CA is well controlled and distortion reasonably well managed, although there is a slight pincushion effect at the 300mm end. (Easily cured in software on digital images)”

Website: ePhotoZine - Sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 APO DG MACRO Lens Review

ByteSector have reviewed both the new HP Photosmart R817, which offers 5 megapixels and a 5x optical zoom lens, and the HP M517, which offers a 3x zoom.

“Both cameras deliver average image quality, with the R817 having an advantage over the M517. This is because of its more diverse picture and exposure capabilities, extra built in imaging technologies, and better lens. However, both cameras share the same problem; they both lack a steady feature to eliminate blurring when you use a slow shutter speed or no flash. This is especially disappointing in the R817 because it is able to go down to ISO 50.”

Website: ByteSector - HP Photosmart R817 / M517 Review

Website: Read my HP Photosmart R817 Review

Check the Latest Prices for the HP Photosmart R817

Write a Review of the HP Photosmart R817

CNET have published their review of the Kodak Easyshare V550, a 5 megapixel camera with 3x optical zoom lens and 2.5inch LCD screen.

“With its ice-blue indicator lights and included flying-saucer-shaped dock, the 5-megapixel Kodak EasyShare V550 brings some much-needed style to Kodak’s line of point-and-shoot cameras. Equipped with friendly features, the V550 will appeal to those who want portability and simplicity wrapped in an attractive package.”

Website: CNET - Kodak Easyshare V550 Review

Check the Latest Prices for the Kodak Easyshare V550

Write a Review of the Kodak Easyshare V550

The KODAK EASYSHARE Photo Printer 500, KODAK EASYSHARE Printer Dock Plus Series 3 and KODAK EASYSHARE Photo Printer 300 are all announced today.

Kodak Press Release

Kodak Sets a New Pace for Home Picture Printing; Unveils Innovative, Universal Photo Printers and Advanced Printer Dock

Latest Additions to Best-Selling Snapshot Printer Lineup Extend Kodak’s Leadership in Wireless Capability, Display Size, and Automatic Picture Enhancement; Now Make Real KODAK Pictures at Home from Nearly Any Digital Camera for Just 29 Cents Each

ROCHESTER, N.Y., September 2 — Building on its highly successful line of EASYSHARE printer docks, Eastman Kodak Company today significantly grew its at-home printing presence by introducing three innovative products, including universal models that make real KODAK pictures from nearly any digital camera for as little as 29 cents per print. Kodak already has the best-selling snapshot printers in the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia, which collectively account for nearly 75 percent of the world’s snapshot printer volume.