Pocket-Lint have reviewed the Nikon Coolpix S1, a 5.1 megapixel digital camera with a 35-105mm 3x Zoom-Nikkor ED lens.

“Overall, a nicely designed, nicely engineered and nicely priced camera. It’s clear to see Nikon have been studying the compact market carefully before launching the S1 and the features developed have been well thought out. The balance of aesthetics and the practical photographical functions will attract audiences from both ends of the market and at £230 it may not be ‘stocking-filler’ cheap but this would be an ideal ‘starter camera’ thanks to the ease of operations, the ‘plug n’ play’ charge and share, and the framing assist modes.”

Website: Pocket-Lint - Nikon Coolpix S1 Review

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The Norwegian website Akam.no have today reviewed the 7 megapixel Olympus C-7070 Wide Zoom, which was announced at the CES show back in January.

Website: Akam.no - Olympus C-7070 Wide Zoom Review

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The new Epson Ultrachrome K3 inkset and Epson Stylus Photo printers were unveiled at a press conference in Paris, France in April. PhotographyBLOG was there to take a sneak peak at the new inkset and printers that Epson hope professional photographers will be using from June onwards. I’ve patiently been sitting on the news for the last month due to a very long embargo date, so without further ado, here is a gallery of photos from the press launch.

Epson Stylus Photo R2400 A3+ photo printer is announced today. The Epson R2400 features Epson’s UltraChrome K3 8 colour inkset to deliver the ultimate in both black and white and colour printing. Prints are lightfast for up to 75 years in colour and over 100 years in black & white. The Epson R2400 supports paper sizes ranging from 100 x 148mm to A3+ and a wide range of media, including premium photo and art paper. The Epson Stylus Photo R2400 has an advanced black and white mode that allows users to take control over the hue and tone of black and white images. The Stylus Photo R2400 also uses Epson’s Micro Piezo print head and Variable-sized Droplet technologies. Price of the Epson R2400 is £599 / $849 and it will be available in June.

Check out the photo gallery from the European Press Launch

Epson Press Release

Epson® announces the most advanced colour and black & white A3+ photo printer

Featuring Epson’s state-of-the-art UltraChrome™ K3 ink technology, the Stylus Photo R2400 is an affordable inkjet solution for photographers looking for high quality results from a desktop printer at an affordable price.

May 10, 2005 – Launched today, Epson unveiled its latest inkjet printer, the Epson Stylus Photo R2400. Boasting Epson’s revolutionary UltraChrome K3 8-colour ink technology - the same ink technology employed in Epson Stylus Pro large format printers for professional users - the Stylus Photo R2400 allows high end amateur and professional photographers to confidently produce professional quality for both black & white and colour photographs up to A3+.

Epson UltraChrome K3 8 colour inkset is announced today. The Epson UltraChrome K3 ink has three black inks as well as a full set of colour inks, offering more neutral gradations in colour and black & white prints. The third black ink, light light black, gives excellent greyscale performance. Prints made with Epson K3 ink look good in any lighting condition and have a professional finish even when printed on glossy media. UltraChrome K3 also produces colours that stabilise within half an hour. Photo or matte black K3 inks are interchangeable to enable printing on high quality photo and art media. The Epson UltraChrome K3 ink offers lightfastness of up to 75 years in colour and over 100 years in black & white. The new Epson UltraChrome K3 inkset is used in 7 new printers also announced today, inclduing the A3+ Epson Stylus Photo R2400.

Check out the photo gallery from the European Press Launch

Epson Press Release

Trailblazing Innovative ink set technology places reinforces Epson®’s position at the forefront of digital imaging

New ink technology from Epson revolutionises black & white digital and colour photography whilst simultaneously offering outstanding results in colour imagingand colour proofing.

May 10, 2005 – Marking a new era in digital imaging, Epson – the preferred choice of thousands of professional photographers, self-publishing artists and companies in the proofing market – today announced the availability of UltraChromeTM K3, a new standard in ink technology for the photographic, fine art and proofing markets.

Unlike other inks sets, the Epson UltraChrome K3 range 8-colour ink set has three black inks, as well as a full set of colour inks, offering the ultimate in black & white and colour printing. The three black inks offer more -neutral gradations in colour and black & white prints, resulting in life-like replication of skin tones required for by commercial and professional photographers. The third black ink – light light black – gives excellent greyscale performance, higher Dmax and smoother tonal reproduction for the ultimate in high quality black & white and colour printing.

Epson Stylus Pro 4800, Epson Stylus Pro 7800 and Epson Stylus Pro 9800 large format printers are announced today. The Stylus Pro 4800, Stylus Pro 7800 and Stylus Pro 9800 all feature Epson’s latest 8-colour ink technology - Epson UltraChrome K3 - to print any size ranging from maximum formats of A2 to A0+ on a wide range of media, delivering the ultimate in colour and black & white photographic printing. UltraChrome K3 ink is lightfast for up to 75 years for colour prints and over 100 years for black & white prints. The Epson Stylus Pro 4800, Epson Stylus Pro 7800 and Epson Stylus Pro 9800 also feature Epson’s Micro Piezo print head and Variable-sized Droplet technologies. Price and availability of the Stylus Pro 4800, Stylus Pro 7800 and Stylus Pro 9800 to be announced.

Check out the photo gallery from the European Press Launch

Epson Press Release

Epson® launches new generation of large format inkjet printers for photographic, fine art and proofing professionals

New range provides the ultimate in black & white and colour digital imaging

May 10, 2005 – Epson announced the launch of a new range of Stylus Pro large format printers to support the most advanced ink technology for colour and black & white photography and digital colour proofing. Comprising of three printers – the Epson Stylus Pro 4800, 7800, and 9800 – the range offers the ultimate in image quality, productivity, and media flexibility.

The new range features a number of options to meet the varied demands of professionals in the imaging business. These include the ability to print any size ranging from maximum formats of A2 to A0+ on a wide range of media including high quality photo, art and proofing media.

Epson Stylus Pro 4400, Epson Stylus Pro 7400 and Epson Stylus Pro 9400 large format printers are announced today. The new Stylus Pro 4400, Stylus Pro 7400 and Stylus Pro 9400 all use Epson UltraChrome four colour ink technology to provide a high-end solution at a low cost of ownership for the POS, CAD and GIS. A variety of media is supported by the Stylus Pro 4400, Stylus Pro 7400 and Stylus Pro 9400 including 1.5mm thick card on sizes ranging from A2 to A0+. Print speeds on the 4400, 7400 and 9400 are up to 26m2/Hr at a high resolution output of up to 2880 x 1440 dpi. Each printer can be left unsupervised and they all use large capacity ink cartridges. Price and availability of the Epson Stylus Pro 4400, Epson Stylus Pro 7400 and Epson Stylus Pro 9400 to be announced.

Check out the photo gallery from the European Press Launch

Epson Press Release

Epson® launches the most advanced range of high production colour printers for the POS, CAD and GIS markets

A new range of printers brings POS, CAD and GIS markets high productivity, good quality output, flexible media support and ease of use at a low cost of ownership.

May 10, 2005 – Launched today, Epson unveiled the latest additions to the Stylus Pro range of large format inkjet printers for design professionals. Comprising of the Epson Stylus Pro 4400, the Epson Stylus Pro 7400 and the Epson Stylus Pro 9400, the new range combines Epson UltraChrome™ ink technology with the latest print technologies to redefine the standard for high speed, high quality large format digital colour printing.

The new line of printers combines a unique set of features to make it one of the most cost-effective, fast and flexible range of printers for design professionals in the Point of Sale (POS), Computer Aided Design (CAD), Geographic Information System (GIS) and corporate markets. Professionals can print most types of applications including precision line drawings and vibrant colour presentations. Furthermore, the range supports a variety of media, including 1.5mm thick card on sizes ranging from A2 to A0+.

More news from Konica Minolta today includes a UK price reduction and new kit introduction for the Dynax 7D digital SLR camera. The Konica Minolta Dynax 7D is now priced at £899.99 body-only, plus it is also available in kit form with the AF 28-100mm f3.5-5.6 (D) lens for £999.99.

As well as the new Konica Minolta Dynax 7D pricing and introduction of the DiMAGE E500 and DiMAGE X60 digital cameras, Konica Minolta have also announced the discontinuation of the following models: DiMAGE G400, DiMAGE Xg and DiMAGE E50.

Konica Minolta DiMAGE E500 is introduced today. The Konica Minolta DiMAGE E500 is a compact 5 megapixel digital camera with a 3x optical lens equivalent to 32-96mm in 35mm format. The E500 features a 2 inch LCD screen with an easy to view menu system. The Konica Minolta E500 has 12Mb built-in storage, 5 Digital Subject Program modes and uses Secure Digital (SD) memory cards. The Konica Minolta DiMAGE E500 will cost £149.99 and is available in May.

Konica Minolta UK Press Release

Konica Minolta introduces the affordable new 5 Megapixel DiMAGE E500 digital camera. Featuring a 5 Megapixel CCD, large 2-inch LCD, and 3x optical zoom lens, the compact and lightweight DiMAGE E500 is small enough for photographers to take anywhere and stylish enough to show everyone.

This very affordable and very uncomplicated DiMAGE E500 provides photographers with unparalleled value in a 5 Megapixel digital camera featuring a 3x optical zoom lens. Its point-and-shoot simplicity makes it easy enough for the whole family to use.

Konica Minolta DiMAGE X60 is introduced. The Konica Minolta DiMAGE X60 is an updated version of the Konica Minolta DiMAGE X50. The Konica Minolta X60 has a large 2.5inch LCD screen (but no optical viewfinder), 5 megapixels and a sliding lens cover. Other new features on the Konica Minolta DiMAGE X60 include a fast 0.5 second start-up time, super macro mode that allows focusing up to 2cms away, and 15MB internal memory. The DiMAGE X60 will ship at the end of May. Price is $349.99 in the US and £229.99 in the UK.

Konica Minolta UK Press Release

The Konica Minolta DiMAGE X60

5 Megapixel Digital Camera with 3.0x Optical Zoom and Large 2.5-inch LCD

Konica Minolta introduces the DiMAGE X60, a digital camera with the fastest-in-class startup time, non-protruding 3.0x optical zoom, and 5 Megapixel CCD. It also has a 2.5-inch LCD - even larger than previous models and big enough for family or friends to gather around and enjoy viewing images together. The DiMAGE X60 - high quality images in a fun-filled, easy-to-share package.

Panasonic DMC-FX8 is announced today. The Panasonic DMC-FX8 is an updated version of the Panasonic DMC-FX7, principally offering enhanced battery life via a larger capacity lithium-ion battery and use of Venus Engine PLUS. VGA size movies at 30 fps are another new feature on the DMC-FX8, plus 3 additional scene modes and a faster auto-focus system. The DMC-FX8 is available in four different colours (silver, black, blue and pink). Price and availability of the Panasonic DMC-FX8 to be announced.

Panasonic Press Release

Stylish and Compact 5-megapixel 3x Zoom, DMC-FX8 with MEGA O.I.S. Affording More Than Double-Extended* Battery Life

*Panasonic in-house comparison with DMC-FX7

Panasonic is introducing the incoming LUMIX model DMC-FX8, a true heir to the world-renowned 5.0-megapixel 3x optical zoom DMC-FX7 with MEGA O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilizer), with substantially enhanced battery life. The DMC-FX8 boasts high picture quality, large LCD, compactness and stylish design, all those desired for a compact camera. Not only that, FX8 also incorporates the highly commended MEGA O.I.S. while extending the battery life over two times as long as that of the previous FX7, by increasing the included lithium-ion battery capacity by 162% and adopting the power-saving Venus Engine PLUS.

Kyocera Yashica EZ 5030 is introduced in a limited number of countries worldwide. The Kyocera Yashica EZ 5030 is a 5 megapixel digital camera with 16Mb internal memory, 3x optical zoom lens equivalent to 34-102mm and a 1.8 inch LCD monitor. The Kyocera EZ-5030 offers auto and manual exposure modes and an ISO range of 100-400. The EZ 5030 supports the SD/MMC memory card formats. DCViews are reporting that the price is around €190 and it will be available in Australia, Italy and the Czech Republic. Despite Kyocera recently announcing that they were no longer going to sell digital cameras, the Kyocera Yashica EZ 5030 indicates that they will continue to release new products, at least in some parts of the world.

DIWA member Steves Digicams has published the first online review of the 4 megapixel HP Photosmart M22 digital camera.

“The M22 is another addition to the popular Photosmart series and includes many of the innovative features found on HP’s higher-end models like Adaptive lighting and in-camera red eye removal. This is an “entry-level” point-n-shoot that boasts a 4-megapixel imager combined with a HP Precision 36.7mm (equivalent) fixed focal length lens. Aimed more at the beginner, it offers fully automatic operation coupled with various help screens, and also includes a full Help menu that describes various features and controls of the camera. For those who want to be a little more creative, the M22 offers 9 pre-programmed scene modes.”

Website: Steves Digicams - HP Photosmart M22 Review

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AnandTech have published their review of the new 8 megapixel Canon EOS 350D / Digital Rebel XT DSLR.

“There is no doubt about it. The Canon EOS 350D is incredibly impressive for an entry-level digital SLR. In virtually all of our tests, it performed on par with its older and more expensive prosumer brother - the Canon EOS 20D. One of the biggest performance upgrades from the original digital rebel is the DIGIC II image processor. The DIGIC II processor provides the 350D with blazing fast processing speed and very low-noise images. In our timing tests, the 350D proved to be just as fast as the 20D, which is leaps and bounds faster than the original DRebel (300D). It has a remarkable startup time of 0.31 sec and, of course, shutter lag is of no concern.”

Website: AnandTech - Canon EOS 350D / Digital Rebel XT Review

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DigitalCameraReview have published their review of the new 8 megapixel Canon EOS 350D / Digital Rebel XT DSLR.

“In the end, the Digital Rebel XT is a quality camera with more than enough flexibility to keep a large majority of consumers happy as well as professionals. Canon poised the XT to help recapture the market share of dSLRs lost to Nikon’s excellent D70 which captured 40% of dSLR sales (according to Nikon that is). The XT is a major upgrade from the Digital Rebel in just about every aspect, but it is not a large downgrade from the EOS-20D. In this respect, it seems that Canon and Nikon will lead the dSLR revolution at this pace… and it will be interesting when Nikon reveals the D50 and D70s and how these compare to Canon’s current lineup (The paper specs from Nikon look fantastic however)!”

Website: DigitalCameraReview - Canon EOS 350D / Digital Rebel XT Review

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DIWA member LetsGoDigital have reviewed the Canon Digital IXUS 50, a 5 megapixel digital camera with stainless steel finish that is Canon’s smallest ever 5.0 Megapixel optical zoom camera. The Canon IXUS 50 features a 3.0x zoom, a large 2.0” LCD screen and high quality VGA video clips at 30fps.

“The user friendliness stands out, the camera looks beautiful, a great design and a superb finishing touch. The concept of the IXUS series of digital cameras seems to have passed with flying colours. The image quality is excellent and the good thing about it is that it happens automatically. Although the exposure is automatic it is still possible to adjust ISO sensitivity and white balance to your own desires. Besides that, the Canon Digital IXUS 50 lets you set the shutter speed manually. These settings offer the beginning as well as the more creative user more freedom to experiment or to get acquainted with the basic elements of (digital) photography.”

Website: LetsGoDigital - Canon Digital IXUS 50 Review

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Ordering prints of your photos via an online photo processing service is big business. With the recent boom in digital camera sales, demand for easy and affordable printing has never been higher, and using an internet based photo service is one of the ways to satisfy that demand. To find out what actually happens to your images after you click the Upload button, I was recently invited to take an exclusive behind the scenes look at myPIXmania, one of Europe’s biggest online photo finishers.

Website: Behind the Scenes at myPIXmania

The Olympus C-500 Zoom (called the Olympus D-595 Zoom in the USA) is a 5 megapixel compact digital camera that was first announced at the PMA show back in February 2005. Aimed firmly at the beginner market, the Olympus C-500 Zoom has a 3x optical zoom lens equivalent to 38-114mm on a 35mm camera, a 1.8 inch LCD screen and 19 different shooting modes, including a manual mode that gives you control of shutter speeds and apertures. The Olympus C-500 also has a built-in help system, something that has been introduced on quite a few recent entry-level cameras, and a Super Macro mode that allows you to focus as close as 2cms from your subject. Does the Olympus C-500 Zoom have enough features and useability to make it stand out from the dozens of other sub-£200/$300 digicams that line the shelves? Find out in my latest review.

Website: Olympus C-500 Zoom Review

Adobe has released new versions of Adobe Camera RAW and Adobe DNG Convertor.

Camera Raw 3.1 update
Support for the following cameras has been added.

  * Canon EOS Rebel XT (EOS 350D/EOS Kiss Digital N)
  * Nikon D2X
  * Olympus EVOLT E-300
  * Olympus C-7070 Wide Zoom

Adobe DNG Convertor is a free utility that converts files from more than 75 cameras to the Digital Negative (DNG) format. Version 3.1 adds support for the cameras listed above.

Website: Adobe Downloads

PCMagazine have published their review of the 5 megapixel, 10x zoom Kodak EasyShare Z740 digital camera.

“In an effort to decrease the presence of the PC in consumer-level digital imaging, Kodak has been concentrating on developing digital cameras that specialize in ease of use, direct connection to printers, and photo sharing. The company’s latest superzoom, the 5-megapixel Kodak EasyShare Z740, has plenty of consumer-oriented features and controls, but Kodak seems to have skimped a bit on the most important aspect of a camera: image quality.”

Website: PCMagazine - Kodak EasyShare Z740 Review

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