CameraTown have published their review of the 7 megapixel Sony Cybershot DSC-V3.

“Holding the DSC-V3 for the first time felt very comfortable, almost as if I have used it before. Since my main camera is a Digital SLR, I think it’s the large grip and balance that I instantly noticed. I also liked the fact that the majority of controls I would use on a daily basis were accessible using buttons on the back of the camera body, instead of having to go deep into menus. Sony has also placed these control right where they should be; The scroll wheel for adjusting aperture, shutter, and exposure is conveniently placed above the zoom rocker and is easily controlled with your thumb, as is the flash on/off, macro, review, self-timer, and delete buttons. I also loved the the large 2.5-inch LCD display, which seemed like a jumbotron compared to the paltry 1.8-inch screen on my EOS-10D. I definitely love the camera so far, but how will I feel when I am done reviewing it? Read the review to find out!”

Website: CameraTown - Sony Cybershot DSC-V3 Review

Check the Latest Prices for the Sony Cybershot DSC-V3

Write a Review of the Sony Cybershot DSC-V3

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T7 is announced today. The DSC-T7 has a 2.5 inch LCD screen, 5 megapixels and a 3x optical zoom lens. The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T7 also has a sliding lens cover and 180 shot battery life. The Sony T7 will be available in May for about $500.

Sony Press Release

SONY’S LATEST CYBER-SHOT T-SERIES CAMERA COMBINES OUTRAGEUOLSY SLIM DESIGN WITH HOT TECHNOLOGY

LAS VEGAS, March 8, 2005 - Sony’s new, incredibly thin Cyber-shot® DSC-T7 digital camera makes you the center of attention wherever you go.

Thanks to a highly efficient design, the Cyber-shot T7 is just over a third-of-an inch, making it Sony’s thinnest, fully-featured model yet. Though small in stature, the camera packs a powerful punch. It has a 2.5-inch `hybrid’ LCD screen, covering about two-thirds of the back of the camera, which is perfectly sized for framing, displaying and sharing pictures.

Through Sony’s distinctive miniaturization and high-density packaging technology, the camera incorporates virtually all the benefits of other T series models despite its amazing thinness. It features 5.1 effective megapixel resolution and an enhanced power management system for extended shooting time. Folded within the sleek body also lies a Carl Zeiss® Vario-Tessar® lens with 3x Optical Zoom.

Hitachi HDC-531 is announced on the Hitachi Japan website. Details about the new HDC-531 digital camera are limited at the moment. From looking at a couple of other websites, the HDC-531 seems to have a 5 megapixel sensor, 3x optical zoom lens and a 2.5 inch LCD screen. The Hitachi HDC-531 will be available in Japan from March 18th.

Read the Press Release (Japanese)

Sony Hi-MD Walkman now features the new “Hi-MD PHOTO” format. The top-of-the-range MZ-DH10P Hi-MD Walkman comes with a full 1.5” TFT colour LCD, 1.3-megapixel CMOS camera and a 4 x digital zoom. price and availablity of the MZ-DH10P to be announced.

Sony Europe Press Release

Berlin, 2 March 2005 - Sony continues to reinvent the MiniDisc format with a range of competitively priced new Hi-MD WALKMAN. The new line-up introduces the “Hi-MD PHOTO” format in a model that features digital still camera function in addition to music playback. And all the new models deliver direct MP3 playback in addition to high quality sound ATRAC3plus, and LinearPCM (Pulse Code Modulation). Strikingly re-imagined forms place the new Hi-MD at the leading edge of contemporary design with features such as full colour LCD and large Organic EL (electroluminescence) display.

“Hi-MD is now more versatile than ever,” comments Gregory Kukolj, General Manager for Personal Audio Europe at Sony, “Users can take pictures and enjoy music on the Hi-MD PHOTO compatible WALKMAN. The new developments on a format that’s removable, durable, and enables direct archiving through ‘plug and play’, make it the ideal media for users to build a library of their music, pictures or data on discs with a maximum capacity of 1GB. And its low cost and accessibility makes it easy to share favourite content with friends. As for the choice of true audio CD quality or MP3 – and plenty in-between – nothing else offers that.”

Pentax have released a firmware update for the *ist D digital SLR camera. These are the changes in version 1.12:

- Correspond to the media card that exceeded 4GB, also Version 1.12 contain the additional function which was released at Version 1.10 ~ 1.11.

Website: Pentax Japan

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S80 is announced by Sony Europe. The DSC-S80 is exclusive to Europe (which is why I missed it during PMA…) - in the rest of the world the S60 seems to be being released instead. The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S80 will ship throughout Europe in April 2005.

Sony Europe Press Release

Berlin, 19 February 2005 - Looking for your first digital still camera that is compact and easy to use? Look no further than the new 4.1 effective Megapixel Cyber-shot S40, S80 and S90. All featuring Carl Zeiss 3x Optical Zoom lenses, ideal for high-resolution digital images and prints, and superb STAMINA power efficiency.

Your next digital camera
There’s a model to suit everyone in Sony’s newest line-up - the Cyber-shot S40, S80 and S90 digital still cameras. Attractive features like 4.1 effective Megapixel resolution, with a high level of STAMINA and easy to use functions adding to the value of the new models. Ideal for beginners to digital photography, these compact Cyber-shot cameras each feature a high quality Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens with 3x Optical Zoom. In addition the new cameras offer bright and clear LCD screens - with the huge 2.5-inch LCD screen on the Cyber-shot S90 being especially useful for framing shots, viewing the user-friendly menu screens, playing back and sharing your pictures with ease. The Cyber-shot S80 offers a large 2-inch LCD screen, and the Cyber-shot S40 a convenient 1.5-inch LCD screen.

Wacom Cintiq 21UX is an interactive pen display based on a 21” LCD display. I saw the Cintiq 21UX demoed at Focus on Imaging last week and it did look like a great way to edit your images in Photoshop. The Cintiq 21UX has an estimated street price of $2499.

Wacom Press Release

New 21.3” Wacom® Cintiq® is World’s First Interactive Pen Display with a Seamless Surface, ExpressKeys™, and Zoom/Scroll Touch Strips

Other Key Features Important to Photographers, Designers, and Artists Include 1,024 Levels of Pressure Sensitivity, Pen Tilt Sensitivity, and High-end LCD Color Accuracy

VANCOUVER, WA., Feb. 15, 2005 — Wacom Technology Corporation today announced its eagerly anticipated Cintiq 21UX interactive pen display that allows users to work with a pen directly on a 21.3” color-accurate LCD. The Cintiq 21UX offers “more” of everything that makes using a Wacom Cintiq such a natural way to work: more screen area, more pressure sensitivity, more pen control, more resolution, more comfort, more productivity. At a estimated street price of $2499 the Cintiq 21UX delivers more of everything with no price increase over the previous generation. The Cintiq 21UX will begin shipping in March, but customers can register at www.cintiq.com now to be at the head of the line for units.

Wacom Intuos3 pen tablets are now shipping with Adobe Photoshop Elements 3 software. The Wacom Intuos3 tablet comes in three sizes and is priced from $219.

Wacom Press Release

Adobe Photoshop Elements 3 now included with every Wacom Intuos3 pen tablet

Photoshop Elements 3, a $100 Value, is the Leading Editing Software for Photo and Art Enthusiasts

Vancouver, Wash., March 8, 2005 - Wacom® Technology Corporation today announced that Adobe® (Nasdaq: ADBE) Photoshop® Elements 3 is now included with all sizes of its Intuos®3 pen tablets. This software offers photo enthusiasts powerful tools that are designed to be used with a Wacom pen to quickly and easily edit digital photos and create original artwork.

Polaroid x530 is now available in the USA in Circuit City and Walmart stores. The Polaroid x530 is the first compact digital camera to feature the Foveon X3 direct image sensor. The x530 has a 4.5 Megapixel image sensor and a 3X optical zoom. The X530 will also be available in Canada , Japan , Germany and the UK by March 31, 2005.

Polaroid Press Release

Polaroid Corporation announced today, the availability of Polaroid’s new x530 digital camera

Orlando, Florida February 20, 2005 - Polaroid Corporation announced today, the availability of Polaroid’s new x530 digital camera through Circuit City’s on-line store: www.CircuitCity.com and Wal-Mart’s on-line store: www.walmart.com . The announcement was made at the 2005 Photo Marketing Association (PMA) International Annual Convention, Booth #3532, in the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando , Florida .

The x530 will also be available in Canada , Japan , Germany and the UK by March 31, 2005 . Additional US outlets will be announced soon.

Sigma UK Press Release

Sigma Imaging (UK) Ltd is pleased to announce the launch of a FREE two year extended UK based warranty with all EX series lenses imported through Sigma Imaging (UK) Ltd.

You’d expect the world’s number one independent lens designer and manufacturer to offer something a little extra – and that’s just what we’ve done - extending the traditional one year international warranty of our world class EX lenses by two years free of charge, to provide Sigma UK customers with an unrivalled three years of cover in the UK.

From 1st March 2005 all new Sigma EX lenses come complete with a warranty leaflet, customers simply have to fill in the relevant information and return it to Sigma UK to register for their extended cover.

SellFolio Press Release

SellFolio: First software for stunning web and CD photo presentations in 15 minutes

Lake Forest, IL 3/7/05 - Just as digital camera users wanted better photo editing capabilities, digital camera and photo editor users now want better ways to present their photos.  With SellFolio, anyone who can read English and browse for a file in Windows can create a multimedia photo portfolio in minutes.  According to Russ McNeilly, SellFolio VP of Sales and Marketing, “SellFolio users just add photos, text and sound for a stunning multimedia portfolio literally in minutes.  After people do photo editing in their favorite software, the smart next step is to take the photos they edited and show them off in a beautiful SellFolio presentation.”  Now with new SellFolio 3.0, users get more communications power, with the ability to add background music, narrations, web links and .PDF documents for a very rich media experience.  A downloadable trial version of SellFolio is available on www.sellfolio.com.

Sanyo Xacti Digital Movie C5 is announced. The Sanyo C5 has 5 megapixels, 2 inch LCD screen and can record MPEG4 format movies with VGA resolution at 30 frames per second. The Sanyo Xacti Digital Movie C5 replaces the Sanyo Xacti C1 that I have previously reviewed. The Xacti C5 will cost 699 Euros and be available at the end of March 2005.

Sanyo Press Release

SANYO XACTI Digital Movie C5: Brilliant Companion for the Technologically Avant-Garde

SANYO’s Digital Movie Family has a new member: The XACTI Digital Movie C5 has the same self-confident appearance and sets bold new standards with its unique design. The interior of the youngest member of the C Series is refined and mature as well. The multi-talented C5 combines a dual purpose video and photo camera with the finest technology: a resolution of 5 Megapixels, a 2-inch LCD display (diagonal measurement) - all in an extremely compact and light case. The 23 mm deep aluminum body makes the XACTI Digital Movie C5 one of the slimmest photo-video combinations in the world.

It seems that the price of the new Tamron SP AF11-18mm F/4.5-5.6 Di-II LD Aspherical (IF), a new high performance ultra wideangle zoom lens designed exclusively for digital SLR cameras using APS-C size image sensors, will be $981.95 in the USA. That’s a lot higher than the $550 price that I was told by a Tamron rep at PMA last month, and a lot nearer to the price of the Canon EF-S 10-22mm lens. Have Tamron pitched too high - will all the Canon, Nikon and Konica Minolta owners out there choose the Tamron as their wide-angle lens, or the Sigma 10-20mm (price to be confirmed)? I’m guessing that owners of the Canon EOS 20D and Digital Rebel DSLRs will opt for the Canon EF-S 10-22mm lens instead…

Thanks to Simon Heard for letting me know.

Meanwhile, take a look at some exclusive sample shots and my initial thoughts on the new Tamron 11-18mm lens.

Just Show Me How Press Release

The Just Show Me How Professional Seminar Series Sells Out in the First Four Cities of its Ten City Tour

NEW YORK, March 7, 2005 – It was standing room only in New York, Chicago, Seattle and Los Angeles - the first four stops of the Just Show Me How Professional seminar tour, where attendees learned a variety of tools and techniques that address digital workflow issues of the professional photographer.  Only six cities remain on this popular ten city tour, so only a limited number of attendees will get to benefit from this valuable information.  The remaining cities are:

Dallas, TX:            March 13th
Boston, MA:            April 3rd
Washington, DC:      April 10th      
San Diego, CA:        April 17th
San Francisco, CA:  May 1st
Orlando, FL:          May 15th

Casio EXILIM QV-R52 is to be released in a new black colour-scheme. This new version of the Casio EXILIM QV-R52 is no different to the silver QV-R52 in terms of specification. The black EXILIM Zoom QV-R52 will be available from April 2005.

Casio Europe Press Release

Norderstedt, March 2005 - The new QV-R52 from CASIO is irresistible in the ever-popular trend colour black. Just like its sister in the silver metal body, the digital camera is equipped with 5.0 megapixels and 3x optical zoom. With the Direct On function the little black wonder is ready for use in only 1 second* and is ideal for every snapshot thanks to its shutter release time lag of only 0.01 second**.

Motifs can be easily viewed on the large 2-inch TFT colour display. The compact*** camera’s simple menu guide makes child’s play out of photography: 21 CASIO typical BESTSHOT functions offer pre-recorded scenes for different photo situations. In addition, they can also be supplemented by the user’s own motif programs. The integrated flash with red eye-reduction also provides fantastic photos in those moments of low light intensity. The features of the ultra light 168 g**** QV-R52 are completed by self-timer, Macro function, automatic calendar and world time, as well as alarm with picture and sound function. The camera’s almost 9.7 MB internal memory can be increased using commercially available SD/MMC cards. Despite all this functional diversity, CASIO’s own electronics enable a considerable reduction in the power consumption, thus giving the camera staying power over long periods.

Casio EXILIM EX-Z57 is to be released in a new black colour-scheme. Dubbed “Black Metal”, this new version of the Casio EXILIM EX-Z57 is no different to the silver EX-Z57 in terms of specification. The EXILIM Zoom EX-Z57 “Black Metal” will be available from April 2005.

Casio Europe Press Release

The new EXILIM EX-Z57 “Black Metal” with 2.7-inch TFT colour display

Norderstedt, March 2005 - The new EXILIM Zoom EX-Z57 “Black Metal” in its black aluminium body feels good in the hand. The 2.7-inch TFT colour display, which can be comfortably set to two brightness levels, is an immediate eye-catcher. 5.0 megapixels and 3x optical zoom make the small digital camera a power package for any photo situation.

Thanks to its SUPER LIFE battery, the EX-Z57 “Black Metal” is extremely powerful. The black-compact takes up to 400 pictures1 after only one charging of the SUPER LIFE battery. It also impresses with user-friendly elements like the Auto Macro function, an integrated 4-function flash with red eye-reduction and the Flash Assist function. Various pre-recorded scenes are available with CASIO’s typical BESTSHOT function for all different kinds of picture situations, such as portrait or retro. Additionally, the lifestyle photographer can expand already existing motif programs with his very own BESTSHOT scenes. Hobby directors discover their talent for films with the Movie function and can record movies with sound without time limit2. The internal 9.3 MB flash memory can be increased to any size with commercially available SD/MMC cards.

Epson Press Release

Epson to Guarantee Longevity of Fine Art Prints; UltraGiclee Print Certification Program To Give Printmakers, Confidence Selling Work

LONG BEACH, Calif.—(Business Wire)—March 4, 2005—Fine art printmakers and their customers will soon have a guarantee on the longevity of certain Epson fine art prints through Epson’s new UltraGiclee(TM) print certification program. This certification will enable printmakers to sell their work and enable customers to buy these prints with confidence that the prints will last.

UltraGiclee certified fine art prints, which can only be created on selected Epson professional printers using select professional media and EPSON UltraChrome(TM) ink, will be warranted to resist noticeable fading for 80 years from the original date of purchase when the print is printed, framed, handled and displayed according to warranty conditions. If a warranted print fades, Epson will provide the ink and paper needed to make a replacement print. Current certified printers include the EPSON Stylus Pro 4000, 7600 and 9600 printers, and certified media include UltraSmooth(TM) Fine Art Paper, Textured Fine Art Paper and PremierArt(TM) Water Resistant Canvas for Epson.

StudioLine Photo 2.7 is released today. StudioLine Photo 2.7 allows you to manage and edit digital image collections quickly and efficiently. StudioLine Photo has an RRP of $49.00 / $49.00.

H&M Systems Software, Inc. Press Release

StudioLine Photo 2.7 Adds Double Digit Increases to Image Archiving Speed, Making it One of the Fastest Image Management Tools Available; Users Can Freely Design Album Layouts

High-Speed Archiving and Unlimited Designs From Album Pages to Flyers Attract Photographers and Designers At All Levels

Upper Saddle River, NJ; March 7, 2005—H&M Systems Software, Inc. today introduced Release 2.7 of its flagship StudioLine Photo 2 digital imaging software. This latest release enables users to archive and browse the image database up to 25 percent faster. Photographers and designers of all skill levels can also freely design custom pages for photo albums and create other print pieces. StudioLine Photo 2 is an economical, yet versatile tool designed to meet the demands of professional and novice photographers, stock houses, graphic designers, and others needing an all-in-one solution for editing, storing, and managing digital images.

Today 7 names were randomly selected from the list of PhotographyBLOG Newsletter subscribers. If you are one of the winners, you will already have received an email from me ([email protected]). In order to protect the winners’ email addresses, I’m not going to publish them here.

- Two people each won 1000 A5 colour postcards (worth £175 each), printed with an image of their choice from ColourCards
- Two people each won 1000 A6 colour postcards (worth £95 each), printed with an image of their choice from ColourCards
- Three people each won a copy of “Adobe Photoshop CS One-on-One” by Deke McCelland (worth £26.95 each) from O’Reilly

If you haven’t won anything, then don’t worry, as a brand new contest for March has just started!

To have any chance of winning, you must subscribe to the PhotographyBLOG Newsletter.

Olympus Press Release

OLYMPUS ANNOUNCES REBATES FOR EVOLT E-300 DIGITAL SLR, LENSES, AND ACCESSORIES

Now Until March 31, 2005 Purchase EVOLT E-300 SLR and Two Lens for Under $1000 with Rebate

Melville, New York, March 4, 2005 – Olympus Imaging America Inc. announces a $100 rebate on its EVOLT E-300 Digital SLR system both with and without its consumer Zuiko Digital Specific™ lenses. Now, when consumers purchase one of the following items from an authorized OLYMPUS SLR dealer or log on to www.OlympusAmerica.com/rebate they can receive a mail-in rebate coupon for $100 cash back from Olympus:

·      The EVOLT E-300 body on its own
·      The EVOLT E-300 Kit (that includes the 14-45mm f3.5/5.6 Zuiko Digital Specific lens) or
·      The EVOLT E-300 Two Lens Kit (includes both the 14-45mm f3.5/5.6 and 40-150mm f3.5/4.5 Zuiko Digital Specific Lenses)

The offer applies to all EVOLT bodies and EVOLT Kits purchased from February 7 until March 31, 2005 in the US and Canada (rebates must be postmarked by April 30, 2005).