Nikon Japan have quietly introduced a brand new, limited edition version of the classic film-based rangefinder camera, the Nikon SP, which is aimed at the professional photographer, along with a Nikkor 3.5cm F/1.8 lens. I think the price may be 690,000 YEN - not too sure about that though…Apparently, “Even among historical masterpieces such as the Nikon F, and high-class models like the Nikon F4 and F5, it is apparent that the camera most worthy of recognition as the “Best of Nikon” is the Nikon SP.” (quote from Nikon Web Magazine).

Thanks to Giallauk for sending me the link!

Website: Nikon Japan - Nikon SP Rangefinder Camera

Globetechnology have just reviewed the six colour, 4800 x 1200 dpi Canon PIXMA iP6000D printer, which uses FINE (Full-photolithography Inkjet Nozzle Engineering) technology with 2-picolitre Micro-Nozzles and has card slots for all popular brands of memory card.

“The printer uses six ink colours and has separate cartridges for each. This is something I like to see on photo printers because ink consumption of the tints can vary dramatically and with individual cartridges, you change only the cartridge that’s depleted. Print quality is excellent: a bit on the warm side but very sharp when driven by a computer. However, 4-by-6 snaps printed from a memory card seemed a little soft.”

Thanks to Sanj for the link.

Website: Globetechnology - Canon PIXMA iP6000D Review

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Photoxels have a great new article which looks at the additional accessories that new camera users should consider buying (and budgeting for):

“Your new digital camera kit usually comes with everything you need to start taking pictures right out of the box. In some cases, you may need to purchase a set of rechargeable batteries and a battery charger; and, in most cases, you definitely need to purchase a larger memory card to store those high resolution images. There are also a few items “missing” in the box. In this article, we look at some of the accessories that every photographer must have, and a few others that are nice to have.”

Website: Photoxels - Digital Camera Accessories

The DIWA member and Czech website FotoAparat have just reviewed the 8 megapixel Nikon Coolpix 8400.

Website: FotoAparat - Nikon Coolpix 8400 Review

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Technology website AnandTech have published a very detailed review of the 8 megapixel Nikon Coolpix 8400.

“In this noise comparison, we can see that the Coolpix 8400 does a good job of handling noise from ISO 50 to 200. At ISO 400, the noise becomes much more noticeable and there is a significant loss of detail. In addition, we can see the introduction of discolored pixels throughout the noise image.”

Website: AnandTech - Nikon Coolpix 8400 Review

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The DIWA member and Norwegian website Digit.no have just posted their review of the competitively priced 8 megapixel Olympus E-300/Evolt DSLR.

Website: Digit.no - Olympus E-300/Evolt Review

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The competitively priced 8 megapixel Olympus E-300/Evolt DSLR (pictured) is a great alternative to the Nikon D70 and Canon EOS 300D, and the Pentax * ist DS will please everyone who owns a cupboard full of Pentax lenses (both new and old). PCWorld have compared these two new DSLR cameras in a head-to-head test:

“The Olympus is easily the more eye-catching of the two. There’s no hump on the top of the camera—the signature mark of all SLRs for the past 45 years. Olympus moved the viewfinder’s optical path to the left side of the body, which makes the camera slightly shorter than most other digital SLRs. Though it isn’t a significant savings in size, the flat-top design does seem to slide in and out of an overstuffed camera bag more easily. Our shipping Olympus has a polished look and feel. Its solid, bricklike body feels as if you could pound nails with it. The dials turn smoothly and easily, and the body fits firmly in two hands.”

Website: PCWorld - Head to Head: We Test Affordable Digital SLRs

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The Czech website Digineff have posted their review of the new Konica Minolta Dynax 7D DSLR.

Website: Digineff - Konica Minolta Dynax 7D Review

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Focus on Imaging 2005 is the UK’s biggest photography trade show, held on February 27th - March 2nd. PhotographyBLOG will be there to bring you all the news from the show floor. Canon have got in early by issuing the following press release, detailing which products they will be displaying. With the PMA show held a week before Focus on Imaging, I’d expect a few as-yet-unannounced products to be joining this list.

Canon UK Press Release
 
Canon will be displaying the photography of 12 members of its consumer programme ‘Imagine’ at Focus on Imaging 2005 (N.E.C Birmingham, 27 February – 2 March 2005). The work will be displayed on Canon’s stand (L20) along with Canon’s latest range of class-leading consumer imaging equipment.

Imagine is designed to help Canon customers make the most of their product. It features a gallery where members are invited to publish photographs they have taken, and every month Canon awards a framed print to some of the most interesting entries. The Imagine Members’ Gallery on the stand at Focus is a selection of the best shots.

HP Press Release

HP Combining Imaging & Printing and Personal Systems Groups to Accelerate Profitable Growth and Leverage Its Portfolio

Retirement of Personal Systems Group EVP Duane Zitzner announced

PALO ALTO, Calif., Jan. 14, 2005
————————————————————————————————————————

HP today announced that it is combining its Imaging and Printing Group and Personal Systems Group to accelerate profitable growth, leverage the power of its portfolio and strengthen its market position.

To continue to provide investors with transparency and visibility to financial performance, HP’s external segment reporting will not change.

The newly formed Imaging and Personal Systems Group (IPSG) will be led by Vyomesh Joshi, a 24-year veteran of HP, who has served for three years as executive vice president of the Imaging and Printing Group.

PhotographyBLOG is 2 years old on January 16th 2005. To help celebrate, we are giving away 7 prizes worth over $300!

On Monday 31st January 2005 at 12 midday CET (Central European Time), 7 names will be randomly selected from the list of PhotographyBLOG Newsletter subscribers.

- One person will win a Kiesel TZ600 camera bag from Kiesel Bags  (worth $119.99).
- One person will win a Kiesel MX500 camera bag (pictured) from Kiesel Bags (worth $109.99).
- Four people will each win a book of their choice from the current ILEX list.
- One person will win a copy of Digital Photography & Adobe Photoshop Elements 3 from Total Training (worth $49.99).

All you have to do to enter is subscribe to the free PhotographyBLOG Newsletter.
If you are already a subscriber, you do not have to do anything to enter this competition. Your name will automatically be entered in the prize draw.

MINOX Press Release

The New MINOX DC 5222 digital camera with 5.2 Megapixels and an oversized 2.5 inch monitor.

With their new DC 5222 digital camera, MINOX once again incorporates the latest compact digital camera technology and features while still retaining the company ethos of combining modern technology with the smallest functional design. An oversized 2.5” LCD monitor features prominently on the back of the camera and all controls sit comfortably on the camera and are easy to use.

The camera has a 5.2 Megapixel CCD sensor and fast multi-coated MINOCTAR autofocus lens with macro feature. The 3x optical and 4x digital zoom offers the user plenty of freedom for everyday photography.

DCResource have posted their review of the new, competitively priced Olympus E-300/Evolt DSLR.

“It takes about 2 seconds for the E-300 to “warm up” before you can start taking pictures. While that’s comparable to the Digital Rebel, the Nikon D70 is ready to go instantly. While I wasn’t wowed by its autofocus speeds, the E-300 focuses fairly quickly, and faster than most fixed-lens cameras out there. In low light, the EVOLT’s flash-based AF illuminator allows it to focus in almost total darkness—very nice. As for shutter lag, there really isn’t any. That’s why you’re interested in a digital SLR, right?”

Website: DCResource - Olympus E-300/Evolt Review

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The Danish website Digital Magasinet have just reviewed the 8 megapixel Konica Minolta DiMAGE A200 digital camera, which incorporates anti-shake technology and a swivelling LCD monitor.

Website: Digital Magasinet - Konica Minolta DiMAGE A200 Review

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DigitalCameraInfo have posted their first impressions of the 7.2 megapixel Sony Cyber-shot DSC-P200 digicam that was first announced at the CES show a week ago.

“The ease of use and comfortable handling make this Cyber-shot model an attractive digital camera for the right type of user. The high megapixel count and larger 2-inch LCD make this camera an even better bargain at $399. The 7.2-megapixel Sony Cyber-shot DSC-P200 was announced at the Consumer Electronics Show in January and will be released to the consumer market in February 2005. The compact point-and-shoot has a Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar 3x optical zoom lens that extends from the camera body when powered up. The P200 is easy to use for the style-driven beginner and only gets better with increased photographic knowledge and utilization of manual functions.”

Website: DigitalCameraInfo - Sony Cyber-shot DSC-P200 First Impressions

DigiCamReview have published their review of the Konica Minolta DiMAGE E40 digital camera.

“The images have okay colour, saturation and contrast. Images appear to have fairly low noise, with good detail, but show signs of corner softness and vignetting. Purple fringing was slightly evident in some of the photos but isn’t a major concern. There is a good range of image sizes and compression options. The macro mode is very good, although the flash did cause problems when the subject was close. Auto white balance and metering seemed to be quite poor, often producing green colours indoors, or the wrong skin tones, as well as loosing highlight detail inside and outside. The movie mode is average, at 320x240/15fps with sound. When inside, the camera does a good job of focusing, due to the AF-assist lamp, and the flash is fairly decent.”

Website: DigiCamReview - Konica Minolta Dimage E40 Review

The largest UK photography retailer, Jessops, released its latest trading figures this week, and The Independent reports that “Nine out of 10 cameras that Jessops sold over Christmas in cash terms was digital”.

“While other retailers of digital products have struggled against deflation, Mr Hine said the average price of a camera had fallen only 5 per cent. That compared with a 20 per cent annual fall in the cost of a computer. Mr Hine said the introduction of digital single lens reflex cameras, which have changeable lenses, was boosting revenues because they retail at about £650.”

Website: The Independent - Jessops buoyed by surprise demand for digital cameras

Fujifilm Press Release

Fujifilm Professional will use Focus-on-Imaging to showcase their two new medium-speed colour negative films - Fujicolor Pro 160S and Pro 160C. This is the first chance for UK photographers to see sample images taken on the new films.

Both films feature smoother skin tone rendition, unprecedented neutral grey balance, exceptionally fine grain, and wide exposure latitude. They represent the leading edge of Fujifilm’s colour negative film technology. Both have been optimised for digital scanning, and give excellent performance when used for digitally printed portraiture.

Fujifilm Press Release
 
Fujifilm Professional is to host three free mini-marketing seminars at the Focus-on-Imaging exhibition on Monday 28 February.

The seminars will be run by marketing expert Darron Hartas and they will be aimed at helping every professional photographer market their services better.

Whether you shoot weddings, portraits or commercial work, there is something for everyone in each half-hour presentation. Darron and his team at WPS Media help run the Envisage marketing programme on behalf of Fujifilm Professional.

Taking place opposite the main Focus exhibition halls in Concourse Suite 1, the presentations are aimed specifically at those who want to know more about Fujifilm Envisage and how the marketing initiative can help their businesses. There’s no need to book and entrance is free of charge. Plus, those who would like to enroll on the Envisage programme may do so at a special Focus discounted rate.

Thomson Press Release

5GB of Color Photos and Music All in an Attractive Micro Jukebox Package

January 14th, 2005 - Designed to expand the customer base for the emerging digital audio category beyond the mp3 enthusiast, Thomson has introduced a new line of full-featured RCA LYRA digital audio products at the recent Consumer Electronics Show.

Digital music fans looking for a compact, affordable way to transport volumes of their favorite music and JPEG digital photos will find what they’re looking for with the 5GB RCA LYRA Micro Jukebox (Model RD2765).