DigitalCameraInfo have reviewed the HP Photosmart 435, an entry-level 3 megapixel digital camera with a fixed lens and an estimated U.S. retail price of $149.

“First and foremost, the Photosmart 435 is a budget, entry-level point-and-shoot camera. This means it cannot be expected to have manual features that would impress photojournalists or a zoom lens that would make you feel important. That said, the Photosmart 435 is a great beginner?s camera, especially for the price, and can prove to take some solid pictures. The fact that it does not have any manual control options can be either seen as a limitation (if this is the case, you need to accept that you will have to spend more), or as a relief. How you perceive this will really decide if this is the camera for you.”

Website: DigitalCameraInfo - HP Photosmart 435 Review

Check the Latest Prices for the HP Photosmart 435

DCResource have reviewed the Kodak Easyshare DX7440, a 4-megapixel digital camera with a 4x (33 - 132 mm equivalent) optical zoom lens. The camera is available now for a suggested retail price of US$349.

“There’s a lot to like about the Kodak EasyShare DX7440—heck, I even bought one for my mom. It’s easy-to-use, very responsive, full-featured, and expandable to boot. The biggest weakness is on the camera is the image quality—photos were “muddier” that I like to see, especially on things with fine detail like grass or trees. Don’t let this scare you off, though. For people like mom who print at 4 x 6 inches or downsize for e-mailing, these are non-issues. “Pixel inspectors” who view the images on-screen at 100%, or those who print larger than 8 x 10 should probably try another camera. The DX7440’s photos have vibrant color (perhaps too much so) and very little redeye, and I can attest that they look great when printed.”

Website: DCResource - Kodak Easyshare DX7440 Review

Check the Latest Prices for the Kodak Easyshare DX7440

G4techTV have reviewed a bunch of compact 5 megapixel digital cameras in a bid to separate the wheat from the chaff, including the Fujifilm FinePix F450 (pictured) (found via DigiCamReview.co.uk).

“The F450 is your quintessential point-and-shoot camera. The user interface screams simplicity with scant buttons and basic menus, making it a dream to learn. You’ll only get five shooting modes covering just the basics, so you really won’t need a manual to figure everything out.”

Website: G4techTV - 5 Megapixel Cameras Review

Check the Latest Prices for the Fujifilm FinePix F450

Pocket-Lint have reviewed the Pentax OptioMX4, which is a cross between a digital camera and a camcorder.

“In tests we were fairly happy with the performance of the camera both still and moving however, at times it did have problems focusing quick enough on the subject. Additionally the white balance response was also a bit shaky at times, blanching out the image while the camera?s mechanism tried to catch up.

Image quality for picture was on the whole good, although colours on the test shots we took dull in colour.”

Website: Pocket-Lint - Pentax OptioMX4 Review

Check the Latest Prices for the Pentax OptioMX4

CNET have just reviewed the new slimline 5 megapixel Casio EXILIM Card EX-Z55 digital camera.

“The centerpiece of the Z55’s design is its 2.5-inch LCD screen, which takes up most of the small camera’s back and, thus, seems even bigger. Also contributing to this effect is the Z55’s comically small and essentially useless optical viewfinder, which works only passably well during daylight and will temporarily blind you at night if you try it with the LCD turned on. Casio crams all of the buttons on the 5.6-ounce Exilim Z55 to the right of Screenzilla but organizes them logically despite their cramped layout.”

Website: CNET - Casio EXILIM Card EX-Z55 Review

Check the Latest Prices for the Casio EXILIM Card EX-Z55

CNET have just reviewed the new slimline 5 megapixel Casio EXILIM Card EX-Z50 digital camera.

“Five megapixels? Check. Bright, 2-inch LCD screen? Check. Portable, pleasing design? Check. Like its slightly snazzier brother, the Z55, the Casio Exilim EX-Z50 has a sprightly build and a user-friendly interface. The only difference between the two is that the Z55 has a larger screen (2.5 inches) and costs about $50 more. The camera’s rear buttons are laid out differently than on the Z55 but still feel properly placed.”

Website: CNET - Casio EXILIM Card EX-Z50 Review

The Danish website Akamera.dk have published a review of the 6 megapixel FujiFilm FinePix F810 Zoom.

Website: Akamera.dk - FujiFilm FinePix F810 Zoom Review

Website: Read my Fujifilm Finepix F810 Review

Check the Latest Prices for the FujiFilm FinePix F810 Zoom

The Norwegian website Akamera.no have just reviewed the new slimline 5 megapixel Casio EXILIM Card EX-Z55 digital camera.

Website: Akamera.no - Casio EXILIM Card EX-Z55 Review

Check the Latest Prices for the Casio EXILIM Card EX-Z55

The Norwegain website Akamera.no have just posted their review of the new HP Photosmart 8450 printer.

Website: Akamera.no - HP Photosmart 8450 Printer Review

Check the Latest Prices for the HP Photosmart 8450 Printer

Medialaundry Press Release 15/11/04

Online this month is the Medialaundry.com ? the Internet’s first dedicated media delivery system.

Send, receive and share media files across the Internet using the Medialaundry’s dedicated Digidelivery servers, at ultra fast speed and with total security.

Supplied directly by a tier one (100 Mb/s bursting) connection, users can transfer media without the corporate LAN traffic and ISP bottlenecks common with FTP servers. Deliveries are encrypted and only downloadable by chosen recipients guaranteeing security.

Each delivery is managed and invoiced immediately making accounting a breeze, and with delivery from as little as £4 per gigabyte it makes unreliable e-mail attachments and complicated FTP sites a thing of the past.

Visit Medialaundry.com and apply for an instant account.

Medialaundry - Fresh to your desktop.

Fujifilm UK Press Release 15/11/04

Fujifilm launches underwater housing for the FinePix F810 Zoom

Fujifilm today announced a sealed underwater housing unit for the popular FinePix F810 Zoom digital camera, ensuring secure protection to depths of up to 40 metres.

The high impact strength polycarbonate casing is precision-engineered to withstand underwater pressure as well as extreme conditions, allowing you to capture accurate images in tough terrain, such as on the slopes, in dusty deserts or amongst the creatures of the deep. The lightweight design also comes with brightly coloured and easy-to-use controls for navigating the camera’s complete range of still and motion imaging functions.

The six megapixel FinePix F810 Zoom recently made a splash on the photographic stage, as championing a refinement to Fujifilm’s Super CCD HR sensor. This modification, coupled with improved processor technology and a new sensitivity rating of ISO 80, is earning the model a reputation for clearer, sharper pictures.

Pixel Genius LLC Press Release 13/11/04

Chicago, IL - November 13th, 2004 - Pixel Genius LLC releases PhotoKit Color, a new product by PixelGenius. PhotoKit Color is an Adobe Photoshop Plug-in that applies precise color corrections, automatic color balancing and creative coloring effects. With a retail price of $99.95, PhotoKit Color offers a comprehensive set of coloring tools for Photoshop 7.0 and Photoshop CS for both Macintosh and Windows.

Color plays a huge role in how we perceive and describe the world we see, so it?s hardly surprising that one of the first things we want to do to a photograph when we bring it into Photoshop is to adjust accurately or play creatively with the color in the image. Photographers in particular have long desired to reproduce traditional photographic processes digitally using Photoshop. PhotoKit Color provides a comprehensive suite of effects that let you recreate creative effects like black and white split toning and cross processing. All these effects are applied as separate layers so the user can make further variations, adapting each effect to suit their own tastes. But that?s not all! With PhotoKit Color, you can enhance specific colors in your photographs. You can make skin tones less red or lighter. With the Blue Enhance effect you can darken a blue sky and enhance the cloud contrast. And with the RSA Gray Balance set, you can automatically remove color-casts from almost any type of image.

BIOS magazine have just reviewed Nero 6 Reloaded.

“Nero 6 Reloaded is the most complete all-in-one digital media solution available today. The suite includes all of the features most users demand from an authoring package - as well as a whole lot more you’ll likely never use - including tools to rip audio CDs to various formats, record LPs and tapes to CDs, make a compilation of all your favourite music by mixing titles in various formats, as well as create backups, DVD-Movies and share files over a network. Its features are quite extensive, especially considering its aggressive pricing, but it’s not a unified or elegant solution - utilities open in new, unfamiliar windows and have different menu structures and wizards. If you’re prepared to wade through the software’s menus and experiment with all of its options, Nero 6 Reloaded is outstanding value for money. If you only need to complete a few tasks daily, such as author CD/DVDs and create slideshows, Roxio’s Creator 7 is much more approachable.”

Website: BIOS - Nero 6 Reloaded Review

MAGPIX Press Release 12/11/04

MAGPIX Magnifies Product Line with 3.1 Megapixel Digital Camera Binocular

SX3 is the only true 3.1 megapixel camera/binocular on the market, providing professional-grade optics at a consumer-friendly price

AMESBURY, Mass., Nov. 12, 2004—MAGPIX Inc. today announced its third generation digital camera binocular. The MAGPIX SX3 offers a series of innovative features never-before-seen in the binocular camera category and is the first and only true 3.1 CMOS megapixel on the market today. At only $149, the SX3 is easy to use, compact, and durable, making it perfect for any outdoor activity, from sporting events and site seeing to wildlife and nature viewing.

Powerful and sleek, the SX3 offers viewers 10X optical camera lens magnification through its 10 x 25mm ruby coated lenses. The SX3 allows users to take pictures from near to far (~45ft. to infinity) with an innovative lens focusing system, an industry first in a digital camera binocular. The included Light Guide attachment, similar in concept to those seen on lenses at professional sporting events, enables users to take superior digital photos in bright daylight and at great distances. With a shutter speed of up to 1/8000 of a second, the SX3 ensures that viewers don’t miss any fast-paced action - even from far away.

JP Service Solutions Press Release 15/11/04

JP Service Solutions is a division of Johnsons Photopia Ltd., whose history in the photographic industry can be traced back 250 years. Johnsons Photopia has been associated for many years with the leading brands in the UK analogue and digital marketplaces - including Agfa, Mamiya, Ricoh and Kyocera, and continues today as one of the largest, independent distributors of photographic equipment.

JP Service Solutions (JPSS) has evolved into a separate division within Johnsons Photopia Ltd. to provide a real solution to the need for a repair and refurbishment process to manufacturers and OEM partners alike.

Drawing on an exceptional level of in-house expertise, built up over years of supplying, supporting and servicing photographic products, has allowed JPSS to define and fine tune the workflow associated with returned and faulty goods. These processes now incorporate returns management; refurbishment; parts farming; warehouse repacking and faulty unit repair/replacement; extensive in-depth escalated technical support; product warranty provision and Pan-European reverse logistics. Each process is modular dependant upon the customer’s requirements.

DIWA Press Release 12/11/04

Amsterdam, 12. November 2004 - DIWA (Digital Imaging Websites Association), a world-wide organisation of collaborating websites, today has the pleasure of announcing that a DIWA Gold Award is granted to the Canon EOS 20D digital SLR for its outstanding image quality and excellent performance.

The semi-professional EOS 20D provides the end-user with first class professional quality images from an 8.2 Megapixel low-noise CMOS image sensor. The built-in DIGIC II architecture delivers 5fps continuous shooting with a maximum burst of 23 frame JPEG images, bringing the camera on a par with comparable analogue SLRs. Furthermore, the EOS 20D is honoured for its lifelike colour rendition, instant start-up, rapid image display and simultaneous storing of JPEG and RAW files. All-in-all, the EOS 20D proves to be an excellent choice for the semi-professional photographer.

Check the Latest Prices for the Canon EOS 20D

DIWA Press Release 12/11/04

Amsterdam, 12. November 2004 - Digital Imaging Websites Association (DIWA) today announced their first Design Award to the unique Olympus mini DIGITAL construction.

The Olympus mini DIGITAL is a radical diversion from traditional camera designs, replacing conservative symmetrical camera shapes with an indefinable oval profile. Unlike many other design products, the Olympus mini DIGITAL is not an over-priced collector?s item for the few, but a useful imaging tool for any design conscious lifestyle enthusiast.

Despite its exciting, soap-like form, the camera complies with all conventional rules of ergonomics, making it just as user-friendly as any ordinary digital camera. It even features a large dial for easy setting of primary camera functions, as well as a bright and user friendly 1.8? LCD-screen. Being part of the [mju:] camera range, the mini DIGITAL also features a weather resistant construction.

Check the Latest Prices for the Olympus mini [mju:] DIGITAL

Ricoh EPMMC UK Press Release 12/11/04

Ricoh EPMMC UK is proud to announce the appointment of Sangers Group Ltd. to distribute Ricoh’s award-winning range of digital cameras and media products. The Personal MultiMedia Centre of Ricoh Europe B.V. is based in the UK and Germany and is one of the leading suppliers of DVD+RW/+R, drives, DVD media and digital cameras in the Pan-European market.

Simon Blackburn, Managing Director of the Sangers Group remarked: “The Sangers Group has a long history of dealing with leading manufacturers of premium brands across a number of markets. Ricoh has a very strong pedigree in 35mm camera production and - more recently - in the digital camera market place. We, therefore, feel that now is the right time to go into partnership with Ricoh, and are looking forward to working with them in the coming months.”

The Digital Journalist has just published a great report on the Photokina photography show that was held last month in Cologne, Germany.

“In the first four months of this year manufacturers have brought 210 new digital camera models onto the market, according to Photokina sources. By year’s end, 600 more digicam novelties are expected by marketing experts.

Market projections at Photokina indicate that the digital photo boom will peak in 2008 and that only thereafter may the markets be saturated.”

Website: The Digital Journalist - Photokina: Photography’s Carnival, Part 1

Photo-i have abandoned their interactive, diary-like review of the new high-end Canon CanoScan 9950F flatbed scanner.

“It is with great regret that I have pulled the plug on this scanner review. Although I appreciate the help that Canon has given me regarding earlier problems, after three units and problems are still present, I feel that I can’t carry on with the review.

This scanner has teething problems which should have been sorted before the scanner hit the shelves. Canon must address the problem with some urgency.”

Website: Photo-i

Check the Latest Prices for the Canon CanoScan 9950F