Imaging Resource have just reviewed the 4 megapixel Canon PowerShot SD300 Digital ELPH (also known as the IXUS 40).

“Slightly smaller than many preceding Canon Digital ELPH models, the PowerShot SD300 features the great looks and sharp design that are the ELPH signature. Very compact and quick on the draw (thanks to a smoothly operating retractable lens design), the PowerShot SD300 is a convenient point-and-shoot digital camera with a handful of extra exposure features for added flexibility, and a larger LCD display than previous models of this size in Canon’s lineup.”

Website: Imaging Resource - Canon PowerShot SD300 Digital ELPH Review

Check the Latest Prices for the Canon PowerShot SD300 Digital ELPH

Iomega Press Release 09/11/04

Ideal Storage: Big Capacity In a Tiny Package Without the Power Cord

SAN DIEGO, November 09, 2004 - Iomega Corporation (NYSE: IOM), a global leader in data storage, today announced a slick little external hard drive in 20 GB and 40 GB capacities that is small enough for the shirt pocket and weighs just 3.5 ounces. The new Iomega USB 2.0 Mini Hard Drive is the first Iomega hard drive to receive 100 percent of its power from a standard USB data port, allowing mobile professionals to travel lighter and still have plenty of storage capacity for all their important files.

“The Iomega Mini Hard Drive is host-powered, small, and weighs next to nothing, so it is a great choice for mobile professionals and students,” said Brad Nelson, general manager, consumer products, Iomega Corporation. “Using a Mini Hard Drive is extremely simple: just connect it to your computer’s USB port and you’re ready to take your files anywhere. Other external hard drives require an external power source, tethering you to the nearest available AC wall outlet. The Iomega Mini Hard Drive gives the user more freedom and flexibility. You won’t find a simpler product on the market.”

Digital Outback Photo have published a brief review of a new sharpening tool called Focus Fixer.

“Focus Fixer claims to use some info from the camera and lens if it can detect the info from EXIF information. We have no idea how much this contributes to the really good result.”

Website: Digital Outback Photo - Sharpening with Focus Fixer

Casio have just made a new version of firmware available for their 6 megapixel EXILIM PRO EX-P600 digital camera.

Improvements Provided by Version 1.02:

V1.01-V1.02
- Disables use of continuous shutter and auto bracketing with BESTSHOT Mode soft focus.
- Fixes problem that made it impossible to record under dark conditions when the camera was set up for extreme underexposure.

V1.00-V1.01
- High-speed night scene recording.
- Zooming of portrait orientation images (without changing to landscape orientation).

Website: Casio EXILIM PRO EX-P600 Firmware

Check the Latest Prices for the Casio EXILIM PRO EX-P600

Rollei Press Release 09/11/04

Versatile new compact Rollei Prego dp5200 digital camera with 5.2 megapixels offers large and easy-to-read 2.5-inch TFT color display

The powerful new Rollei dp5200 compact camera nicely fits into the “middle class” of digital cameras: It is an attractive combination of stylish, practical design and extremely high operator comfort as well as sophisticated shooting functions. Its extra-flat, stylish metal body houses a 3x zoom lens supported by a 4x digital zoom. Numerous additional functions include the possiblity of video and voice recording. The camera will be available from mid November 2004 for ?329 (incl. VAT approx $424).

Whoever is looking for a camera that is particularly easy to use will enjoy picture-taking with the Prego dp5200. With dimensions of 88.5 mm x 54.5 mm x 24 mm and a weight of only 130 g, it is remarkably handy and light in weight. What’s more, its generously dimensioned 2.5-inch TFT color display gives a perfect view of subjects and settings.

Nikon UK Press Release 09/11/04

Consumer Coolpix price reduction and Cash Back promotion announced in the run up to Christmas

Nikon are pleased to announce a price reduction on the Coolpix 4200 and 5200 (pictured) effective 9th November 2004.

The recommended retail price for the Coolpix 4200 will now be £229.99 (previous price £249.99).

The recommended retail price for the Coolpix 5200 will be £249.99 (previous price £279.99).

In addition, Nikon are pleased to inform you of a Cash Back promotion available on the Coolpix 4200 and Coolpix 5200. Nikon are offering customers the opportunity to claim £50 back on the price they paid in-store on either of these products.

The promotion will run for the weekend of the 13th and 14th November only.

This will be the first of 4 such weekend promotions Nikon are running between now and Christmas.

Check the Latest Prices for the Nikon Coolpix 5200

Check the Latest Prices for the Nikon Coolpix 4200

Sony Press Release 09/11/04

Sony VAIO U-Series Notebook Combines Power of Full-size PC with Portability of PDA

SAN DIEGO, Nov. 9, 2004 - At a shade over 1 pound, Sony’s new VAIO- U Ultra Portable PC, announced today, has the heart of a PC but the soul of an entertainer.

Doubling as a portable media player, this “pocketable” PC allows you to download entertainment content and enjoy it virtually anywhere you go. Integrated 802.11 b/g wireless LAN connects you to thousands of hotspots across the country and helps you stay in touch with the Internet, email and your favorite digital content download services.

Multiple input modes contribute to the PC’s extreme versatility. Using the stylus and virtual keyboard on the unit’s touch panel screen, you can compose email messages or navigate files even while standing up. Handwriting recognition software simplifies note-taking or annotating documents. Users can also quickly launch programs or execute common commands with thumb-controlled action buttons, or draft longer text files with the included foldout keyboard.

CNET have just reviewed what is sure to be a popular digital camera, the 5 megapixel Canon PowerShot A95.

“Canon’s 5-megapixel PowerShot A95 steps up as the capable successor to the highly popular A80. As the A series’ momentary flagship model, the A95 offers simplicity for entry-level photographers, a versatile feature set for more-experienced shooters, and excellent image quality for both.”

Website: CNET - Canon PowerShot A95 Review

Check the Latest Prices for the Canon PowerShot A95

It’s the time of year when awards start to be handed out, and first off the blocks is Popular Photography magazine, who have made the 6 megapixel Nikon D70 DSLR their Camera of the Year.

“The question for ‘04 was how quickly a camera maker would seize on this revolutionary fervor, and add some sophistication, features, fine-tuning, and, well, “maturity” to what the D Rebel had wrought…without pushing the price to a pro-caliber level.

Nikon worked fast, and we had our hands on a nearly completed D70 in time for our May issue. As that article and our lab test of a production model in our June issue showed, Nikon got it right.”

Website: Popular Photography - Camera of the Year 2004

Check the Latest Prices for the Nikon D70

The Norwegian website Akamera.no have just reviewed the new 7 megapixel Sony DSC-P150 digital compact camera.

Website: Akamera.no - Sony DSC-P150 Review

Check the Latest Prices for the Sony DSC-P150

Sandisk Press Release 09/11/04

SANDISK LAUNCHES HIGHER CAPACITIES AND WIDER TEMPERATURE RANGES FOR INDUSTRIAL SD CARDS AND TRANSFLASH MODULES

Growth Potential Seen For Embedded Systems and Automotive Telematics

Munich, Germany, November 9, 2004 - Responding to an increasing demand for durable flash memory in automotive telematics, military and medical applications, SanDisk Corporation (NASDAQ: SNDK) today announced larger capacities and extended operating temperature ranges for its line of industrial-grade SD flash memory cards and tiny TransFlash modules. The announcement was made at Electronica 2004, where SanDisk is exhibiting in Hall A4, Stand 243 of the New Munich Trade Fair Center.

SanDisk introduced a 1-gigabyte (GB) industrial SD card and a 256-megabyte (MB) industrial TransFlash module, providing twice as much memory as their previous highest capacities. Also, the company is offering high reliability with an improved temperature range of -40 to +85 Celsius (-40 to +185 degrees Fahrenheit) for both form factors. The new SD and TransFlash models are expected to ship worldwide starting in January. Pricing is being determined and will vary from region to region.

Sandisk Press Release 09/11/04

SANDISK INTRODUCES 4 AND 8 GIGABYTE INDUSTRIAL CF CARDS AND 8 AND 16GB INDUSTRIAL PC CARDS

Speed, Reliability and Cost Efficiency Offer World-Class Flash Storage Solutions For Today’s Demanding Industrial Applications

Munich, Germany, November 9, 2004 - Providing a reliable storage alternative to hard drives, SanDisk Corporation (NASDAQ:SNDK) today announced significantly higher capacities and faster read/write times for its industrial product line including Industrial Grade and Standard Grade Flash ATA cards. These new cards now provide memory options of as much as 16 gigabytes (GB) for PC Cards and up to 8GB for CompactFlash cards. The announcement was made at Electronica 2004, where SanDisk is exhibiting in Hall A4, Stand 243 of the New Munich Trade Fair Center.

The new cards double the current maximum flash storage capacities of these form factors. The highest capacities for industrial CF cards, which are the more popular Type I form factors, are increased from 2GB to 4GB (industrial grade) and from 4GB to 8GB (standard grade). Likewise, the PC Cards, which are Type II form factors and are based on state-of-the-art 90nm (nanometer) NAND flash technology, will go from 4GB to 8GB for industrial grade and from 8GB to 16GB for standard grade. The cards are expected to be available starting in December. Pricing is being determined and will vary from region to region.

Fujifilm UK Press Release 09/11/04

Fujifilm today introduces its Worldwide Travel Charger, a new electrical accessory that can be used anywhere in the world, making it perfect for adventurous travellers and photographers alike.  The charger can be used again and again to help power batteries for a host of electrical equipment, from digital cameras to portable music devices to travel alarm clocks, which means it is not just economical but also environmentally friendly.

O’Reilly Press Release 09/11/04

The Many Dimensions of Mac OS X Explored at the 2004 O’Reilly Mac OS X Conference

Sebastopol, CA—Mac developers, system administrators, digital musicians, and users were treated to a thorough exploration of Mac OS X’s past, present, and future at the third O’Reilly Mac OS X Conference, which took place in Santa Clara, CA from October 25-28. Over 500 attendees filled sessions examining the many aspects and applications of Mac OS X: a Tiger preview, digital forensics, Podcasting, AppleScript, GarageBand, Mac hacks for the home, Mac OS X in a Unix environment, creating digital music, and much more.

In addition to tracks devoted to the needs of programmers and sys admins, two new tracks debuted at this year’s conference. The Insanely Great Mac track focused on cool and useful applications in mobile computing, home automation, creative networking, and digital media. The Digital Audio track, for musicians and tech gurus, explored fine tuning Macs for peak performance, designing workflows to manage huge amounts of content, how to work with professional applications, and how to get new music in front of audiences. “We added a digital audio track to this conference because we believe there are opportunities for developers in this arena,” noted conference program chair Derrick Story. “At the moment, the iPod and ITMS are grabbing the headlines. But a more complete understanding of the audio process—from how it’s created, managed, distributed, and consumed—can lead to further innovation in this area.”

“Photo Finish” is a new book from digital imaging experts Jon Canfield and Tim Grey which explores the different ways of presenting your photographs after you have taken them. Capturing a great image is only half the battle; showing it off to the rest of the world is also an essential part of any photographer’s workflow, whether it be to your family members, to clients or for an exhibition. Written from the viewpoint of the digital photographer, “Photo Finish” looks at a wide range of techniques, including printing using an inkjet printer, using traditional print labs and online print services, displaying images on the internet, creating digital slideshows, and finishing and exhibiting prints. During 316 pages, the authors clearly explain why and how you can present your work in the best possible way and make your photographs stand out from the crowd. Find out if “Photo Finish” can make your photographs shine by reading my review.

Website: “Photo Finish: The Digital Photographer’s Guide to Printing, Showing, and Selling Images” Review

Nikon USA have just announced a number of rebates on their DSLR cameras and lenses, including the D70 (pictured). Highlights include:

Nikon D70 - $100 Rebate
Nikon D100 - $200 Rebate
Nikon D1X - $500 Rebate

Website: Nikon USA - Bonus Holiday Cash (PDF)

The fourth (and hopefully final) preview of the new Olympus E-300/Evolt DSLR (UK price £699 with a lens) is from Steves Digicams. Seems like all there was some kind of embargo on publishing E-300 previews!

“Lenses that are smart, that talk with the camera about their specific optical designs and imaging information. Lenses, particularly zoom lenses have some distortion. This is true of all manufacturers. Zuiko Digital Lenses store data in the header portion of the digital file allowing for software-assisted correction of anomalies including pin cushion and barrel distortion.

Shoot wide open or stopped all the way down and achieve superior results over 35mm film based lenses. Zuiko Digital Specific Lenses are about three times the resolution of ordinary film based lenses.”

Website: Steves Digicams - Olympus E-300/Evolt Preview

Steves Digicams are reporting that Toshiba have exited the digital camera building. No surprise really as Toshiba isn’t exactly the first digicam brand that springs to mind. What’s more surprising is that apparently they silently left the market back in March 2004, making all their digital camera staff redundant!

Website: Steves Digicams - Toshiba Quietly Exits Digital Camera Business

The third preview (!) of the new Olympus E-300/Evolt DSLR (UK price £699 with a lens) is from Imaging Resource.

“The E-300’s user interface is similar to those of the Olympus C-series digicams, with a multi-page menu system that’s easy to navigate. The standard Olympus Shortcut menu screen has been omitted, made unnecessary by the many single-purpose buttons for major functions on the camera body. The menu system is simple to navigate, even for users new to the interface. Menu layouts are straightforward. A Mode dial on top of the camera changes capture modes quickly. Once you get into the Record menu, options are organized by function, accessed by a series of tabs along the left side of the screen. This layout lets you quickly skip to the options you need without sifting through pages of menu items.”

Website: Imaging Resource - Olympus E-300/Evolt Preview

The Hungarian website Index Digicam have reviewed the Fujifilm FinePix A340 Zoom (pictured), a digital camera that offers 4 million effective pixel resolution, and the FinePix A330 Zoom, which has 3 megapixels.

Website: Index Digicam - Fujifilm FinePix A330/A340 Zoom Review