It seems that PhotographyBLOG had a few problems with receiving email between Friday 1st and Monday 4th October. If you sent me an email during that time, please resend it and I will respond asap.

One of my favourite photography websites has sadly decided to call it a day, with the final issue publishing work from 51 contributors to the online photo magazine. Thanks to Rachel James for running this great site!

“In two years, 28mm published fourteen issues with 107 photographers.  Fifty-one of them have put their best foot forward for this final issue of 28mm.

I believe that when you cannot give a website like this your 100%, then it’s time to stop.  It is a decision that some of you might not understand, but one that I hope you can respect.

Before we officially close the chapter on 28mm, I have decided to put my energy into creating “28MM: The Book”.  An official announcement will be made about that on Monday.

In the meantime… Enjoy.

“

Website: http://www.28mm.org

Here’s a review that I missed during the Photokina madness :-) LetsGoDigital published a world-wide exclusive review of the Ricoh Caplio R1 digital camera.

“The small size of the camera is deceiving, one doesn’t expect it to be a 4.0 Megapixel camera equipped with a 4.8x optical zoom lens. The range is 28-135mm, a range which makes this camera a practically all-round employable camera. Even telephoto images can be taken in combination with the digital zoom, however the quality will decrease considerably.

Ricoh has got a very beautiful looking camera in his hands with this Caplio R1. The camera has a nice aluminium housing and feels very solid. The design is rather perfect, let alone one small beautyspot, the cover for the battery/memory compartment. The Ricoh Caplio R1 will look great next to competing celebrities, on the shelf of the local dealer.”

Website: LetsGoDigital - Ricoh Caplio R1 Review

Thanks to Sanj for sending me the press release.

BetterJPEG Team Press Release 07/10/04

Retouch Your JPEG Photos without Recompression Loss with BetterJPEG 1.3

BetterJPEG Team announced today the release of version 1.3 (1.3.1.0) of BetterJPEG application, a graphics utility specifically designed to avoid recompression loss when editing and resaving JPEG images.

Unlike most other image editing tools that recompress JPEG images when resaving, introducing more and more JPEG artifacts and degrading the image quality with each iteration, BetterJPEG takes advantage of the fact that JPEG images consist of a number of small independently encoded blocks and does not recompress blocks that didn’t change.

BetterJPEG authors decided to go beyond such traditional lossless JPEG operations as rotation and flip, found in many contemporary image manipulation tools, and extended the number of lossless operations with crop, text insertion, red eye reduction and copy/paste to external
editor.

Digital Railroad Inc. Press Release

Technology simplifies workflow, marketing and unlocks revenue opportunities

Digital Railroad Inc. today announced the first online workflow and archive system that gives the power of a large photo agency to individual photographers.

Digital Railroad, www.digitalrailroad.net, automates repetitive workflow, and streamlines image delivery and communications. Searchable online archives unlock image revenue.

Photography legends and previous White House photographers Dirck Halstead and David Hume Kennerly believe it will change the professional photography industry.

“Digital Railroad eliminates daily technology hurdles; finally photographers have access to efficient tools for editing, archiving and simultaneously distributing their work,” said Halstead, award-winning photojournalist and Digital Journalist publisher.

Samsung Press Release 06/10/04

Samsung Heralds the Video Communication Age; Samsung Electronics In London to Showcase World-Leading Product Portfolio
 
LONDON—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Oct. 6, 2004—In the surroundings of the world famous British Museum, ‘creating the future together’ was the clear message as Samsung Electronics showcased a range of new products that will lead the ‘Video Communication Age.’

At the Global Roadshow 2004, attendees saw the breadth of Samsung’s digital offering and reviewed the company’s latest mobile handsets, digital TVs, home entertainment systems and other examples of design-led, technologically innovative products. In his speech, Mr. Jong-Yong Yun, Vice Chairman and CEO of Samsung Electronics, described the advent of the Video Communication Age and how it would bring about a fundamental change in the way people connect with each other.

Rollei Press Release

Two eyes see more….

photokina 2004

Two eyes see more ...

The new Rolleiflex MiniDigi is a modern digital camera with the same design as Rollei’s classic twin-lens reflex camera.

Everyone knows the legendary Rolleiflex twin-lens reflex camera, which has been popular among top photographers throughout the world since 1929. There are few Hollywood stars who have never been photographed with a Rollei. And it is this tradition that Rollei is now reviving with the Rolleiflex MiniDigi, except that the familiar and well-proven design now embraces ultra-modern technology. With its slim dimensions and low weight of 100 g, it is the ideal companion for out and about. The new Rollei digital camera is available from dealers for ? 399 from October.

The Rolleiflex MiniDigi stands out refreshingly from the vast number of digital cameras currently flooding the market. Amateur enthusiasts can now also enjoy the look and feel of a professional 6x6 Rolleiflex. Just like its predecessor, the photographer looks down into the waist-level viewfinder, so the uncomfortable situation for many models of being eye to eye with the photographer is avoided.

Rollei Press Release

Rollei is zooming in!

photokina 2004

Rollei Is Zooming In

Rollei launches 4-megapixel superzoom camera Rollei dk4010 with 10x zoom lens

The new 4-megapixel digital camera by Rollei is sure to capture even very remote subjects in full detail: A 10x zoom lens and a 6x digital zoom let you zoom in on your subjects even over long distances. Other outstanding features are unlimited continuous shooting, a movie mode and the availability of filters and wide-angle or teleconverters to increase the flexibility of the Rollei dk4010 even further. The digital camera will be available at dealers from October 2004.

The new Rollei digital camera comes in a stylish silver-black body that underlines its professional leanings. But the features are equally attractive: A 10x zoom lens covers focal lengths from 5.7 to 57 mm, equivalent to 37-370 mm in 35mm photography. With f/2.8-3.1, its speed is remarkably high and optimally suited for the wide zooming range. A high-speed autofocus system guarantees consistently sharp pictures. Another remarkable feature is unlimited continuous shooting: The camera is capable of unlimited bursts of up to 3.3 frames per second with maximum resolution.

Rollei Press Release

Rollei R3 - Monochrome Film in Rollei Quality

photokina 2004

Rollei R3- Monochrome Film in Rollei Quality

Rollei present themselves as “The new Rollei” offering an impressive line of digital cameras and attractive new products all around bits and bytes. However, they have not lost sight of the company’s tradition. Proof of this are, among other things, twin-lens reflex cameras such as the Rolleiflex 4.0 FW, going back to the type of camera that made Rollei world-famous.

Not going back to Rollei’s own tradition, but to the tradition of photography is a new line of products which Rollei present at the 2004 photokina: Exclusive high-end monochrome film designed to attract attention in a world flooded with color.

The new Rollei R3 film will be available in all sizes, from 35mm to 120 roll film and 8x10” sheet film. Both professionals and discriminating amateurs will find it ideal for optimum tonal control and images with perfectly rendered, subtle tones of gray.

Film speed is variable from ISO 25 to ISO 6400, allowing the material to be used in practically any light. This is made possible by a multilayer design with cubic silver-halide crystals of different size embedded in the various layers. Spectral sensitivity also covers a wide range from orthochromatic to panchromatic right into the infrared.

The German website PhotoWorld.de have posted their review of the 5 megapixel, 10x optical zoom Kodak EASYSHARE DX7590 digital camera.

Website: PhotoWorld.de - Kodak EASYSHARE DX7590 Review

The Slovenian website eFotoGrafija have published another very interesting interview (in English) from Photokina, this time with Olympus representatives Toshifumi Nakano and Masaharu Hamada. The following info about the new E-300 DSLR is just one of the things that caught my eye:

“E-1 was released one year ago and was meant for professional market, where pentaprism is almost compulsory. From a professional camera one expects it to be made in a certain way. The new E-300 is built for a lower, consumer class and we believe that such a camera needs to be special. In the near future, Sony and Panasonic will probably launch their lower-end DSLR cameras and when that happens, we will have to respond, perhaps with an EVF and different design also.

With that in mind we developed a new technology, which makes it possible to use a new design while still keeping the optical viewfinder. Looking at the cameras to come from Sony or Panasonic we are aware that we will need a new design.”

Website: eFotoGrafija - Interview with Olympus representatives Toshifumi Nakano and Masaharu Hamada

Following on from my previous post, another new firmware update has just been released for the Canon EOS 20D DSLR, along with the following apology from Canon!

“We have discovered that the version 1.0.4 firmware released on October 4 had a bug in the program that handles the update. In cases where the update was performed with a lens attached to the camera, there were situations in which the firmware could not be updated correctly.

In cases where the firmware was not updated correctly, the camera might not power on, the camera might not communicate properly with the lens and flash, or similar malfunctions might occur.

Canon offers its sincerest apologies to customers who have been inconvenienced by this situation.”

Version 1.0.5 is exactly the same as 1.0.4. It just fixes the version 1.0.4 bug where if the update was performed with a lens attached to the camera, there were situations in which the firmware could not be updated correctly. Full details can be found at the following URL:

Website: Canon EOS 20D Firmware Version 1.0.5

After the rather stange disappearance yesterday of the new firmware update for the Canon EOS 20D DSLR, Canon USA have issued the following statement to try and explain exactly what is going on.

Canon Inc. has acknowledged the EOS 20D lock-up issue as follows:

Canon is aware of this [EOS 20D lock-up] issue; it is currently being investigated. It seems to occur very rarely, under extremely limited conditions. If it does occur, you can remove and reinsert the battery to restore your camera to its normal condition. Please note that this issue does not affect images taken with the camera. We plan to release a firmware update for download from the Web when the appropriate countermeasures are determined; we will let you know the schedule for this release when it becomes available.”

So I guess all you 20D owners will have to sit tight and wait for a new version of firmware to appear that will fix this issue once and for all.

DCResource have published their review of the new 7 megapixel Canon PowerShot S70.

“Overall photo quality on the PowerShot S70 is very good, though it’s a step down from the PowerShot G6 (which uses the same sensor) in several areas.

For one, purple fringing levels are higher on the S70 than on the G6. Beside the example above, the “purple fringing torture test” shot [S70, G6] gives you some evidence to back up that claim.

The S70 (and S60 as well) also have a problem with blurriness around the edges of the frame. These two shots are great examples of this problem. So you definitely give up some photo quality when you choose the S70. Things like the noise level, color, and exposure are quite similar between the G6 and S70, and they are all acceptable.”

Website: DCResource - Canon PowerShot S70 Review

Konica Minolta Europe have posted a new firmware update for the DiMAGE Z3 digital camera. V1.02 contains the following:

Contents of update
Corrected the following problems:
1. The horizontal line noise appears along the top of image is dark.*
2. Delay in the built-in clock
3. System error appears or operation of switches is not accepted when capturing continuously.
4. The card capacity decreases if the 1GB SD memory card is formatted. (No problem with a card of 512MB or less.)

Website: Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z3 V1.02 Firmware

DigiCamReview.co.uk are the first website to publish a review of the new 5 megapixel Panasonic DMC-FX7.

“Image quality is very good - the images have great colour, great detail (although they could do with a slight sharpen depending on your tastes), low noise, there is very little purple fringing, although it would be nice if there was a bit less. Image compression seems about right. The macro mode is good (a bit better than average). The flash did cause problems when the subject was too close. Auto white balance and metering seemed to be very good. The movie mode is good although a bit low-res compared to other cameras.”

Website: DigiCamReview.co.uk - Panasonic DMC-FX7 Ultra Zoom Review

The Danish website have published their review of the 4-megapixel Olympus C-770 Ultra Zoom digital camera.

Website: Akam.dk - Olympus C-770 Ultra Zoom Review

EIZO Press Release

EIZO Introduces ColorEdge CG220 LCD Monitor at Photokina 2004

22.2-inch wide screen monitor covers Adobe? RGB color space

Cologne, Germany, September 28, 2004 - Eizo Nanao Corporation (“EIZO”) is unveiling its ColorEdge CG220 LCD monitor featuring 100% support for the Adobe RGB color space at Photokina 2004, one of the world’s leading trade fairs for the photographic and imaging sectors. The wide color gamut of the ColorEdge CG220 provides a vast range of displayable colors compared to conventional monitors, which typically cover the smaller sRGB color space. To ensure suitability for complex imaging tasks and color management, EIZO has equipped the ColorEdge CG220 with several features such as improved rendering of dark grayscale tones, emulation of the color characteristics of other monitors, and black level adjustment. The CG220 and other EIZO ColorEdge products are on display at Photokina 2004 in Hall 10.1 Booth B048.

With the shift to a digital workflow where colors checks are conducted on screen rather than with printed color proofs, the ColorEdge CG220’s support for the Adobe RGB color space helps professionals in graphic design, photography and printing shorten production time and reduce costs. Unlike conventional monitors, which are limited to displaying the sRGB color space, the ColorEdge CG220 can display almost all the colors in an ISO-coated color space used in printing, including a broad range of emerald greens and cyans. As a result, all color checks can be carried out on screen before printing begins without worrying about color loss.

The 22.2-inch screen has a 1920 x 1200 native resolution and 16:10 aspect ratio. This wide screen enables the full display of two A4 pages of an application like Adobe Photoshop and its tool palette without any overlap.

PCMagazine have published their review of the new photo editing software, Paint Shop Pro 9 from Jasc Software.

“Compared with the dramatic redesign Jasc Software introduced in Paint Shop Pro 8, the updates and enhancements in Paint Shop Pro 9 seem at first glance much subtler. But Jasc has packed a number of impressive new tools and capabilities into this professional-level image editor. In a couple cases, Jasc is playing catch up with Adobe Photoshop CS. But Paint Shop Pro 9 reaches beyond mere image editing with “painting” features that resemble Corel Painter’s.”

Website: PCMagazine - Paint Shop Pro 9 Review

The 44th Photo of the Week contest is now closed.

I have choosen what I think are the best photographs in my opinion. Now it’s your turn to vote for the overall winner of the contest. A Public Poll has been setup on the PhotographyBLOG Forums and you have 7 days during which you can vote for your favourite photo from the ones that I have chosen. Voting will end on Monday 11th October. The Poll will then be closed and the overall winner announced.

Vote now for your favourite image from the Photo Of The Week 27th September - 3rd October 2004 contest