Hasselblad Press Release 28/09/04

9/28/2004 Carl Zeiss has introduced a new 35 mm rangefinder camera system named Zeiss Ikon. The system uses M bayonet type lenses and will initially consist of body, 7 lens types and accessories. The body and 3 lens types will be available from spring 2005.

Hasselblad will be the worldwide distributor of the Zeiss Ikon system outside of Japan.

Kodak UK Press Release 28/09/04

Share The Magic of Aladdin

September 2004 - Kodak has teamed up with Disney for its new nationwide winter film promotion, which is timed to coincide with the first ever release worldwide on DVD of Aladdin on 4th October 2004.

Kodak and Disney ran a similar successful venture last year around The Lion King, which resulted in significant increases of KODAK film and single-use cameras in the run-up to Christmas. Two fantastic 1st prizes of family holidays to Disneyland Resort Paris are on offer, five 2nd prizes of DVD Players, 50 3rd prizes of Aladdin special edition DVDs and mouse mats for 150 runners-up.

Entry couldn’t be simpler. Consumers just pick up an entry leaflet from the special merchandisers when they purchase Kodak films or single-use cameras. They complete the form, which includes questions plus a tie-breaker, and send it to the promotion address together with proof of purchase.  Closing date for receipt of entries is 1st March 2005.

Kodak UK Press Release 28/09/04

September 2004 - Thanks to the completion of a major project to update the consumer pages of its UK website, visitors to Kodak at www.kodak.co.uk/will now benefit from a number of improved features including easier navigation and up-to-date content.

Key features of the new design include:
- New content on KODAK Kiosks, mobile phone photography, printing and sharing
- New pages for the KODAK EXPRESS network
- Dealer locator with access maps
- New product fly-out menu on main page for easier access
- Easier search functions

The Spanish website quesabesde.com have posted their review of the new 5 megapixel Sony DSC-W1 digital compact camera.

Website: quesabesde.com - Sony DSC-W1 Review

Imaging Resource is the first website to review the new 7 megapixel Canon PowerShot G6.

“Good image noise levels, a significant improvement over the G5 model. More importantly, a very fine-grained noise pattern makes the noise less objectionable. The chart above compares the PowerShot G6’s noise performance over a range of ISOs against that of other cameras. As I’m writing this, we haven’t yet seen any other cameras with 7-megapixel chips in them, so this comparison is against a couple of other “high end” 8-megapixel units, as well as against the earlier G5, to show the improvement Canon managed with the G6. (This last is particularly impressive, given the smaller pixels in the G6’s sensor.) As you can see, the G6 falls somewhere between the Nikon 8700 and Konica Minolta A2. What doesn’t show in this graph is the very smooth, fine-grained nature of the G6’s noise pattern, which makes it much less evident to the eye than the noise of many other cameras.”

Website: Imaging Resource - Konica Minolta DiMAGE G600 Review

Imaging Resource have just reviewed the Konica Minolta DiMAGE G600, a value-packed, high performance 6 megapixel digital camera.

“Don’t let its small size fool you, Konica Minolta’s DiMAGE G600 digicam packs a lot of features into its tiny body. Boasting an all-metal, very compact body and full assortment of exposure options (including full manual exposure control and a nice range of color adjustments), the G600 should be a good fit for a wide range of users. The dual-slot memory system accepts both SD memory cards and Sony Memory Sticks (a feature that first debuted on the Konica KD-400), although the G600 doesn’t provide compatibility with the Memory Stick Pro format, as did the recent G400 model. Adding to the G600’s attractions are its tiny size and all-metal body, as well as a high-resolution, four-megapixel CCD and very fast startup time (according to my tests, 1.9 seconds from power up to the first shot captured, fast indeed).”

Website: Imaging Resource - Konica Minolta DiMAGE G600 Review

Epson UK Press Release 28/09/04

EPSON continues to provide low-cost home photo printing with its new all-in-one solution for digital converts

The Stylus Photo RX420 is EPSON’s latest, most economical all-in-one home digital photo solution that allows users to scan, copy, print and restore premium quality photographs up to A4. The EPSON Stylus Photo RX420 sits at the entry level of the photo all-in-one range and combines high quality home photo-printing with ease of use at a low cost.

September 2004: The EPSON Stylus Photo RX420 is a new addition to the EPSON range of all-in-one photo solutions. It allows users to scan, copy and print photographs up to A4. The EPSON Stylus Photo RX420 is ideal for every digital camera user, from the novice to the photo enthusiast and produces highly durable photo prints at a resolution of 5760 x 1440dpi.

It can produce 24 borderless photographs at home in under one hour.

The EPSON Stylus Photo RX420’s flexibility allows users to print direct from virtually any memory card. Photographs can be easily enlarged up to A4, directly from the memory card or from photographs. The index print functionality allows the user to conveniently view all images from the memory card and print only the photos required, without using a PC. Users can also select DPOF (Digital Print Order Format) setting via their digital camera to specify which images and how many copies they require.

The 44th Photo of the Week contest is now open. This is a weekly photography contest with no set theme and you can enter as many photos as you like.

Click here to read the Photo of the Week Rules.

The voting for the 42nd Photo of the Week contest has now finished.

The winner is “Angels Trumpet” by tootsie.

Congratulations to the winner!

You can view all of the entries that were submitted in this gallery.

Thanks to Sanj for sending me the press release.

PhoTags. Inc. Press Release 28/09/04

PHOTAGS 3.0 ACTIVE CAPTIONS ENABLED PHOTO MANAGEMENT SYSTEM DEBUTS AT PHOTOKINA

Upgraded Photo Management Suites Offers Unrivaled Feature Set

Cologne, Germany - September 28, 2004 PhoTags, Inc.,developer of the revolutionary Active Captions photo messaging and management technology will be unveil the latest upgrade of its innovative software at the Photokina World of Imaging Exhibition in Cologne, Germany. Version 3.0 provides consumers with everything expected from a state of the art Digital Photography Software Suite including, acquiring photos from any source, manage and organize photos quickly and easily, the ability to edit and enhance them and share them. The new “Workshop” section features the ability to create Photo Albums that can be viewed, printed or burnt onto a CD for use on PCS and DVD players, and sent to others. The Photo Calendar generator allows users to select an unlimited number of months and years for print out. The Greeting Card and Post Card Creator applications are the only application to use both sides of a 6X4 inch photo card. Post Cards can even be mailed without an envelope. PhoTags 3.0 even allows you to launch any external editing software directly from the application and then returns you back to Photags when you are done.

Steves Digicams have just reviewed the 4 megapixel FujiFilm FinePix S5100 digital compact camera.

“The FinePix S5100 is Fuji’s 2004 upgrade the the S5000 we tested in 2003. It shares the same fairly compact body and versatile 10x Fujinon optical zoom lens, but the imager has been upgraded to 4-megapixels and its shooting performance improved. Absent, however, is the S5000’s Super CCD HR imager, and the interpolation it used to double its native resolution; the S5100’s 4-megapixel resolution is the native mode of its imager. With a range of exposure modes from automatic to manual, and many steps between, this camera can be changed from a simple point-n-shoot your children will enjoy to a photographic tool that will satisfy the creative urges of the enthusiast.”

Website: Steves Digicams - FujiFilm FinePix S5100 Review

Sandisk will announce a new range of compact flash cards and readers tomorrow, according to Rob Galbraith.

“On Wednesday, September 29, Sandisk will unveil the next chapter in their performance line of CompactFlash and SD. Dubbed Extreme III, the official specifications are astounding: write and read speeds of 20MB/second for both CompactFlash and SD, up from the 9MB/second write and 10MB/second read speeds for the current Extreme and Ultra II cards.”

Website: Rob Galbraith - Sandisk to unveil Extreme III CompactFlash and SD, new card readers and revised Ultra II series

Mamiya look like they are set to announce the World’s first digital medium format camera. The Japanese company are currently running a teaser advert on their website for the Mamiya ZD medium format back AND a body, as well as new digital photo studio software. Intriguing.

Website: Mamiya Japan

LetsGoDigital have published a number of hands-on product shots of the new Olympus E-300 DSLR that was officially announced yesterday.

Website: LetsGoDigital - Photokina Show

Imaging Resource have posted their review of the 4 megapixel Canon PowerShot A85.

“With a compact body similar in design to previous PowerShot “A” models, the Canon PowerShot A85 offers a 4.0-megapixel CCD as its major upgrade, delivering high-resolution images suitable for printing as large as 8x10 inches with good detail. (Lower resolutions are also available, including an email-friendly size, and a special Postcard mode that allows date stamp.) The A85’s all-plastic, two-toned silver body is lightweight and compact, although just a little too large for the average shirt pocket. Still, the A85 should easily fit into larger coat pockets and purses, and comes with a wrist strap for more security.”

Website: Imaging Resource - Canon PowerShot A85 Review

The Slovenian website e-FotoGrafija have posted a selection of photographs from yesterday’s Press day at the Photokina show in Cologne, Germany. There are product shots from the Canon, Olympus, Konica Minolta and Leica stands.

Website: e-FotoGrafija - Photokina 1st Day Photos

Sandisk Press Release 28/09/04

Sandisk Takes Security To A New Level With Powerful Encryption Software For Its Cruzer USB Flash Drives

Free Download of CruzerLock Upgrade Will Be Available To All Owners of Cruzer Mini, Micro and Titanium Drives

Sunnyvale, CA, September 27, 2004 - SanDisk Corporation today introduced a new file encryption system that provides owners of all SanDisk Cruzer USB flash drives with advanced security measures to protect important documents. The upgrade to SanDisk’s CruzerLock software is now available free for downloading from the company’s website.

The new version of CruzerLock, called CruzerLock 2, will enable users to encrypt, decrypt, compress and password-protect personal files - even entire folders - stored on Cruzer USB drives. Operating on the Windows platform with drag-and-drop functionality, the software will be available first in English, then in other languages.

“Because of the growing concerns over identity and intellectual property theft, we’ve made it a priority to enhance all SanDisk Cruzer drives in the family - not just one model—with a more comprehensive and versatile security program,” said Eric Bone, SanDisk’s director of retail product marketing. “This new software uses an industrial-strength commercial algorithm that has 448-bit Blowfish AES encryption and password protection, which is orders of magnitude greater than our original CruzerLock.”

Concord Camera Corp. Press Release 27/09/04

Concord Camera Corp. “Goes Hollywood” With Dvx “Diva Edition”

DVx is First Digital Video Camera, Digital Still Camera, Voice Recorder, MP3 Player, Card Reader & Flashlight That is Cool Enough for a Movie Star, but Priced for a Fan

Launches “Wanna Be A Hollywood Diva” Contest Around The World

Hollywood, FL, September 27, 2004 - Concord Camera Corp. (“Concord”), a leader in award-winning, high-quality, affordably-priced digital cameras, today unveiled the limited DVx “Diva Edition”, a 6-in-1 multi-multimedia digital video camera bejeweled with glamorous Swarovski crystals. The DVx takes digital photos, video clips, is a MP3 player, voice recorder and has a nifty little flashlight for night time shots - all in a tiny 3 ounce pocket-sized device. This limited edition of the ultra compact DVx will be awarded as part of Concord’s “Wanna-be a Hollywood Diva” promotion, where contestants can enter to win a trip to Hollywood, Swarovski crystallized faceplates for the DVx, as well as hundreds of other camera prizes. The “Wanna-be a Hollywood Diva” Contest is open to anyone 18 years or older, and no purchase is necessary to enter to win. Concord will be on “Diva Patrol” starting November 2004 through February 14th 2005. The grand prize winner will be crowned the “Ultimate Hollywood Diva Wanna-Be” on Sunday, March 27th, coinciding with when the real Hollywood divas will be walking the red carpet for the years biggest awards ceremony - the “Oscars”.

ColorVision Press Release 28/09/04

For Professionals Who Can’t Leave Digital Imaging To Chance

At Photokina September 28 through October 3rd at the Professional Imaging Hall

No.14.2 Aisle `L’ Booth Nr.040.

COLOGNE, GERMANY - September 28, 2004 - ColorVision, the digital imaging unit of Datacolor today announce at the PHOTOKINA international tradeshow an updated SpectroPRO2 Suite. This Spectro based product is the most inclusive solution for professionals who depend on accurate monitor calibration and printer profiling. SpectroPRO2 Suite has all the tools for high-level color control, professional monitor calibration, outstanding Spectro-built printer profiles and sophisticated profile editing.

Kodak Press Release 27/09/04

New KODAK KAF-8300CE Image Sensor Helps Camera Manufacturers Deliver High Quality, Affordable, Next Generation SLR Cameras

COLOGNE, Germany, September 27 - Eastman Kodak Company is delivering new technology that allows digital SLR cameras to provide higher quality, more versatility and greater affordability than ever before.

The company’s new KODAK KAF-8300CE image sensor has been selected by Olympus Corporation of Japan for use in the new Olympus EVOLT E-300 (E-300 in Japan and Europe) camera system, the second digital camera designed by Olympus for the growing Four Thirds System standard (see today’s related news from Olympus, “Introducing the Olympus E-300 digital SLR”). The KAF-8300CE image sensor allows Olympus to manufacture an affordable, standardized camera for the advanced amateur and professional photography markets.