There will be a new meaning to Rush Hour when the streets of central London are filled with the sights and sounds of Formula One on Tuesday 6 July.

This spectacular display is unprecedented, and Olympus will be helping the expected 250,000 onlookers to capture the moment, as eight Formula One teams take to Regent Street.

The evening event, running from 6pm to 8pm, takes a route starting at Waterloo Place, at the bottom of Lower Regent Street, and will go up to Piccadilly Circus and from there along Regent Street itself. Promising to get about even faster than a black cab, the Formula One cars will spear right through the pedestrian precinct outside the London Palladium before heading for Liberty’s department store and from there back on to Regent Street for the run back down to Waterloo Place.

CNET have reviewed the Archos AVCam 300, the world’s first camera and camcorder attachment for a portable audio and video player. The AVCam brings together for the first time a 3.3-megapixel camera, MPEG-4 camcorder and player, MP3 recorder and player and massive hard disk. The AV300 series and AVCam are available today at archos.com.

“If you own an Archos AV300-series portable video player, the AVCam 300 may tempt you. This camera attachment uses the player’s hard drive to store as much as 250 hours of MPEG-4 video or as many as 40,000 3.3-megapixel photos. The video it captures is quite good compared to footage from other MPEG-4 camcorders, and we love not having to worry about storage. On the downside, the 3X zoom lens makes a grinding noise and is highly erratic. Its photo quality is also subpar compared to output from dedicated 3-megapixel still cameras. But even with these problems, given its relatively low price, the AVCam 300 is well worth considering if you own a compatible Archos player.”

Website: CNET - Archos AVCam 300 Review

Digital Outback Photo have published a great step-by-step guide to improving the contrast of the midtones in your photographs.

“We often use S-Curves to enhance contrast. This is actually just fine if we don’t have any problem with darkened/blocked shadows or aggressive highlights. But often you want to improve the contrast without damaging the shadows and highlights.”

Website: Digital Outback Photo - Control Midtone Contrast

Nikon Press Release 01/07/04

NikonNet and ‘Legends Behind the Lens’ Honor the Work of Veteran Photographer Doug Menuez

MELVILLE, N.Y., July 1 /PRNewswire/—For award-winning photojournalist Doug Menuez, there is a real connection between tequila and a camera, and it goes far beyond ‘great shots.’  In fact, with everything from tequila to technology, Doug Menuez has proven that, if you look closely, there is a story to tell.

This July, NikonNet’s inspiring monthly, “Legends Behind the Lens,” honors the work of esteemed photojournalist and commercial photographer Doug Menuez. Since 1981, Menuez has photographed major news stories from the famine in Ethiopia to South American drug wars for Time, Newsweek, Life, People and Fortune.  His eye for fine art has also made him one of the most sought-after commercial photographers in the country.

“NikonNet is pleased to honor the images and extraordinary career of Doug Menuez in this July’s ‘Legends Behind the Lens,’” said Tracy Mack-Jackson, senior manager of Internet Development and Programs at Nikon Inc. “For over 20 years, Doug has captured some of the most memorable images in news and advertising.  He has truly served his industry through his creativity, inventiveness and search for finding new stories to tell.”

Kodak Press Release 01/07/04

Kodak Monthly Tech Brief Explores How Camera Phone Users Go Mobile With Their Pictures

ROCHESTER, N.Y., July 1—Digital photography has made computer based slideshows and photo sharing a reality for millions of consumers. Now, Kodak is giving consumers a new service that brings these features to their mobile phones.

Kodak’s Monthly Tech Brief explores how the advent of new imaging-enabled mobile phones that include web access (and, in more recent higher-end versions, also include a one-megapixel camera), coupled with online and mobile picture services, will give consumers new ways to access their pictures and share individual images, slideshows, and online photo albums, without relying on desktop or laptop computers.

Fujifilm Press Release 29/06/04

Fujifilm and calumet photographic launch new deal for pictrography customers at special UK events

With combined experience of over 140 years in servicing the professional photographic market, Fujifilm and Calumet Photographic have joined forces to strengthen their partnership initiatives, aimed at offering businesses and photographers greater access to the finest equipment and systems on the market.

To celebrate their latest exclusive deal, Fujifilm and Calumet have announced three special Pictrography event presentations to introduce customers to the benefits of in-house digital printing with the Pictrography 3500 and 4500 units. Visitors to the events at Calumet stores in Birmingham, Fulham and Bristol, will not only have the opportunity to see the Pictrography in action, they will also be able the benefit from a special event free print offer and three month payment holiday.

PNY Technologies Press Release 24/06/04

Restore precious memories with ease

Merignac - June the 24th, 2004 - PNY Technologies announces PHOTORECOVERY, the new online data recovery service specifically for Digital Media in partnership with LC Technology International.

If you have ever deleted or lost pictures or documents accidentally PHOTORECOVERY for Digital Media will put an end to your frustrations! New cameras using Flash cards such as SDCard, or CompactFlash allow images to be erased, and the space on the media reused. The media can also be bulk erased or formatted; removing any images from the storage media. Imagine images of baby?s first steps, bath time, parties, school plays and special occasions being lost forever because someone pressed the wrong button!

The technology website BIOS have reviewed the Vosonic X’S-Drive Pro VP300, which is a portable image storage device, 9-in-1 flash memory card reader/writer, MP3 player and USB 2.0 hard drive device.

“Targeted at digital photographers, the X’S-Drive Pro VP 300 is a cost-effective way to store and backup lots of high-resolution images safely. Simply insert a memory card into the device and then press ‘Copy’ - all of your files are then transferred to the X’S-Drive Pro VP 300 so you can format your memory card and start afresh.”

Website: BIOS - Vosonic X’S-Drive Pro VP300 Review

Epson UK Press Release 01/07/04

EPSON delivers a flexible All-in-One with new features ideal for both the home and small office

The EPSON Stylus CX6600 is a new All-in-One designed to improve the quality and cost efficiency of home and small office printing.  It combines high-speed inkjet printing, scanning and photocopying with the flexibility of a memory card reader and the quality of EPSON DURABrite inks.

July 2004 - The EPSON Stylus CX6600 is EPSON’s most advanced general-purpose All-in-One inkjet device.  The new product benefits from EPSON’s latest PhotoQuicker 3.5 and EPSON Web-To-Page software.  PhotoQuicker 3.5 allows users to modify and print photos more easily, while Web-To-Page software allows web pages to be automatically condensed to paper size, so the printed version reflects what users see on screen.

Demand continues to grow for these devices as IDC analysts predict that the market will reach around 12 million units by 2007.  This is because individuals, whether they are in the home or the office, are demanding high-speed printing, high resolution scanning at cost-effective prices.  The new EPSON Stylus CX6600 is aimed at the user who wants the cost effectiveness of individual ink cartridges together with the ability to print and scan general-purpose documents with the convenience of memory card storage and occasional photo printing.  These functions together with the advanced photocopying features ensure that this product is especially attractive to business users as well as for home use.

Epson UK Press Release 01/07/04

EPSON brings effortless and easy film scanning to the home

EPSON launches the EPSON Perfection 2480 Photo featuring amazing one-touch photo restoration from this 2400dpi film and photo scanner

1st July 2004: The Perfection 2480 Photo provides excellent features and high specifications at an entry-level price.  This model will be the natural successor to the EPSON Perfection 1670 and EPSON Perfection 1670 Photo.  The new scanner is targeted at home users who want to scan film at home but may be daunted by the prospect.  The scanner has been designed with this in mind and ease of use is a key feature.

Richard Baylis, Sales and Marketing Manager, Consumer Products says, “This new scanner offer users a high resolution, improved photo restoration and fast film scanning.  At the same time, we have ensured that it is incredibly easy to use, film negatives can be easily scanned to make high quality enlargements at home.”

The July 2004 Competition is now open for entries. This is a monthly photography competition with a specific theme and prizes for the top 3 photos. The winning entries will be decided by a panel of judges. You just have to submit one photograph to the Competition Gallery that best interprets July’s theme, which is simply “Patterns”.

Please make sure that you read the Monthly Competition Rules before submitting your entry. Note that you are only allowed to enter 1 photograph. The competition is worldwide and open to everyone.

You can now start submitting entries to the July Competition here:
July 2004 Competition

Leica have announced a new 50mm standard lens for the Leica M series. The Leica Summilux-M f/1.4/50mm ASPH. is the first Leica M lens to feature a floating element - the last lens element alters its position in relation to the rest of the optical system during focusing ? thereby achieving outstanding imaging quality even in the close-up range. Expected price in Germany will be around 2250 Euros.

Website: PhotoScala

Website: Leica

Panasonic Press Release 01/07/04

PANASONIC IS FIRST TO OFFER 3CCD CAMCORDER WITH BUILT-IN 4.0 MEGAPIXEL STILL CAMERA

Unique New Camcorder Offers Advanced Digital Video and Still Image Recording Technologies,
Combined with Top-of-the-Line Features

SECAUCUS, NJ (June 30, 2004) - Panasonic’s newest digital camcorder represents the perfect integration of digital video and still image recording technologies, and adds some of today’s most advanced, desirable features to the equation.  Model PV-GS400 features three CCDs for exceptional color fidelity and outstanding low-light (12 lux) capability in video recording.  In addition, the PV-GS400 integrates a high-quality, 4-megapixel still camera1.

Advanced features include a high-performance Leica Dicomar lens, 12x optical zoom and 700x digital zoom2, optical image stabilization and much more.

The PV-GS400, available in August, boasts an MSRP* of $1499.95 - a new breakthrough in pricing* for a 3CCD camcorder of this caliber.

The Hungarian website Index Digicam have reviewed the Sony DSC-P120, a Special Edition black body version of the DSC-P100 digital camera, with a black leather case and 2 InfoLITHIUM batteries supplied. Available now in the UK for £379.00.

Website: Index Digicam - Sony DSC-P120 Review

digitalreview.ca has published a comparitive review of the 5 megapixel Canon Powershot S500 and Nikon Coolpix 5200 digital compact cameras.

“With respect to comparing the sharpness from the Coolpix 5200 with the Canon S500, we have noticed a few discussions where some users feel that the Canon S500 renders sharper image quality straight out of the box. Although this might seem to be the case, especially if only viewing the images on a monitor, the reason is mainly due to the difference in the amount of in-camera processing that is applied by each camera.”

Website: digitalreview.ca - Canon Powershot S500 versus Nikon Coolpix 5200

The Big Picture? weblog has published a fascinating article that considers the impact of digital cameras on both the photographer and the subject (found via Digital Photography Blog):

“I think digital cameras, phones included, are an extension of our ability to communicate with one another in the world. There are things we say with images than cannot be said with words. Images speak for how we see and feel about our lives.

Not having to wait for pictures to be processed and printed in a lab, only serves to make our experiences more in the moment and sensual in some way.”

Website: The Big Picture? - Does the digital camera change how people act in front of and behind the lens?

DCResource have reviewed the new HP Photosmart R707, a stylish 5 megapixel digital camera.

“The Photosmart R707 shares one thing with its ultra zoom brother, the 945: with a few changes this could be one of the best cameras out there. If HP improved the image quality and added a few manual controls, this would be the camera to beat. While other camera manufacturers are developing things like “image roulette” or putting tiny 6/7/8 Megapixel sensors into their cameras, HP’s engineers are developing things that people actually need, like in-camera redeye reduction, image advice, photo undelete, and easy photo sharing. I hope the competition is taking notes.”

Website: DCResource - HP Photosmart R707 Review

The Danish website Akamera.dk have published a review of the new 5 megapixel Nikon Coolpix 5200 compact digital camera.

Website: Akamera.dk - Nikon Coolpix 5200 Review

Josh Waller has just reviewed a couple of 2 megapixel digital cameras in the form of the Mercury Cyberpix S-330 and Mecury Slim Cam II. No, I’ve never heard of them either, but at £60 and £40 respectively, surely they’re worth a look? Maybe…

“The S-330 produces much nicer images than the Slim Cam II. They are generally sharper, with better colours. The S-330 also has a better macro / close up mode. The S-330 copes better when using the flash as well, although the flash is not powerful enough for group photos indoors.”

Website: Josh Waller - 2 Megapixel Digicam Review

sh1ft.org’s 26 Things for July 2004 has started today!

The new list of things to find and photograph is now online. Those new to the game, please visit the website.

The July 2004 list is a bit more challenging than previous games, but never fear! Next month, 26 Things will post up a much easier list for everyone to hunt!

Website: sh1ft.org: 26 Things