Pentax Press Release 12/02/04

PENTAX Unveils First Optio Digital Still/Movie Camera With $400 Price Tag and Adds a Second Lens for Digital SLR

GOLDEN, Colo.—(Business Wire)—Feb. 12, 2004 PENTAX U.S.A., Inc. has announced the introduction of the first PENTAX Optio(R) digital still/movie camera - the OptioMX.
The innovative, palm-sized OptioMX features 3.2 effective megapixels and 10X optical zoom to capture still images and high resolution (VGA) full-motion movies on MPEG-4 format with zoom capability. With advanced design and the compact signature dimensions of the Optio line of digital cameras, the OptioMX features an ergonomic grip handle and an articulating LCD monitor that swivels horizontally and vertically to frame subjects exactly as you prefer.

OptioMX marks the legendary manufacturer’s first step into the production of full-capacity digital video and PENTAX has priced the camera under $400. For optimal results in panoramic settings, a wide conversion lens will be available as an accessory to the OptioMX, and the digital video camera will ship to dealers in June 2004

A second PENTAX digital product under development - a wide-angle interchangeable lens for the *ist D digital SLR - also has been announced. The smc PENTAX-DA 14mm F2.8 ED (IF) is extremely compact, measuring 2.7 inches long and 3.3 inches in diameter. Featuring the reliable PENTAX KAF lens mount and high-performance 12-element, 11-group optics, it offers a focal length of 14mm (equivalent to 21.5mm in the 35mm format), and a minimum focusing distance of 0.7 inches. An innovative Quick-Shift Focus system enables the lens user to instantly switch the focus mode from auto to manual with a slight twist of the focus ring. The PENTAX-DA 14mm also offers a 77mm-size filter thread for quick, effortless mounting and removal of a filter.

These latest PENTAX digital developments will be showcased under glass at the 2004 Photo Marketing Association’s (PMA) Show in Booth C140 from February 12-15 in Las Vegas.

PENTAX U.S.A., Inc. is an innovative leader in the production of digital and film cameras, binoculars, lenses, mobile printers, scanners and internet cameras. For more than 80 years, Pentax technology has developed durable, reliable products that meet the needs of consumers and businesses. With corporate headquarters located in GOLDEN, Colorado, PENTAX U.S.A., INC. is a wholly owned subsidiary of PENTAX CORPORATION.

Editor’s Note: This camera is known as the Dynax 60 in the UK and Europe

Konica Minolta USA Press Release 12/02/04

KONICA MINOLTA INTRODUCES THE NEW MAXXUM 70 35MM SINGLE-LENS REFLEX CAMERA

Fully featured compact SLR features high-performance autofocusing, state-of-the-art exposure metering, and a wide range of exposure control modes at an affordable price

Las Vegas, NV (February 12, 2004) - Konica Minolta introduces today a new stylish, fully featured and very affordable 35mm Single-Lens Reflex camera - the Maxxum 70. Featuring a Wide Center-Cross 9-Point autofocusing (AF) Sensor for increased focusing confidence, Multi-dimensional Predictive Focus Control for moving subjects, Direct Manual Focus (DMF) for fine-tuning focusing, and a continuous advance speed of 3 frames per second*1, this camera is perfect for both novices and enthusiasts alike.

“The new easy-to-use Konica Minolta Maxxum 70 brings back the thrill of SLR photography,” said Jon Sienkiewicz, vice president of marketing, Konica Minolta’s Camera Division. “The Maxxum 70 is the perfect SLR camera for photographers who want to have fun while learning about photography. And in terms of price, functionality, quality, and reliability, the Maxxum 70 is in a class by itself.”

Editor’s Note: This camera is known as the Dynax 40 in the UK and Europe

Konica Minolta USA Press Release 12/02/04

KONICA MINOLTA INTRODUCES THE NEW MAXXUM 50 35MM SINGLE-LENS REFLEX CAMERA

Fully automatic operation provides the point-and-shoot simplicity that the beginning photographer depends on

Las Vegas, NV (February 12, 2004) - Konica Minolta introduces today an affordable new entry level 35mm Single-Lens Reflex (SLR) camera - the Maxxum 50. Featuring a Wide 3-Point autofocusing (AF) System for increased focusing confidence, Predictive Focus Control for moving subjects, Full-Auto Program for no-fuss shooting, and Subject Program Selection for the best photos in any situation or lighting, this film camera is ideal for photographer of all skill levels.

“Konica Minolta’s easy-to-use new Maxxum 50 provides outstanding image quality with the added versatility of our line of high quality interchangeable lenses,” said Jon Sienkiewicz, vice president of marketing, Konica Minolta’s Camera Division. “With the introduction of this new camera Konica Minolta has accomplished what everyone said couldn’t be done?combined the high image quality of SLR photography at a very affordable price.”

Konica Minolta USA Press Release 12/02/04

KONICA MINOLTA INTRODUCES NEW CONSUMER FILM SCANNER

Affordable new DiMAGE Scan Dual IV film scanner allows first time users and advanced users alike to produce high-quality scans from 35mm and Advanced Photo System film

Las Vegas, NV (February 12, 2004) ? Konica Minolta Photo Imaging U.S.A., Inc. introduces the new easy-to-use DiMAGE Scan Dual IV film scanner, a successor to the popular DiMAGE Scan Dual III. The new Konica Minolta DiMAGE Scan Dual IV incorporates a number of features found only on high-end scanners, allowing it to faithfully and accurately reproduce film images into digital files quickly and easily. In addition, it uses a new high performance 3-line color 3200 dpi CCD sensor and an advanced optical system specifically designed by Konica Minolta for film scanning. This enables this affordable 35mm and Advanced Photo System* film scanner to deliver high image quality.

“The economical new DiMAGE Scan Dual IV delivers high quality images sure to satisfy any photo enthusiast’s imaging needs,” said Jon Sienkiewicz, vice president of marketing, Konica Minolta’s Camera Division. “The easy to use DiMAGE Scan Dual IV produces digital image files that equal or surpass more expensive film scanners and offers quality not available in flatbed scanners.”

Epson Press Release 11/02/04

NEW EPSON STYLUS? PHOTO RX600 SCAN-PRINT-COPY DEVICE CREATES PHOTO CENTER FOR BOTH TRADITIONAL AND DIGITAL IMAGES IN ANY HOME

EPSON Stylus Photo RX600 Not Only Scans, Prints and Copies Photos, but also Previews and Restores Old Slides, Transparencies and Traditional Photos into Brilliant Reprints

LONG BEACH, Calif. - Feb. 11, 2004 - Epson is launching its most advanced scan-print-copy device to date with the new EPSON Stylus Photo RX600.  This photographic all-in-one is designed to not only view, scan, copy and print photographs without a computer, but also restore old slides, negatives and traditional printed photographs.  The end results are true photographic quality prints using Epson?s superior six-color photo inks at resolutions as high as 5760 x 1440 optimized dpi.

“The Stylus Photo RX600 is without a doubt the ultimate do-it-all solution for either traditional or digital photography,” said Steve Semos, product manager, Epson.  “This product offers outstanding versatility for virtually any photographic project, not to mention everyday printing and copying.  Furthermore, it incorporates several of Epson’s most advanced photographic technologies such as Easy Photo Fix color restoration software, memory card slots, and a 2.5-inch high-quality color LCD viewer, all for a very attractive price of $349.”

Alera Technologies Press Release 11/02/04

The New DVD/CD Digital Photo Copy Station copies directly from your Memory Card to DVD or CD without a computer

Las Vegas, NV February 11, 2004 - Alera Technologies, developer and manufacturer of Advanced DVD and CD Duplicating and Publishing Solutions introduced today at PMA 2004 the DVD/CD Digital Photo Copy Station, the world’s first Memory card to DVD/CD copier, and the first in a family of Desktop Digital Imaging solutions from Alera Technologies. Both the resolution of digital cameras and the capacity of digital photo memory cards are increasing at an astonishing rate making this development particularly important. Now professional photographers, photo enthusiasts, and commercial photo labs, all can have the ability to safely store up to 4.7GB of valuable digital photos on one convenient removable disc. Photos stored on optical storage media are recognized as being more secure and far less subject to damage than those stored on a hard disk drive.

“With the resolution of digital cameras rapidly increasing, the size of even a single digital photo file can be huge. And with recent developments pushing the capacities of photo memory cards to 4GB and beyond, professional and Prosumer photographers have been demanding a way to quickly and safely store growing volumes of valuable digital photographs. It is important to be able to free up precious memory card space for more pictures and the DVD/CD Digital Photo Copy Station is the first product available to copy to DVD, successfully and safely backing up even the largest memory cards,” stated Perry Solomon, President and CEO.

dotPhoto Press Release 11/02/04

dotPhoto Lets Pro & Amateur Photographers Sell Photos Online with No Start-up Costs

Las Vegas, NV - February 12, 2004 - dotPhoto, Inc. (www.dotphoto.com), a leading photo-sharing and digital photography web site, announced today at Photo Marketing Association (PMA), a simple solution for pro and amateur photographers to sell photos online. With no start-up costs, dotPhoto makes it easy for digital photographers to enter the world of e-commerce and sell digital photos, prints, and gifts to clients they could not have reached before. Through dotPhoto’s advanced e-storage and e-commerce solutions, portfolios of thousands of never-before-seen talented photographers are now accessible to online customers all over the world.

Photographers simply open a free account, upload their photos and set the custom sales price of their digital photos for a wide variety of downloads, print sizes and photo gift items. dotPhoto pays the photographer the difference between the custom price and dotPhoto’s standard price in a monthly check (less a small handling fee). All photos are completely secure, password-protected and encrypted.

Epson America Inc. Press Release 11/02/04

The EPSON Stylus Photo R200 Printer Offers Direct CD/DVD Printing for Only $99; New High Quality Six-Color Photo Printer is Rich with Features and Low in Price

LAS VEGAS—(Business Wire)—Feb. 11, 2004 Epson America Inc.‘s latest printer, the EPSON Stylus Photo R200, is ideal for digital imaging enthusiasts who want to print frame-ready photos and personalize home music and movie collections at an affordable price. With an estimated street price of $99, six individual ink cartridges, ultra-fast print speeds, and direct CD/DVD printing, the EPSON Stylus Photo R200 is the perfect solution for versatile, high-quality home printing.

“The EPSON Stylus Photo R200 offers the ideal combination of quality, performance, versatility, and value for home-users, photo enthusiasts and amateur photographers alike,” said Lowell Wolf, product manager, consumer ink jet printers, Epson. “This powerful family-friendly printer brings quality and convenience home—at a truly exceptional value.”

SmartDisk Corporation Press Release 11/02/04

Fort Myers, Fla., February 11, 2004 - SmartDisk Corporation announced today that its FlashTrax portable, palm-sized digital multimedia device has been selected by PHOTO Electronic Imaging (PEI) Magazine as a recipient of its 2003 Cool2 Award for “Best Storage and Display”. The award honors products that reflect exceptional quality, innovation, design, value for price and performance. During 2003, FlashTrax was also awarded the Photomarketing Association?s DIMA Award and the Professional Photographer?s Association HOT1 Award. FlashTrax is being showcased in Booth A180, South Hall, Las Vegas Convention Center at the PMA International Convention and Trade Show, February 12-15.

“We’re honored that PEI magazine has recognized FlashTrax for the Cool2 Award. This award is especially gratifying as it represents satisfaction by the many professional photographers using FlashTrax,” noted Charles Klinker, Vice President, Marketing for SmartDisk.

Sandisk Press Release 11/02/04SanDisk Introduces Highest Capacity CompactFlash Card—First 4 Gigabyte Card That Can Be Used in Any CompactFlash Digital Camera

LAS VEGAS—(Business Wire)—Feb. 11, 2004 Offers Great Compatibility, Maximum Storage Capacity and Flexibility; Based On SanDisk’s Advanced Technology

SanDisk Corporation (Nasdaq:SNDK) today introduced the first 4-gigabyte (GB) CompactFlash(R) card that can be used in any CompactFlash digital camera or device. The new card can store more than 2,000 high-resolution pictures, or more than 1,000 digital songs or 8 hours of MPEG 4 video.(a)

The 4GB SanDisk CompactFlash card features an advanced design from SanDisk that allows it to operate in cameras that use either the FAT16 or FAT32 file formats. It is the only CompactFlash card of its capacity and compatibility level that is available in the popular Type I format and fits into any CompactFlash slot.

The new 4GB SanDisk CompactFlash card was introduced at the annual Photo Marketing Association trade show where SanDisk is demonstrating products in booth L-70, South Hall, at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Sandisk Press Release 11/02/04

SanDisk Announces Availability of the World’s Fastest CompactFlash Cards

LAS VEGAS—(Business Wire)—Feb. 11, 2004 2 Gigabyte SanDisk Extreme and Ultra II CompactFlash Cards Offer Blazing Speed and Huge Capacities; Will Ship This Month To Selected Retailers Worldwide

SanDisk Corporation (Nasdaq:SNDK) today introduced the 2 gigabyte (GB) SanDisk Extreme(TM) and SanDisk Ultra II CompactFlash(R) cards, the largest capacities available for its comprehensive line of high-performance CompactFlash cards for digital photographers. The announcement was made at the Photo Marketing Association International trade show where SanDisk is showing its products in booth L-70.

SanDisk Extreme and SanDisk Ultra II cards are targeted primarily at the professional digital camera and ‘prosumer’ market where 4 megapixel or higher resolution digital cameras require significantly faster digital film cards. Each card features a minimum write speed of 9 megabytes per second (MB/sec.) and a minimum read speed of 10MB/sec.(a)

SanDisk Extreme and Ultra II CompactFlash cards are consistently rated the fastest CompactFlash cards by a significant margin according to photojournalist and industry consultant, Rob Galbraith. His comprehensive CompactFlash Performance Database includes real-world test results from more than 48 CompactFlash cards tested in Digital SLR cameras from Canon, Fuji, Nikon, Pentax and others (www.robgalbraith.com).

Sandisk Press Release 11/02/04

SanDisk Offers the Widest Range of Memory Stick PRO and PRO Duo Flash Storage Cards in the World

LAS VEGAS—(Business Wire)—Feb. 11, 2004 SanDisk Leads In Capacity By Designing And Manufacturing Memory Card Format Pioneered By Sony and SanDisk

SanDisk Corporation (Nasdaq:SNDK) today announced the addition of the 128 megabyte (MB) Memory Stick(R) PRO(TM), and 128MB Memory Stick PRO Duo cards to its product line. SanDisk now offers the industry’s broadest range of Memory Stick PRO and PRO Duo cards with capacities that range from 128MB to 2 gigabytes (GB) and 128MB to 512MB respectively.

The addition of 128MB capacities allows SanDisk’s retailers to offer the Memory Stick PRO and PRO Duo cards at a price point below the 256MB capacity, which was previously the lowest capacity for these card formats. The new cards were introduced at the Photo Marketing Association International tradeshow where SanDisk is demonstrating products in Booth #L-70 in the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Sandisk Press Release 11/02/04

SanDisk Announces Shoot & Store, the World’s First “Consumable’’ Flash Memory Cards for Digital Cameras

LAS VEGAS—(Business Wire)—Feb. 11, 2004 Inexpensive Cards Offer Permanent Storage, Eliminate Computer Downloading And Will Reach Mainstream Consumers in Drug Stores, Supermarkets, Convenience Stores

SanDisk Corporation (Nasdaq:SNDK) today announced a new line of inexpensive flash memory cards designed to allow users to save their pictures indefinitely without using a computer for downloading, thus giving millions of consumers a major incentive to switch from film to digital photography and providing them with a durable, permanent way to store a lifetime of images. With an initial suggested retail price of $14.99 each—a breakthrough in the industry—the Shoot & Store(TM) cards are expected to allow people to order prints on a “cost-of-use” basis that is equal to or less than that of traditional analog film. And they won’t have to worry about leaving expensive flash memory cards with retail photo finishers.

The announcement was made at the annual Photo Marketing Association (PMA) trade show in Las Vegas where SanDisk is demonstrating products in booth L-70 in the South Hall of the Convention Center.

I’m not sure if these pictures are the real deal or someone’s artistic impression, but there are rumours circulating about a new Minolta DSLR and less convincingly about a new Olympus digital compact. Pictured above is the Minolta Dynax 7d, below is the Olympus c8080 Wide Zoom. I believe that both manufactuers will make their PMA announcments in the next few days, so you won’t have too long to wait to find out if these rumours are true or not.



UPDATE: 4.34 PM
There are now some specifications circulating for 2 new Olympus digicams:

Olympus Camedia C-8080 Wide Zoom
- Effective pixels 8.0
- 4X Optical Zoom - 27-110mm (35mm Equiv)
- F2.8-F4.8
- Min shutter 30 Seconds + Bulb
- Max shutter 1/8000 sec
- Sensor 1/1.8 ” (7.18 x 5.32 mm)
- Macro focus to 3 cm
- ISO Settings: Auto, 100, 200, 400, 800
- New super noise reduction processor
- NOISE FREE IMAGES UP TO ISO 400
- xD Picture Card
- Hot shoe

Olympus Camedia C-788 Ultra Zoom
- Effective pixels 8.0
- 10X Optical Zoom - 35-350mm (35mm Equiv)
- F2.0-F2.8 with IS
- Min shutter 20 Seconds + Bulb
- Max shutter 1/4000 sec
- Sensor 1/1.8 ” (7.18 x 5.32 mm)
- Macro focus to 5 cm
- ISO Settings: Auto, 100, 200, 400
- New super noise reduction processor
- NOISE FREE IMAGES UP TO ISO 400
- External flash via adapter (no hot shoe)
- xD Picture Card

Again this may be completely made-up, so don’t shoot the messenger :-)

The Digital Journalist has published an article by sports photographer David Drapkin which offers a brief insight into the handling of the Canon EOS1-D Mark II DSLR:

“I couldn’t have been happier with the results. The new maximum frames per second(FPS) rate is 8.5fps. And because they nearly doubled the amount of full res JPEGs that you can get in a burst, It seems like the camera is faster than my old film based EOS1V. And while I personally would never need 40 full res jpegs, level 8 or 20 raw or full res maximum frames in a burst, I sleep better at night knowing that they are there.”

Website: The Digital Journalist - Using the Canon EOS1-D Mark II at the Super Bowl

Photo.net have published a technique-based article simply called “Backgrounds”, which discusses how to make sure that the background in a photograph complements the main subject, rather than detracting from it. Reading this makes a very pleasant change from reading about yet another new digital camera!

“The first step to improving the backgrounds in our photos is to be conscious of the background’s importance to our photos. We must know that the right backgrounds can make our shots stand out. This often means simply paying attention to what is behind out subjects during our photography sessions.

Unfortunately, the complete solution is not nearly as simple. The normal goal is to keep the subject as the center of interest in a picture (not to be confused with the center of a picture). Your eye should be drawn to the subject in the final image, and the background must not be distracting from the subject. Shots must be setup to take advantage of a clean or pleasing background.”

Website: Photo.net - Backgrounds

The Norwegian digital photography website Akamera.no has just reviewed the Olympus C-750 Ultra Zoom digital camera, which offers a 4 megapixel CCD and a massive 10x optical zoom lens (equivalent to 38 - 380mm on a traditional 35mm camera).

Website: Akamera.no - Olympus C-750 Ultra Zoom Review

ColorVision Inc. Press Release 10/02/04

ColorVision’s Affordable Pricing Brings State of the Art Color Management Products toward a Mass-Market Standard; Showcased at PMA Las Vegas - Booth Q100

LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J.—(Business Wire)—Feb. 10, 2004 ColorVision Inc., a Datacolor company announces up to 30% reductions and better on the award winning, state-of-the-art color management systems for photography, design, desktop and pre-press professionals.
The critically acclaimed ColorVision(R) SpyderPRO(TM), a precise calibration system for LCD and CRT monitors and the newly upgraded PrintFIX(TM), an integrated hardware/ software solution that delivers accurate inkjet printer profiles, have received enthusiastic endorsements from industry and user experts alike.

The introduction of the SpyderPRO+PrintFIX(TM) bundle, a $578 retail value offered at $449 meets the industry demand for an affordable integrated hardware/ software solution from monitor calibration to printer profiling.

ColorVision Press Release 10/02/04

ColorVision Unveils The Affordable New SpectroPRO Suite For Professional’s Who Can’t Leave Digital Imaging To Chance

LAS VEGAS, NV- February 12- Today at the PHOTO MARKETING ASSOCIATION (PMA) Trade Show (Booth #Q100) COLORVISION Inc., a Datacolor company announced the new SpectroPRO Suite, a total solution for professionals who depend on accurate monitor calibration and printer profiling. SpectroPRO Suite has all the tools for high-level color control; monitor calibration, outstanding Spectro-built printer profiles and sophisticated profile editing, all for $999.

The SpectroPRO Suite package is compatible with most popular image editing tools and printers, putting control of the digital darkroom in the hands of the creator. The bundle includes:

- SpectroPRO Spectrocolorimeter, which conveniently measures a range of calibration targets (in the ProfilerPRO component) including new color targets specially opti mized for reading with the ColorMouse and PatchReader software.
- The new PatchReader software utility for reading color targets and reducing patch-reading errors with an easy to use color-coded reading interface which makes patch reading a snap with the Spectrocolorimeter, no matter how many times you need to return to it. You can even save partially read targets for later completion!
- ProfilerPRO (3.0) printer profile building software, with more accurate matching of saturated vector colors, especially helpful for graphic designers. ProfilerPRO used with the ColorMouse Spectrocolorimeter builds high-quality printer profiles right inside Adobe Photoshop.
- DoctorPRO software (included in ProfilerPRO) which edits your profiles using the full Adobe Photoshop toolset for color manipulation.
- The award-winning USB SpyderPRO colorimeter with the advanced features of OptiCAL software for use on both LCD and CRT displays.

Fujifilm Press Release 10/02/04

FUJIFILM ANNOUNCES BOLD ADDITION TO POPULAR Q1 LINE

Q1 Zoom offers unique design, 2x zoom for stylish picture-taking anytime

PMA, LAS VEGAS February 10, 2004 - Fuji Photo Film U.S.A., Inc. today unveiled a bold new addition to its popular Q1 camera line. The fashionable, fun Q1 Zoom camera features a 2x zoom lens (22-44mm) and is offered in two color combinations: silver with black or silver with blue. In addition, the Q1 Zoom offers fully automatic features such as auto focus, auto flash and auto winding, while using APS film.

“The Q1’s fun design and varied color palette have captured the imagination of our consumers, allowing them to express themselves both through photography and fashion,” said Margaret Toub, Film Camera Product Manager, Photo Imaging Division, Fuji Photo Film U.S.A., Inc. “Now, the Q1 Zoom offers consumers even greater photo-taking options while maintaining the same eye-catching design, in attractive new color palettes.”