It looks like an updated version of the Minolta DiMAGE A1 (pictured) will be announced very soon. DCViews are reporting that the French website Chasseur d’Images have published an article showing a German advert for the new Minolta DiMAGE A2. There’s a picture of the camera and specifications, including the fact that the A2 will join the likes of the Sony DSC-F828 and Nikon Coolpix 8700 in having a 8-megapixel sensor. Oh, and there’s also a scantily-clad female model in the advert as well, just in case all those megapixels aren’t quite enough to persuade you to part with your money :-)

Website: DCViews - Minolta DiMAGE A2

Website: Chasseur d’Images - Minolta DiMAGE A2

The German website Photoworld.de have reviewed the stylish and affordable 5 megapixel Olympus CAMEDIA C-5000 Zoom, which relaces the older C-4000 Zoom model and features a more compact design that is almost 20% smaller than its predecessor. The C-5000 has a full range of exposure modes, including Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, full Manual control and 6 preset Creative Scene modes. It has a built-in flash with 7 different modes and also accepts an external flash via its hot shoe.

Website: photoworld.de - Olympus CAMEDIA C-5000 Zoom Review

The Hungarian website Index Digicam have reviewed the Fuji FinePix S7000, which is the successor to the popular FinePix S602 model. The S7000 uses Fuji’s 4th Generation Super CCD HR with 6.3 Million Effective Pixels output and 12.3 million recorded pixels. It costs around $799.99 and is available now.

Website: Index Digicam - Fuji FinePix S7000 Review

Website: Read my review of the Fuji FinePix S7000

Imaging Resource have posted a full review of the 8-megapixel Sony DSC-F828, which now has some serious competition in the shape of the Nikon Coolpix 8700 and the Minolta DiMAGE A2 (more on that shortly!).

“Higher image noise than the best 5-megapixel cameras. We’ll have to wait to see if this is a uniform characteristic of 8-megapixel digicams, once other units hit the market, from other manufacturers. Much has been made of the F828’s image noise. There’s no question that its images show more noise than those from the best 5-megapixel cameras, and it isn’t even in the same category as digital SLRs like the Canon Digital Rebel and Nikon D100. That said, I didn’t personally find its noise at low ISO settings to be particularly objectionable.”

Website: Imaging Resource - Sony DSC-F828 Review

THE GUARDIAN via NewsEdge Corporation: The battle for superiority in the high end of the compact digital camera market continues with the launch next month of the Sony DSC-T1. The Japanese version of the camera - identical to the UK model - has been a huge hit and it’s easy to see why. First, it is truly pocketable. Despite having a 3x optical zoom, the ultra-thin T1 has no protruding lens. This is due to its Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar optical lens that operates within the camera.

The T1’s second trump card is a 2.5in LCD monitor that boasts superb resolution and vivid colours. It needs to be good, though, as there is no space for a traditional viewfinder. The T1 can also take good quality 640x480-pixel moving images.

The clincher, though, is the impressive five megapixel images, which are crisper and of a higher resolution than those snapped by rivals. Its only weaknesses are a flash that’s a little underpowered and the high price of around pounds 500. Trust me: you’ll want one.

PMA Marketing Research Department Press Release 05/02/04

New PMA report forecasts digital images will generate one-third of printing activity by 2006

The PMA Marketing Research Department released a new report, Photo Industry 2004: Review and Forecast. This 13-page report offers a summary of film, photofinishing, and camera sales through 2003, with forecasts for the current year. It also includes information on consumer printing activity from digital images and examines how economic factors may impact the industry this year.

Among the key points of the report are:

- At the end of 2003, 31 percent of U.S. households owned a digital camera, with penetration projected to exceed 42 percent by the end of 2004. The past year was a pivotal one for the industry, with digital camera sales volume overtaking traditional camera sales for the first time in 2003.

- In 2003, 11.6 percent of all amateur photographic prints were made from digital images, projected to rise to 17.7 percent of all images in 2004 and 34.2 percent in 2006. The total number of prints made will hold steady at more than 30 billion annually, as rising digital printing activity offsets declining film processing sales.

- Nearly 22 percent of digital printing activity during 2003 occurred in a retail environment. During 2004, more than one-third of digital prints are projected to be made at retail outlets, and in 2006, retailers will make 60 percent of digital prints.

- Film sales in 2003 declined by 8 percent in terms of volume, and are projected to fall by another 6 percent in 2004. Film processing sales have fallen at a similar pace.

- A bright spot in the traditional photographic market has been the continued growth of one-time-use camera sales, which increased by 7 percent in 2003 and are projected to rise by another 5 percent in 2004. It is important to note, however, the rate of sales growth is slowing.

- The 2004 outlook for economic growth is relatively favorable, with GDP expected to rise by 4 to 5 percent during each quarter. These increases would follow growth of 8.2 percent in the 2003 third quarter and an estimated 4.5 percent during the fourth quarter.

- Consumer confidence experienced a slight rebound in late 2003, rising to a level not experienced since the first quarter of 2001. The job market will likely play a significant role in determining whether or not confidence will continue to rise and consumers increase their discretionary spending.

Photo Industry 2004 is available for free download from the Marketing Research area of the PMA website at www.pmai.org, or through a fax-on-demand service. To receive a faxed copy of the report, dial (800) 536-8677 and follow the prompts. The ID code is 8222.

I “rediscovered” these shots of Camden, North London, which were originally taken on a cold and sunny winter’s day towards the end of 2003. I only live a few tube stops away from Camden, but rarely go there due to the huge amount of tourists that throng the streets at the weekend. It’s a popular destination for teenagers looking for cheap alternative fashion, something like the last photo shows.

View more Camden photos

LetsGoDigital have been literally burning the midnight oil to bring you an exlusive First Look at the Fujifilm Finepix S20 Pro digital camera, announced earlier today.

“A new feature of the FinePix S20 Pro camera is a PC-Sync link. This feature is handy for linking strobes or external flash systems to the FinePix S20 Pro camera. The camera’s high-speed flash synch fires at up to 1/1000 second. This gives professional photographers the opportunity to use the camera directly with their studio flash systems. And to give them even more freedom, the Live Video function lets the photographer see the subject on a monitor without having to rely on the LCD display or Electronic Viewfinder.”

Website: LetsGoDigital - Fujifilm Finepix S20 Pro First Look

Website: Read my Review of the Fuji FinePix S20 Pro

Fujifilm Press Release 05/02/04

2004 successor for FinePix S2 Pro

Development of new SLR almost complete

5 February 2004 - PMA, Las Vegas, USA*: This year will see the eagerly-anticipated launch of the FinePix S3 Pro - successor to Fujifilm’s critically-acclaimed FinePix S2 Pro digital SLR. Set to confirm Fujifilm?s status as one of the top three digital camera makers, this model has been conceived as the camera of choice for photographers who wish to achieve image quality worthy of Fujifilm’s professional film heritage.

This camera will be a breed apart from all other DSLRs because of its sensor and processor technology, without doubt the most important components within any digital camera. The FinePix S3 Pro’s 4th Generation Super CCD SR sensor will use 6.17 million S-pixels and 6.17 million R-pixels (12.3 million effective photodiodes) to deliver 12 million recorded pixels. The picture quality from this 23 x 15.5mm sensor will show noticeable image improvements to that of single-pixel cameras. The SR sensor’s unique double photodiode design will produce images with a dynamic range four times greater than that of a sensor working on single-pixel technology. This dramatically broadens tonal capability, and guarantees exceptional rendition from bright highlights to deep shadows. It gives greater sensitivity, improved signal-to-noise ratio and consistently natural colour reproduction.

Fujifilm Press Release 05/02/04

Fujifilm looks beyond the pixels with the FinePix S20 Pro

Digital spotlight centres on image quality as Fujifilm launches second Super CCD SR camera

5 February 2004 - Fujifilm today launches the FinePix S20 Pro, a powerful enthusiasts? camera that raises digital image control to new heights.

Built to cater for the creatively-minded photographer, the FinePix S20 Pro is the second camera in the FinePix range to offer Fujifilm?s pioneering Super CCD SR technology, an award-winning development which underlines the importance of image quality as a whole, rather than pixel count alone.

With 6.2 million effective pixels (3.1 million S-pixels + 3.1 million R-pixels*), delivering 6.03 million recorded pixels, the camera?s excellence is built on more than just pixel power. The FinePix S20 Pro?s SR technology revolves around the use of paired photodiodes in place of a solitary pixel. These paired photodiodes combine to capture tonal detail missed by conventional single-pixel CCDs, particularly in low-light and high contrast scenes. The result is a camera that produces outstanding dynamic range, greater sensitivity and class-leading signal to noise ratio.

Furthermore, the FinePix S20 Pro?s CCD RAW mode offers photographers the chance to save full image data uncompressed, guaranteeing every element of the captured file is ready for careful out-of-camera manipulation. The camera is also supplied with Hyper Utility HS-V2, a new software tool that enables the user to fine-tune aspects of an image such as sharpness, colour balance, and crucially, the full extent of the camera?s impressive dynamic range.

Fujifilm Press Release 05/02/04

FinePix A340 Zoom: Fujifilm goes for four

Stylish compact camera offers great value and impressive features with four megapixel resolution

5 February 2004 - Fujifilm today launches the FinePix A340 Zoom, a camera that marries Fujifilm’s entry-level compact expertise with four megapixel resolution. The FinePix A340 Zoom represents extremely good news for those new to digital photography: high performance, sleek styling and complexity kept to a minimum.

The FinePix A340 Zoom has been developed with no-nonsense, enjoyable digital photography in mind. Offering 4 million effective pixel resolution, 3x optical zoom and a sturdy but stylish body, this camera forms a reliable base for shots that will satisfy every time.

Hugely efficient and simple to use, the FinePix A340 Zoom offers the user fully-automated settings to ensure sharp detail, faithful colour reproduction and accurate exposure. This, combined with low power consumption (operating on standard AA batteries) and compatibility with xD-Picture Card? format (available up to 512 MB), makes the FinePix A340 Zoom an ideal option for newcomers who want a smooth transition into the world of digital photography.

Fujifilm UK Press Release 05/02/04

Fujifilm announces the FinePix A330 Zoom: slim, smart, but straightforward

Stylish ‘point-and-shoot’ digital camera designed to include the non-computer user

5 February 2004 - Fujifilm today announces the arrival of the FinePix A330 Zoom, a slim, attractive and easy-to-use digital camera that makes top-quality photography available to all - even those without a PC.

With 3.2 million effective pixels and precision Fujinon optics, the FinePix A330 Zoom produces high-resolution pictures with sharp detail and brilliant colours - ideal for printing enlargements up to 8x10 inches for framing or family photo albums.

With the FinePix A330 Zoom, those new to digital photography need not worry about complicated features or functions. With its fully automatic operation, the camera controls every setting, including focus, exposure and white balance, ensuring that pictures are clear and vibrant every time. Using its 3x optical zoom and 1.6x digital zoom, the FinePix A330 Zoom makes it simple to capture subjects without fuss or error - well-exposed, well-focused and with excellent colour balance. The camera’s powerful macro mode also enables users to achieve close-ups at up to 10cm.

Delkin Press Release 05/02/04

DELKIN’S LIGHTNING FAST CARDBUS ADAPTER NOW AVAILABLE IN SD AND MEMORY STICK

Poway CA, February 5, 2004 Delkin Devices Inc., maker of premium quality eFilm memory cards and other innovative products for camera stores worldwide, has added Secure Digital (SD), MultiMediaCard (MMC), and Memory Stick (MS) formats to its line of fastest PCMCIA Adapters on the market. The eFilm PRO CardBus 32-bit PCMCIA adapter is four to six times faster than all current conventional 16-bit adapters and has ushered in a new phase of adapter performance. PCMCIA adapters have long been popular for their convenient size and ease of use for quick file transfers from memory cards to laptop computers. The eFilm PRO CardBus 32 is the only adapter that achieves maximum speeds from the popular high-speed professional grade memory cards that are currently popular with high-end SLR digital cameras. The SD/MMC and MS CardBus 32 Adapters joins the initial CompactFlash (CF) CardBus Adapter that was released at the end of last year. The Delkin CardBus CF adapter was featured on many web sites and in photo magazines, and was referred to as a ?must have? accessory for any professional photographer by one of the top Internet Digital Photography sites. With the new introduction of video cameras, which require high-speed SD cards, and mobile phones that use both SD and MS cards, a faster way to get data from the card to a mobile PC is required. All CardBus 32 adapters allow memory cards to work in the PC Card slot on most Windows based laptops and uses the high speed CardBus PCMCIA standard.

Rob Galbraith has published a report by Eamon Hickey on the debut of the Canon EOS 1D Mark II at the Super Bowl XXXVIII in Houston, USA last weekend. There’s some reaction from press photographers and some interesting news about when the camera will start shipping (in the USA):

“Canon USA is expecting to ship small quantities of the camera in March with significant deliveries in April, May, and June, Metz said. The Minimum Advertised Price (MAP) for co-op advertising reimbursement on the EOS-1D Mark II is US$4499 in the US, and Metz said that will likely be the street price as well.”

Website: Dphoto.us - Canon EOS 1D Mark II Question and Answer

Photo-i have started an interactive, multi-page review of the new Epson Perfection 4870 flatbed scanner, which should be in stores very soon.

“One year ago I reviewed the Epson 3200 scanner, which produced a film scan quality to rival most dedicated film scanners. The Epson Perfection 4870 not only follows in the 3200 footsteps by offering a higher resolution of 4800dpi, but also includes features such as, multi format film scanning, DIGITAL ICE for both film and print scanning. With digital cameras gaining ground over film, the 4870 may be the last or only scanner that you will ever need.”

Website: Photo-i - Epson Perfection 4870 Scanner Review

ePhotoZine have just reviewed the SpyderPro monitor calibration device. This is is an an all-digital, seven-filter colorimeter that works with both CRT and LCD monitors with the industry’s premiere monitor calibration software - OptiCAL. The SpyderPRO with OptiCAL calibrates your monitor to a universal standard for color and automatically creates a correct monitor profile.

“The funny looking gadget is placed on your computer screen over an area that displays a series of colour patches controlled by PhotoCAL or OptiCAL software that you have running. The Spyder then reads the information and creates an ICC-profile from the measurements made. The Spyder has a seven filter system that allows its results to come closer to the requirements of the human eye than comparable three or four filter measurement devices.”

Website: ePhotoZine - SpyderPRO Review

It was only announced by Nikon about a week ago, but Digital Camera Resource have already published their preview of the new 8-megapixel Nikon Coolpix 8700 digital camera.

“It’s very well built, with a metal frame (magnesium alloy to be exact) and good quality plastic parts (except for that darn door over the CF slot). It’s easy to hold, though a larger right hand grip wouldn’t hurt. One thing I don’t care for on both the 5700 and 8700 are the tiny buttons scattered all over the body. Maybe you get used to their placement, but when you first start using it, you’ll find yourself having to turn the camera to find what you’re looking for.”

Website: Digital Camera Resource - Nikon Coolpix 8700 Preview

DIWA Press Release 05/02/04

Digital Imaging Websites Association (DIWA) makes inaugural awards

09:00 CET, Thursday 5th February, 2004: DIWA, the Digital Imaging Websites Association, today announces three digital camera product awards, the first such awards from this recently launched industry organisation.

Since November last year, testers from DIWA member websites covering the four corners of Europe have evaluated and compiled test scores for dozens of cameras. DIWA’s rigorous technically-based scoring system has produced two winning cameras to date: the Olympus E-1 and the Casio QV-R40. The latter merits a DIWA Silver medal in the category of Amateur Compact Digital Camera and the Olympus E-1 a Gold medal in the category of Professional System Digital Camera. In addition, DIWA has chosen to make a special award to Olympus in recognition of the innovation invested in the Four Thirds standard-based Olympus E-System, of which the gold medal-winning Olympus E-1 is the first example.

DIWA’s general manager, Ian Burley, commented: “The seed of the idea that turned into DIWA was sown by DIWA’s test manager, Kai Thon, several years ago. However, it has been the hard work of a dozen or so people in the last year that has brought DIWA into reality and to the point of making our very first awards.”

DIWA Press Release 05/02/04

Two top awards from the Digital Imaging Websites Association (DIWA) for the Olympus E-1 and Olympus E-System

09:00 CET, Thursday, 5th February, 2004: The Digital Imaging Websites Association (DIWA), a new industry organisation that seeks out the best in imaging products and recognises them in the form of DIWA gold, silver and bronze medal awards, today awards Olympus Corporation a DIWA Gold medal for the Olympus E-1 in the category of Professional System Digital Camera. In addition, DIWA has decided to make a supplementary Innovation award in recognition of the Olympus E-System, which is in turn based on the new open Four Thirds standard.

Consistently high scores were returned by DIWA testers reviewing a number of different Olympus E-1 samples. At the lower cost end of the professional system digital SLR camera market, DIWA’s Olympus E-1 testers liked the camera’s robust, weather-proofed and innovative design that did not sacrifice relatively compact dimensions and light weight. Optical performance of the ‘standard’ 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 zoom lens was of a very high standard, bearing out the radical design philosophy of the Four Thirds standard. Excellent, ergonomics, controls and handling, mated to responsive electronics complete the picture. And no serious shortcomings were identified.

DIWA’s test manager, Kai Thon, summarised: “Despite its compact and light-weight design, the E-1 complies with professional requirements with a rugged camera body, well protected against harsh environments and rough use and a high quality Full Frame Transfer 5Mp CCD sensor. Supported by high performance optics and accessories from the Olympus E-System, the E-1 is well equipped to give digital images of professional quality. With the E-1, Olympus has laid a solid foundation for further development of a unique standard.”

DIWA Press Release 05/02/04

Casio’s compact QV-R40 digital camera nets DIWA Silver award

09:00 CET, 4th February, 2004: A DIWA Silver medal has been awarded to Casio Computer Co., Ltd (Consumer Products division) in recognition of the fine results achieved by the Casio QV-R40 digital camera when tested independently by several DIWA testers throughout Europe.

The Casio QV-R40 is a very compact, fast-operating four megapixel digital camera that is affordable and easy to use. A number of different samples of this Casio model were tested independently by DIWA member testers and the combined scores for the QV-R40 achieved the necessary score to earn a DIWA Silver medal in the category of Amateur Compact Digital Camera.

Kai Thon, DIWA’s test manager, observed: “With the Casio QV-R40, a new standard is set for user-friendly compact digital cameras. The introduction of two large buttons for instant RECORD and PLAY modes is a small, yet highly appreciated innovation that simplifies digital photography for amateurs. The camera also performs very well, with 4MP resolution, 3x quality optical zoom and a large array of smart features. The Casio QV-R40 is a rare combination of high performance at a most affordable price.”