DCViews have published their review of one of the more popular consumer digicams, the 4-megapixel Canon PowerShot A80, which sells for around $399.

“We have found this Canon A80 to be a very versatile camera. This was largely due to the wide range of manual exposure modes, which made it possible to use our creativity to the full. It offers excellent image quality at an affordable price. The swivelling LCD monitor is a nice enhancement, which makes it ideal for capturing candid shots, while the two custom exposure modes allow you to save your favourite settings to be available at the turn of a button without the need to consult the camera menu.”

Website: DCViews - Canon Powershot A80 Review

The Turkish website DigiNorm have posted their review of the 8-megapixel Sony Cybershot DSC-F828 digital compact camera.

Website: DigiNorm - Sony DSC-F828 Review

Imaging Resource have taken a break from reviewing digital cameras by taking a look at the Zenon MagneFlash 57Plus flash unit. This is a specialized flash that “is ideal for illuminating objects photographed at close range, especially highly reflective objects.”

“The Zenon MagneFlash line is nearly, nearly, nearly the simple solution we’ve wanted. Our only reservation, really, is that it isn’t designed to light up a room of family and friends at a party. But it’s wonderful for macro shots and portraits and it plays very, very well with all sorts of digicams. So let’s take a look.”

Website: Imaging Resource - Zenon MagneFlash 57Plus Review

Imaging Resource have reviewed the new iLife ‘04 software for the Apple Mac. Is is worth upgrading, and is it actually all that easy to do so? Find out in this review…

“Well, an upgrade is an upgrade. Our little trials and tribulations express our disappointment in how this one flies, certainly, but we’d rather be using the new versions than the old versions, just as a matter of policy (since it lets us install the inevitable updates).

We’d just rather be using them for free in the case of iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD and iTunes. We can live without GarageBand, which is certainly worth $49. But it’s a different kind of iLife (or it would have been called iCaramba).”

Website: Imaging Resource - Apple iLife ‘04 Review

Breeze Systems Press Release 27/01/04

27th January, 2004: Breeze Systems today announced another innovative product for users of Canon?s Digital SLR cameras (EOS-1DS, EOS-1D, 10D, Digital REBEL,  300D). Professionals can now use Breeze Systems highly regarded software to control the EOS-1DS and EOS-1D as well as Canon?s midrange DSLR cameras.

Use DSLR Remote Pro to
- See large high quality previews of shots on your PC within seconds
- Gain unrivalled control of settings for Canon cameras during tethered operation
- Enable tethered operation of the camera from a distance
- Store images directly onto the hard disk of a PC ready for onward transmission (e.g. by FTP to a picture desk)
- Automate addition of IPTC data to images as they are downloaded
- Enable customers to view pictures while you continue shooting
- Preview images in black and white or color

Use the large preview image to display
- Flashing highlights to indicate over-exposed areas
- Grid overlay to assist accurate alignment
- Black and white
- Focus point overlay

DSLR Remote Pro has been developed by Chris Breeze, who has established a worldwide reputation for digital camera software (including BreezeBrowser, Downloader Pro,10DRemote, PSRemote, D30Remote) over several years. DSLR Remote Pro is available from Breeze Systems website at an introductory price of US$129.

DSLR Remote Pro runs on Windows and is available on a 15 day free trial from Breeze Systems website - http://www.breezesys.com

After 2 weeks and 2 days, my PC is finally up and running again, just in time for PMA in February :-) It turned out to be a faulty motherboard - buying a replacement on eBay for £18 and swapping it for the old one has fixed the problem (which you may recall was a complete system shutdown, 10-30 seconds after booting-up). During that 2 week period I’ve managed to answer emails and keep the site updated, but I haven’t been able to do any reviews etc. So expect to see some new stuff in early February. 2 weeks without a PC was not a great experience and something that I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy…not that I have any enemies, at least to the best of my knowledge, but you get the idea :-)

Hardware Zone have published a detailed review of the 4 megapixel Pentax Optio S4 digital camera, an ultracompact model which is small enough to fit inside an empty Altoids tin.

“For some time now, we have been witnessing the decrease in size of ultra-compact cameras within the digital realm. With the arrival of the Pentax Optio S, and now the Pentax Optio S4, the meaning of the word ?ultra-compact? has been totally redefined. The whole camera is so puny, it manages to fit neatly inside an empty Altoids tin can (similar in size to a Strepsils tin can), making for an inexpensive hard camera case if you fancy that idea. Though small on size, it is certainly not meager in features as you will find out in this review.”

Website: Hardware Zone - Pentax Optio S4 Review

In his latest article Michael Reichmann reminds us all to immerse ourselves in the moment and take a proactive approach to photography, backed up by some great images taken with the Sony DSC-F828 digicam.

“As I photographed I noticed another photographer working the scene. Like me he walked around the pier area taking his photographs. Once the sun had risen and it was time to head back to the hotel for coffee our paths crossed and we chatted for a few minutes. I’d noticed that he’d not been shooting very much, and so I asked him how he’d made out. “Not great,” he said. “I only took a few shots because not much was happening.”

During the 60 minutes that I’d been out shooting I had taken 130 frames.”

Website: Luminous Landscape: Telling The Story

Imaging Resource have reviewed the Fuji FinePix A210 Zoom digital camera. The A210 has 3.2 million megapixels and a 3x optical zoom. It retails for $279.99.

“Fuji FinePix digicams have always been associated with good image quality and color, with solid performance even at the lower-end of the line. With a 3.2-megapixel CCD and 3x optical zoom lens, the A210 offers the same great point-and-shoot convenience as the earlier A200 model, but with greater flexibility. Overall, it’s a solid entry-level model, offering good resolution and an optical zoom lens at an exceptional price.”

Website: Imaging Resource - Fujifilm FinePix A210 Review

Olympus UK Press Release 27/01/04

It’s not just the Olympus E-System that stands out from the crowd; the online firmware update service for this digital SLR system is also extremely sophisticated. The service is highly-automated, checking the firmware and downloads used, then installing a new version if necessary. Furthermore, the process is straight forward and takes just a few minutes.

Owners of Olympus E-System products who wish to use this service should update Olympus Viewer or Olympus Studio software to Version 1.1 or later by opening the ‘software update menu’ in the current version of their program. 

Using the new version of Olympus Viewer or Olympus Studio software, and an Internet connection, the user then simply needs to open the ‘Firmware Update’ function in the ‘Help’ menu. This initiates a check of the firmware in the camera body and any connected lens and flash. If necessary, the latest version can be automatically downloaded and installed.

“With the Olympus E-System, we have broken the mould and produced a truly ground-breaking digital SLR system. This new firmware update service is also an example of our commitment to the best solution,” says Heino Hilbig, Department Manager Marketing, Imaging Systems Europe.

The firmware update service goes into action on 28 January 2004. Users who do not have an Internet connection may contact authorised distributors or the European Customer Support Centre for information on updating their equipment. 

Olympus Viewer and Olympus Studio
Olympus Viewer software is supplied with the Olympus E-1 digital SLR camera. It allows the user to download, view, edit, organise and print images. The optionally available Olympus Studio features a number of additional highlights, such as direct control of the camera from a computer, batch processing and rapid processing of RAW files.

* Compatible with Windows OS: 98SE, 2000, XP and Mac OS: 9.1-9.2.2, 10.1.3-10.3.
Supported interfaces: USB1.1/USB2.0/IEEE1394.

The website LTL Imagery have recently published a number of articles which deal with the thorny issue of colour management and monitor calibration. If your prints don’t look like the image on your monitor, then give these articles a try…

Introduction to Color Management

Accurate Monitor Display

Monitor Calibration

Website: LTL Imagery

Ulead Systems, Inc. Press Release 26/01/04

DVD MovieFactory 3: A Complete DVD Creation Suite with Integrated Video Editing Tools and Extensive Support for a Wide Range of Consumer Electronic Formats and Device.

Northampton January 26th, 2004 - Ulead Systems, Inc., a leading developer of video, image and DVD software, announces Ulead DVD MovieFactory 3, a major upgrade of its PC consumer-level DVD creation software.  DVD MovieFactory 3 offers a rich, integrated suite of DVD creation tools for all DVD and CD burning needs. The software makes it simple for anyone, from home users to business managers, to create polished DVD movies, photo slideshows and quickly burn music and data to disc. DVD MovieFactory 3 offers significant enhancements such as motion menus and chapter buttons with real-time preview, and enhanced video editing tools such as the ability to add transitions and text to videos and photos. The software provides extensive and in-depth compatibility for all DVD formats including video recorded on set-top DVD recorders and DVD camcorders.

“We have put the broadest and deepest support for all DVD Video formats under the hood of an easy-to-master and feature-rich DVD creation suite,” said Mark Wurdemann, Marketing Manager at Ulead, UK. “Now consumers can create DVD titles from any content they desire and customize it over and over again on re-writable media. This is a major step towards DVD totally replacing VHS tape! By leveraging our leadership in consumer video editing and photo slideshow creation tools, DVD MovieFactory 3 is one of the easiest-to-use, all-in-one DVD creation programs available in the market today.”

Finnish photographer Petteri Sulonen has just published 2 more excellent articles on his website Petteri’s Pontifications. “Kwik ‘n’ Dirty Color Management” is a how-to article on setting up a simple color managed system for processing digital photos. “Is Slide Really Better?” is an investigation into the qualities of slide, negative, and Canon 10D RAW digital, from the point of view of an amateur photographer.

Website: Petteri’s Pontifications: Kwik ‘n’ Dirty Color Management

Website: Petteri’s Pontifications: Is Slide Really Better?

The winner of the 10th PhotographyBLOG Photo of the Week contest is izo with the entry “nord”. There are no prizes as such for this contest, but the winning photo is displayed on the PhotographyBLOG homepage for a week, and the winner can display the Photo of the Week logo on their website if they wish.

The 11th Photo of the Week contest is now open. This is a weekly photography challenge where you decide who the winner is by voting for your favourite photos. It’s an open contest with no set theme and you can enter as many photos as you like.

Digital Outback Photo have restarted their report on the Olympus E-1 digital SLR. Part 2 kicks off with a new gallery of photos.

Website: Digital Outback Photo - Olympus E-1 Experience Report Part 2

Photo.net have published a comparitive test of the $100 Canon EFS 18-55mm, which ships with the Canon EOS 300D digital SLR, and the 12 times more expensive Canon EF 24-70mm L series lens.

“Despite the fact that the “L” lens won in every comparison, I’m being pretty picky and I’m looking hard for faults. The EFS 18-55/3.5-5.6 actually looks like a pretty decent lens for casual use, and at $100 it’s probably a bargin. It seems to suffer from the same defects that I’ve seen in similar low end, plastic mount, canon lenses (22-55/4-5.6 and 28-90/4-5.6, both of which sell for around $100 also). Contrast tends to be low, especially wide open, and edges tend to be soft. If you’re intending to shoot landscapes and make full frame 13x19 prints, you’re probably going to be disappointed. On the other hand if you’re printing 4x6 prints you’ll probably be delighted. At 8x12 it probably depends on how picky you are.”

Website: Canon EFS 18-55mm vs Canon EF 24-70mm L Lens Comparison

It was only announced just over 2 weeks ago at the CES show in the USA, but already Steves Digicams have got hold of the 5-megapixel Casio QV-R51 and have published their usual comprehensive review.

“With its robust performance, useful and unique scene modes, 5-megapixel imager, small size, durable aluminum-alloy body and good image quality, the Casio QV-R51 packs a lot of value into its MSRP of $399.99. It’s a camera that the entire family can use, but its simplicity doesn’t diminish the usefulness of the more advanced features which make this camera unique in the digicam marketplace. We think that you’ll enjoy this all-around family camera.”

Website: Steves Digicams - Casio QV-R51 Review

The German website PhotoWorld.de have reviewed the 4 megapixel EasyShare DX6490 digital camera, a digital camera which features a 10x optical zoom lens (38-380mm focal length). The Kodak EasyShare DX6490 has a suggested retail price of £399.99.

Website: PhotoWorld.de - Kodak EasyShare DX6490 Review

This week, Mike Johnston’s Sunday morning column is a review of Frank Van Riper’s “Talking Photography” book.

“Frank Van Riper’s Talking Photography may be the friendliest book of essays about photography ever written. It’s aptly titled: Van Riper has an easy, relaxed writing style that does indeed read very much like someone talking. His deceptively simple prose, which is articulate, and even erudite when needed, flows like water, naturally. Although they’re almost all in classic essay form, each of the book’s nearly one hundred pieces was originally a weekly newspaper column written for The Washington Post, so they’re also short and sweet.”

Website: Sunday Morning Photographer: Talking Photography

Luminous Landscape have published a review of the 6-megapixel Contax N Digital SLR camera by photographer Irakly Shanidze. Never heard of this camera before? That’s not too surprising, as it was discontinued by parent company Kyocera back in June 2003. The 6-megapixel Contax N Digital SLR is one of the few DSLRs available (if you can find one, that is) with a sensor that is the same size as a 35mm film frame.

“After almost a year of working with this camera, I can affirm that it is a fine photographic tool that blends legendary excellence of Carl Zeiss optics with visionary ideas and technological advancements of digital age.

Outstanding image quality makes the Contax N Digital quite a capable performer, even compared to new generation over-10-megapixel DSLRs. It is especially suitable for fine art, glamour and portraiture as well as for landscape photography. Its studio performance is outstanding.

Unfortunately, there are some tasks that the Contax N Digital is just not equipped to perform well enough. High power consumption, small and slow buffer, poor performance in low light and limited selection of high-speed lenses makes it nearly unsuitable for photojournalism.”

Website: Luminous Landscape - Contax N Digital SLR Review