The Hungarian website Index Digicam have reviewed the Kodak EasyShare DX6340 3.1 megapixel digital camera, which has an RRP of $329.

Website: Index Digicam - Kodak EasyShare DX6340 Review

The Slovenian website e-FotoPortal have published Part 1 of their review of the recently announced Sigma SD10 digital SLR, together with the Sigma 18-50mm and Sigma 55-200mm lens.

Website: e-FotoPortal - Sigma SD10 Review Part 1

Website: Slovenian Translator

Sekonic have announced a new top of the range lightmeter, the L-558 DUALMASTER, which retails for $769 in the USA and, according to DP-Now, ?399.99 in the UK.

Sekonic Press Release 04/12/03

New Sekonic L-558 DUALMASTER: Here?s why it may well be the best Light-measuring tool ever made.

Elmsford, NY: For starters, the remarkable new Sekonic L-558 DUALMASTER is the world?s most
sensitive multi-function meter, reading flash down to an astounding f/2 (at ISO 100), twice as low as any other multi-function meter in production. And with the optional PocketWizard* module inside, it becomes nothing less than a Master Control Center. You can use it to fire individual cameras and flash units remotely, without wires, using a 16/24 bit, security-encoded digital signal. And that?s just the beginning.

Here are some more cogent reasons why this is arguably the best meter Sekonic ? or anyone else ? has ever put on the market in this price class.
- The L-558 includes Sekonic?s unique built-in retractable Lumisphere. Simply turn the selector knob to extend it for 3D incident readings, or retract it for a narrow incident metering angle that?s ideal for brightness evaluations, lighting ratio setups or precise readings of flat subjects.
-  The L-558 is also a true 1-degree spotmeter, with a parallax-free viewfinder and in-finder, illuminated digital display showing apertures in tenths, shutter speeds up to 1/8000 sec, and exposure compensation values.
- The L-558 features an extra large, cool-green-illuminated full-information LCD panel that displays the complete range of readouts and modes as well as battery condition. It can memorize and recall up to nine readings in any mode, average them, and display them individually on an analog scale.
- The L-558 includes a flash/ambient analyzing mode that simultaneously reads both flash and ambient light automatically, and can display combined flash-ambient readings, percentage of flash in the total exposure, and simultaneous display of flash, ambient, and combined readings on an analog scale.
It also reads in shutter-priority, aperture-priority or EV modes, and makes cumulative flash readings in cord or cordless mode.
- The L-558 includes a broad range of custom settings so pros and enthusiasts can tailor it to their individual working methods. And its body and controls are so well sealed that it?s rated splashproof to JIS water-resistance standard ? so serious photographers can take control with confidence in any weather.
- The L-558 is competitively priced. It gives pros and serious enthusiasts exactly what they need ? nothing more and nothing less ? and represents a remarkable value. Suggested list price: $769.
*PocketWizard module: $25 at time of purchase only (a $99 value).

DCResource has posted a review of the Olympus CAMEDIA C-5060 Wide Zoom camera, an updated version of the popular Olympus CAMEDIA C-5050 model, with a wider-angle lens that is equivalent to a 27-110mm lens on a 35mm camera.

“The C-5060 Wide Zoom is one of the best Olympus cameras in recent memory, and it should be high on your shopping list if a full-featured 5 Megapixel camera is what you’re after. My main complaints about the camera are the above average noise levels at default settings (turning down the sharpness helps) and its intimidating user interface (buttons and menus). Everything else is good.”

Website: DCResource - Olympus C-5060 Wide Zoom Review

CNET have reviewed one of Nikon’s top-of-the-range prosumer digital cameras, the 5 megapixel CoolPix 5400.

“The 5-megapixel Nikon Coolpix 5400 delivers numerous key improvements on the Coolpix 5000, including a 4X zoom lens, enhanced image quality, and revamped controls. Nikon also added 15 scene modes, making this model more accessible to casual snapshooters. But make no mistake: with its wealth of features and manual settings, the 5400 should appeal primarily to photo enthusiasts. We only wish that the camera offered longer battery life and RAW-file support.”

Website: CNET - Nikon Coolpix 5400 Review

The Plugin Site Press Release 04/12/03

December 4, 2003 - The Plugin Site (www.ThePluginSite.com) is pleased to announce Version 1.0 of PhotoFreebies, the third product in its popular PhotoWiz product series. PhotoFreebies is a collection of 10 Photoshop-compatible plugins for performing useful photo manipulations and effects. They can be used with dozens of different image editing applications e.g. Photoshop, Paint Shop Pro, Photo-Paint, PhotoImpact and many others.

Background
To celebrate the success of our PhotoWiz product series we decided to release the free PhotoFreebies. Our intention was to create small and easy-to-use utilities for image manipulation. The PhotoFreebies produce general effects that are needed from time to time and are only inconveniently reproducible in common graphics tools. Additionally you can also find some features of our other PhotoWiz products in a more simplified form in the PhotoFreebies collection. The PhotoFreebies collection will be expanded with even more attractive plugins in future.

Features
The PhotoFreebies collections contains sepia effects, saturation gradients, b/w conversion, color space transformations and many more. All plugins can be used on 8bit and 16bit RGB images, except the Histo Fix plugin which only works on 8bit images. The Remove Transparency plugin on the other hand works in almost all image modes that are provided by Photoshop. Some of the plugins have a dialog with a zoomable preview and adjustable controls whereas others are applied instantly without displaying a dialog.

Plugin Descriptions
The Sepia plugin from PhotoFreebies lets you apply five sepia effects with the help of a combo box, a color slider and a Contrast Fix check box. The Desaturation Gradient plugin gradually desaturates the image in four possible directions. Luma Negative turns the image into a negative without changing the colors whereas the B/W plugin converts the image into a grayscale version, that comes closer to the original than currently provided methods. Histo Fix fixes the chopped histogram of a repeatedly filtered image by interpolating lost image information. It offers an option to regain 1/2 bit, 1 bit or 2 bit of information. The Remove Transparency plugin makes a transparent layer fully opaque again. Last, but not least there are also four plugins that transform RGB values into HSL or YCC values and back again without leaving RGB mode. That allows you to manipulate the images in color spaces that aren’t provided by most image applications.

Availability & System Requirements
PhotoFreebies is currently only available for Windows. A Macintosh version is planned. PhotoFreebies is freeware and can be downloaded from
http://thepluginsite.com/products/photowiz/. The two other PhotoWiz products called ColorWasher and FocalBlade are commercial.

Company Info
The Plugin Site is located in Nuremberg, Germany, and develops graphics, video and web software. We also created the Plugin Galaxy, Plugin Commander, HyperTyle, Edge & Frame Galaxy, HTML Shrinker, Harry’s Filters and Photo Galaxy products. We co-produced Alpha Magic with Hollywood FX and Pinnacle and also co-develop the FilterMeister plugin development environment with AFH Systems.

About.com have just reviewed Adobe Photoshop CS, proclaiming it to be “the industry standard for professional photo editing, graphic design, and digital imaging”.

“As the industry-standard, Photoshop skills are a necessity if you want to be employable in the graphic design field. Priced in the hundreds and with a learning curve to match, it’s not for everyone, but the investment can pay off in increased productivity and the ultimate in flexibility. There are improvements in this version for everyone, but photographers will benefit the most from this upgrade.”

Website: About.com - Adobe Photoshop CS Review

Photo.net have just reviewed the Canon Bubble Jet i900D printer (known as the i905D outside the USA). The 4800 x 1200 dpi Bubble Jet i900D is a six-colour photo printer with card slots for the most popular brands of memory cards. It’s also compliant with the new industry standard PictBridge protocol, allowing it to print directly from any PictBridge compatible digital camera without the need for a PC.

“Well. it’s pretty much all good. The printer produces excellent color prints on super glossy, glossy and matte paper. Getting absolutely neutral B&W prints is a bit more difficult, but that’s true for any multicolor ink printer. With a little work or toning I was also very happy with monochrome prints. Printer setup and operation is simple and fairly straightforward. Software installation under Windows XP was easy and hassle free. The ability to change individual ink cartridges, and to actually be able to see the ink level so you know when to change them, is certainly a big plus. The ability to print directly (without a computer) from memory cards or from compatible digital cameras is also something many consumers may find useful.”

Website: Photo.net - Canon i900D Printer Review

Steves Digicams have reviewed the 3.2 megapixel Kyocera Finecam SL300R. Kyocera claims that this is the world’s thinnest 3x optical zoom digital camera, which virtually eliminates lag time and is capable of unlimited continuous shooting at an unprecedented 3.5 frames per second. Find out if Steve agrees…

“Evaluating the Kyocera Finecam SL300R is like judging a figure skating competition; both technical merit and style must be equally considered. The unique design, light weight, and small size of the all metal body allow it to be worn as a wardrobe accessory, turning heads as well as photographing them.”

Website: Steves Digicams - Kyocera Finecam SL300R Review

Luminous Landscape editor and professional photographer Michael Reichmann has recommended a few of his favourite photography books from the last year, just in time for your Christmas lists…

“With the holidays almost upon us this is a good time to survey some of the photography books that are worth giving, or getting, this holiday season. Each of the books listed below has made its way onto my bookshelf during the past six months, and each comes with my strong recommendation. These aren’t so much reviews as they are simply advisories of what’s out there, and what’s worthy of your attention.”

Website: Michael Reichmann’s Books of 2003

CNET have completed their review of the Pentax Optio 555, a 5 megapixel updated version of the popular 550 model.

“Faster zooming and PictBridge compatibility are among the minor improvements that make the Optio 555 a bit better than its predecessor, the Optio 550. The 555 also shed a few ounces, so it’s attractive to amateur photographers who want features such as TIFF-file output, a 5X zoom lens, and manual controls in a relatively compact package. The Optio design doesn’t wow us now as it did when the 550 initially shipped, and much of the camera’s feature set has become more commonplace, but the 555 remains a solid 5-megapixel amateur model.”

Website: CNET - Pentax Optio 555 Review

The Danish website Akamera.dk have just posted a review of the Olympus Camedia C-350 digital camera. The CAMEDIA C-350ZOOM puts 3.2 megapixel resolution, precision automatic shooting and a 3x optical zoom lens at your fingertips. With a stylish and compact design and a range of practical functions such as scene programs, it appeals to users looking for more than just a point-and-shoot digital camera. The large 1.8 inch LCD monitor permits comfortable viewing and framing. Images are stored on the ultra-compact removable xD-Picture Card.

Website: Akamera.dk - Olympus Camedia C-350 Review

David Griffin has compared no less than 9 different UK-based digital print services and a Canon i850 printer to find out which one offers the best quality and value for money. David’s review is very comprehensive and well worth reading if you’re looking for the holy grail of an affordable and good quality print service. For a second opinion, you can always read my own review of Online Print Services :-)

Website: David Griffin - Digital Print Review

Funtigo Press Release 03/12/03

Photo Site Funtigo Continues to Innovate by Adding Holiday and Other Clipart
New generation photo site provides complete Web pages, not just photos

SAN FRANCISCO, CA, December 4, 2003 - Funtigo LLC announced today that its photo sharing website, www.funtigo.com, has added 362 high-quality pieces of clipart from collections of Ultimate Symbol and WebstarWest.  An additional collection of 250 GIF animations is soon to follow, according to the company.

Although clipart is typically not associated with photo sites, it fits squarely with Funtigo’s philosophy of photo sharing, according to Jim Conning, Funtigo’s founder.

“With the proliferation of digital cameras, people treat photos as one - but not the only - element that helps them preserve and share their memories.  Our customers often create complete Web pages around their photos, including text, custom backgrounds, text balloons, and clipart.  All these things combined help them preserve their memories and express themselves.”

158 of the new clipart pieces have holiday themes, including Halloween, Thanksgiving, Chanukah, Christmas, and New Year’s.  The clipart displays as ultra-crisp and resolution-independent Flash 6 files.  In browsers that don’t support Flash 6 the clipart is automatically displayed as PNG files, according to Funtigo.

As is the case with other Web page elements, such as text and photos, Funtigo users can click and drag the clipart in their Web browser and place it exactly where they want it.  For instance, they can place a mistletoe piece of clipart next to or superimposed onto a Christmas party photo.  They can also click and drag to interactively resize the clipart.

Funtigo is a subscription-based photo site, offered as a free 60 try-out service and priced as low as $1.49 per month.

Founded in 2002, Funtigo LLC is a privately held company, based in San Francisco, California.
A special press whitepaper with 13 interviews of photosharing digital camera users can be downloaded at http://www.funtigo.com/press/testimonials.pdf.  Email [email protected] to arrange interviews with any of these users.

Olympus Press Release 04/12/03
RSPCA Young Photographer Awards 2003
28 Talented Youngsters Shortlisted!

Twenty-eight budding young photographers from all over the UK have been shortlisted for a prize in the RSPCA Young Photographer Awards 2003, sponsored by Olympus Cameras and Truprint.

From household pets, creepy crawlies and farm animals, to hippos and swooping seagulls ? the variety of pictures entered this year has never been more diverse. For the first time the awards ceremony will be held at the prestigious Spencer Gallery at the Natural History Museum in London on Thursday, 11th December, where all 34 stunning photographs will be unveiled and the names of the winners announced.     

This year 8,000 entries were received, making the competition the most hotly contested yet. The judging was extremely difficult as the quality and standard of photos entered was particularly high in both age groups.

Entries were divided into two different age groups - under 12s and 12 to 18s. The overall winner will receive an Olympus Mju 300 digital camera and a ?250 cash prize from Truprint. Winners from each age group will be given an Olympus Mju V compact camera and ?100 from Truprint. In addition, eight runners-up will each get an Olympus Mju III 100 compact camera and ?50 from Truprint. The winning photos will then be displayed at Tootsies, Old Brompton Road, London until the end of January 2004.

Television presenter and wildlife photographer Chris Packham is a long-serving supporter of the awards and joined the judging panel again this year: ?It remains a peculiarity of this competition that the final set of photos are always very strong and make a powerful exhibition.  I think this is because the competition gives the kids a lot of scope. The subject can be any animal and they respond very well to this with a wide range of farm animals, wild animals and pets.?

London at this time of year is usually cold, wet and generally pretty miserable. To help cheer up us unhappy Londoners, Bob Geldof has come up with the bright idea of projecting images onto some of the capital’s most famous buildings throughout December. The project is called “Brightening Up London” and it started last night at Wellington Arch near Hyde Park Corner. Bob himself was there to switch on the lights.



When I arrived at 6pm there were surprisingly few people present, and even fewer photographers. By 7pm, most of the TV and press people had disappeared and I almost had the place to myself, apart from a few bored security guards. The weather was predictably overcast and drizzly, but I managed to capture the different images that were being projected onto the arch, once the people who were standing by it had disappeared. I’m convinced that they will make great 15x10 inch prints.



Anyway, click on these thumbnails to see how they look at the much smaller size of 600x400 pixels:

Wellington Arch #1	Wellington Arch #2	Wellington Arch #3

Sigma have recently released a new wide-angle zoom lens which will appeal to all digital SLR owners. The Sigma 12-24/F4.5-5.6 ex DG Asph may be quite slow but it will translate to a 19-38mm lens on a Canon EOS 10D/300D, for example. An extensive test of the new lens with lots of sample photos has been posted by p5freak over on the DPReview forums.

“This lens is big in diameter, now i understand why its not f3,5-4,5. The lens hood is made of two parts, as you can see below. Just like a size comparison with the 17-40L. Its only f4,5 at 12mm, if you go to 13 its f5 and stays there until 18, then its f5,6 up to 24mm. Look and feel, build quality is very good, i didnt see anything bad. I noticed soft corners wide open, which sharpen up when stopping down and almost disappear at f11. I’d say its useable from f5,6 and higher. Sweet spot appears to be f11.”

Website: Sigma 12-24mm Lens Test

Photographer Max Lyons has taken a 1 Gigapixel image of Bryce Canyon in the USA and posted it for your viewing pleasure. This enormous images is made up of 196 individual 6-megapixel photos, stitched together using PTAssembler.

“This page contains what I believe to be one of the highest resolution, most detailed stitched digital images ever created. It is the view from Bryce Point in Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah. It consists of 196 separate photographs taken with a 6 megapixel digital camera, and then stitched together into one seamless composite. The final image is 40,784 x 26,800 pixels in size, and contains about 1.09 billion pixels…a little more than one gigapixel. I have been unable to find any record of a higher resolution photographic (i.e. non-scientific) digital image that has been created without resizing a smaller, lower resolution image or using an interpolated image.”

Website: The 1.09 Billion Pixel Photo

Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE), in association with Country Life magazine, is throwing down a challenge to amateur photographers. Can you capture the enduring beauty of the English countryside in the dead of winter, when the days are at their very shortest and skies are generally grey? Photographs entered for our competition must have been taken between dawn on Sunday 21 December (the eve of the longest night) and dusk on Monday 22 December 2003 (the shortest day).

We’ve organised this competition:
- to promote CPRE and its work through the media by working in partnership with one of the nation’s leading countryside magazines.
- to raise awareness of the enduring value of the countryside’s beauty through the seasons and the years.

The prizes and judging
?400 for winning entrant aged 16 or under, ?500 for the winning entrant aged 17 or over. There will also be prizes of ?50 for the runner ups. The winning photographs and those of the runners up will be published in a future issue of Country Life and on this website. The judging panel includes Sir Max Hastings, CPRE President and Country Life editor Clive Aslet.

Website: Campaign to Protect Rural England

Index Digicam have just reviewed the Samsung Digimax 360 compact digital camera. The Digimax 360 offers a 3.2 mega pixel resolution to capture clear and accurate images. The high quality Samsung SHD lens (equivalent to 38mm - 114mm in 35mm format), with 3 x optical and 4 x digital zoom to get up close to your subject.

Website: Index Digicam - Samsung Digimax 360 Review