Adobe are now shipping their much-anticipated image-management application, Photoshop Album. Adobe’s new product goes head-to-head with the likes of IMatch, Jasc Paint Shop Pro Album, Picasa and Extensis Portfolio, to name only a few. Sadly there is no downloadable try-out version at the moment…

Website: Adobe Photoshop Album

“Adobe Systems Incorporated today announced the immediate availability of Adobe? Photoshop? Album, new Windows?-based software that extends the legendary Photoshop product line to millions of digital camera users who need an easy way to find, fix, share and preserve their lifetime of photos. The fast and easy way to organize and share your lifetime of photos. Find your photos fast. Fix common photo problems. Share your memories. Preserve your valuable photos.”

Adobe have followed that announcement up with the release of the Photoshop? Camera Raw and JPEG 2000 plug-ins, which will cost $99. “The Photoshop Camera Raw plug-in delivers lightning-fast, easy access ? within Photoshop ? to “raw” image formats in professional and mid-range digital cameras from Canon, Fujifilm, Minolta, Nikon and Olympus. Available as a software add-on that works with Photoshop 7.0.1 software, the Photoshop Camera Raw plug-in allows photographers to directly manipulate the original data captured by a digital camera sensor, producing images with superior tonal range and the maximum amount of detail.”

Website: Photoshop Camera Raw plug-in

Fuji have joined in the pre-PMA fun by announcing two new digital cameras based on their proprietary Super CCD SR/HR sensors, which were announced in January.

The F700 is particularly interesting as it claims to improve image quality by widening the dynamic range, rather than just increasing the number of pixels. This should mean more detail in the shadow and highlight areas of an image than Fuji cameras have previously captured.

“Fuji Photo Film U.S.A., Inc. today unveiled the first consumer 6.2 megapixel (S-pixel: 3.1 million, R-pixel: 3.1 million) digital camera, which carries its proprietary new Super CCD SR (Super Dynamic Range) technology. Capturing pictures with quality approaching that of film, with 2,832 x 2,128 (6.03 million) recorded pixels, and dramatically increased dynamic range, the new Fujifilm FinePix F700 represents a new frontier in digital photography. The Fujifilm FinePix F700 is the first 6.2 million effective pixel (S-pixel: 3.1 million, R-pixel: 3.1 million) consumer digital camera on the market today.”

Website: Fuji Press Release - FinePix 700

and

“Fuji Photo Film U.S.A., Inc. today unveiled the first digital camera to carry its fourth-generation Super CCD HR (High Resolution), the FinePix F410. The camera, which has 3.1 million effective pixels, provides first-time digital camera users with increased resolution, sensitivity and color reproduction, and produces high quality images.”

Website: Fuji Press Release - FinePix 410

As revealed yesterday, Pentax have announced the 5-megapixel Optio 550 and the 4-megapixel Optio 450. Both models host a variety of features including a high resolution 1.5 inch LCD monitor, a movie mode that captures up to ten minutes of video with sound, a voice memo recording mode, a vice memo function, panorama assist, full manual control and a 5X optical zoom (20X combined). As with Nikon’s earlier announcement, there is no sign yet of an imminent DSLR release from Pentax.

Website: Pentax Press Release - Optio 450/550

Pentax have also announced a new film camera, which like Nikon’s F75 is a direct competitor to Canon’s very popular EOS 300. The bizarrely named Pentax *ist (yes, that asterix is part of the name) is supposedly “one of the world?s smallest in the Auto Focus SLR category”. I’m not sure which other cameras’ are smaller, but this doesn’t seem like a great claim to fame from Pentax.

Feature highlights of the *ist include a multi-mode exposure system with an innovative Auto Picture mode and an accessible illumination mode dial, a 16-segment multi-pattern metering system, an 11-point Auto Focus system, a 1/4000-second high-speed shutter, 17 custom functions, a large LCD panel, a multi-data LCD viewfinder indicator, and a retractable auto pop-up flash.

Website: Pentax Press Release - New Film SLR

At a time when the digital race is getting ever faster, it seems a little odd that both Nikon and Pentax have announced new low/mid-end film SLRs. I guess there must still be a big market out there for these kind of cameras. ?200 -?300 is the typical entry-level price-range for most new photographers who are looking for a film camera that’s more sophisticated than a compact. But how many of those people are still considering film? Are they paying more money, say ?500, for a digital camera that offers similar functionality to a typical film SLR, but with all the convenience that digital offers?

As expected, Nikon have today announced their new digital and film products, ahead of PMA in March. In summary, there are 3 new digital cameras; the Coolpix SQ, Coolpix 3100 and Coolpix 2100. There is 1 new fim camera;the Nikon F75. And there are 3 new lenses; the AF Zoom-Nikkor 28-200mm f/3.5-5.6G IF-ED, the AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 12-24mm f/4G IF-ED and the AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor 24-120mm f/3.5-5.6G IF-ED.

To give you an idea of where the new cameras fit within the Nikon product range, these are the suggested RRPs in the United Kingdom:

Coolpix SQ - ?349
Coolpix 3100 - ?279
Coolpix 2100 - ?179
F75 - ?299

And the suggested UK RRPs of the 3 lenses are:

AF Zoom-Nikkor 28-200mm f/3.5-5.6G IF-ED - ?299.99
AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor 24-120mm f/3.5-5.6G IF-ED - ?529.99
AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 12-24mm f/4G IF-ED - ?899.99

DPReview, Steve’s Digicams and Imaging Resource already have first looks posted for the digital cameras:

Website: DPReview

Website: Steve’s Digicams

Website: Imaging Resource

This is the official Nikon website for the Coolpix SQ:

Website: Nikon Coolpix SQ

And finally, Nikon’s UK website gives a good overview of the new announcements and also has all of the press releases:

Website: Nikon UK - What’s New

Website: Nikon UK - Press Releases

photo-i have almost completed their review of Epson’s new top-of the-range flatbed scanner, the Epson Perfection 3200. There are now 8 pages of the review online, including some samples of scanned negatives and slides. The results look very, very impressive at first glance - they seem to be on a par or better than a dedicated film-scanner! That’s an amazing performance from a ?350 flatbed scanner…

photo-i are also reviewing the Canon 9900F at the same time as the Epson - expect to see some sample scans from this unit in the next day or two.

Website: photo-i

A PhotographyBLOG visitor, J Black, has kindly let me know about these 2 photo-sharing/critiquing websites:

Website: webaperture

Website: ShutterCity

I prefer webaperture, as you can only initially upload 1 photo at ShutterCity - you then have to leave 2 comments before you can upload again. Both sites are easy to sign-up for and uploading photos is straight-forward.

If you post on a similar site which isn’t listed on my Links page then please let me know.

A quick reminder of Nikon Europe’s official statement from last week; on “February 18th (when) a variety of new imaging products will be officially made public”. So tomorrow is the day when Nikon finally and officially unveil the Nikon Coolpix SQ. What will the specifications of the Coolpix SQ actually be? We’ve all seen what it looks like, but not what it can actually deliver in terms of performance and image quality.

And what about the rest of the “imaging products” that Nikon have mentioned? Will there be a new Nikon DSLR to help the D100 compete with any new Canon DSLR(s)? Or will it turn out to be the new Nikon F75, a mid-range film camera that has been rumoured for the last few weeks. I’m a lot more interested in the possible release of a new Nikon DSLR than the Coolpix SQ. Hopefully we will find out everything tomorrow…

According to the website Fotopolis.pl, Pentax are about to announce the stylish 5-megapixel Optio 550, although as my Polish is not that great, I’m unsure of exactly when (PMA?).

Website: Fotopolis

Just visited the Photobloggies website and found these excellent weblogs.

Website: a.lifeuncommon.org

Website: Apparently Nothing

Website: Mark North dot blog

Website: Bingwalker

Website: Harrumph

The very first, completely free PhotographyBLOG Wallpapers have been released and are now available to all registered members.

If you are already a PhotographyBLOG member you should shortly receive an email containing download instructions. If you’re not a member then what are you waiting for? Register now to receive your free Wallpapers…

I’ve been hard at work during the last week preparing a brand new addition to PhotographyBLOG. The site now has its very own Discussion Forums, in which you can create new topics about a wide range of photography-related subjects, and leave comments on other people’s posts.

Visit the Forums now!

You can post comments and participate in our forums without registering as a member of PhotographyBLOG. However, there are a lot of benefits if you do choose to register.

For everyone who can’t afford the industry-standard image-editing program Adobe Photoshop (?500!), which software package is the best budget alternative? ePhotoZine may be able to help you out as they review Photoshop’s younger sibling, Adobe Photoshop Elements 2.

Website: ePhotoZine Review

“Elements offers similar features (to Adobe Photoshop) at a far more realistic price. Coming from the same company, Elements has been designed using the same functions, but some of the features that only professionals need have been removed and some beginner help has been added to make it easier for newcomers to grasp.”

Ricoh have announced the release of the Caplio G3, which apparently has the world’s shortest lag-time from pressing the shutter-release to taking a picture, beating film cameras as well as digital.

For all you golfers out there, this may be the ideal camera, as the “M-continuous mode allows the capture of the last 16 frames taken of a subject to one file, which is ideal for analyzing a golf swing” Now that’s I call targeted marketing!

Website: Ricoh Press Release

“With a blazing 0.14-second shutter response time, the new 3.24-Megapixel Caplio G3 has done what no digital camera has done before - exceed the speed of a conventional 35mm camera - a major milestone that makes it the world’s fastest in its class.”

“The Caplio G3’s unique body shape was born from close observations on how we hold objects such as pens, soda cans, round stones, and regular 35mm cameras. This examination led directly to the rounded shape that the camera was granted, thus making it extremely comfortable to hold.”

DPReview have exclusively reported Nikon’s response to the many rumours that are circulating about their new camera release(s). What is very interesting is the mention of “a variety of new imaging products”, to be announced on the 18th February. I’m guessing that this statement will add even more fuel to the fire, rather than clarify anything. Will there be an addition to the Nikon DSLRs after all?

Website: DPReview

“We are extremely heartened by the enthusiastic media and public response about even the smallest details of some of the new additions to our range of photo and imaging products. However we feel it is worth reminding customers that all information currently circulating on the World Wide Web remains inaccurate or incomplete and request their patience until February 18th when a variety of new imaging products will be officially made public. We regret any confusion or inconvenience caused to our customers by the inadvertent release of information earlier than planned.”

The more observant amongst you may have noticed a dramatic change here at PhotographyBLOG…there is now a proliferation of product images throughout the site! I think the images are necessary to illustrate some of the posts, especially the ones concerning new product launches. As I’m on a broadband internet connection, I’d appreciate it if you let me know if the site has slowed down too much as a result of this change.

Although not strictly a photography site, Gizmodo is a clean and very-regularly-updated blog about gadgets. All kinds of technological marvels for you to drool over (though you may never actually buy them…). Gizmodo is edited by Peter Rojas, a journalist who writes about technology for Wired, Salon, The New York Times, and the Guardian, and backed by Nick Denton. Wednesday’s entry about the invention of the Smart Bra is worth a visit alone…

Website: Gizmodo

This is an interesting resource that is worth some of your time. A weekly topical column by Mike Johnston, an experienced photo-journalist, which is published every Sunday (or thereabouts).

In his latest column, Mike explores his own personal dilemma between choosing traditional black and white photography and the advantages of digital. Mike sees himself as a B&W photographer, but is beginning to realise that digital makes him better at photography in general. Which one will he choose?

Website: Sunday Morning Photographer

photo-i have started their review of Epson’s new top-of the-range flatbed scanner. The first 3 pages of the review (out of 10) are now online. The rest will be posted this week.

Website: photo-i

Perhaps even more interestingly (certainly from my own point of view), Chasseurs d’Images also has a page dedicated to rumours about the new Digital SLRs that may be announced at PMA 2003.

Here’s a translated excerpt that really caught my eye:

Website: Chasseurs d’Images - PMA 2003

“In the best of the cases, the substitute of D60 will not be available in quantity before April! And its characteristics for the moment are held secret until that the end of the month.
The rumour speaks about D40, D4, D80, D300… it announces especially two apparatuses, a kind EOS-300v transformed into numerical reflex camera, the other Eos-3 way with sensor large size. It is not exactly that!
Except surprised of last minute, Canon will present Only one numerical reflex camera… but it will be a d?coiffant product, as well by its very aggressive price as by its characteristics.
Canon, indeed, is decided not to more communicate only on the number of pixels, but also on the functions.
Its new reflex camera will thus be associated a photo printer and Canon will propose the function “direct print” making it possible to the user to actually have a kind of photo laboratory high level and simple to use.”

Following on from the Nikon SQ teasers debacle last week, the French website Chasseurs d’Images has revealed quite a lot of detail about the specification of Nikon’s square camera.

You may want to take this information with a large pinch of salt, as Nikon haven’t even officially announced the camera yet. But apparently Chasseurs d’Images have a past history of accurately leaking information about Nikon products, so who knows, it may all be true?

Website: Chasseurs d’Images - Nikon SQ

Here’s a few excerpts for you in (translated by Google) English:

“Nikon Coolpix SQ is a ultra-compact apparatus of square form, which measures approximately 8,5 X 8,6cm but which, in proportion, will seem relatively thick: 2,55cm, is close to the double of Dim?ge X!”
“The relatively significant thickness of the SQ is explained by the presence of a zoom of good level, offering at the same time a raised resolution, a low distortion and performances macro record. As opposed to what known as rumour Internet, it is not a question of a zoom x5: Nikon wisely chose to equip the SQ with a zoom of amplitude x3, associated a foction numerical zoom. The resolution is, it also, very wise since sensor CCC of the SQ is very wise 3,3 M?gapixels.”
“The price of the SQ is not stopped yet but it should be located at less than 599 euros. This apparatus will be presented at the beginning of March in the LDC of Las Vegas, but it will not be on sale before the second fortnight of April.”