Lexar Media has announced improvements to the Professional line of CompactFlash (CF) and Secure Digital High Capacity (SDHC) memory cards. Lexar has increased the capacity of Professional 300x CF cards to 32GB (see picture above), and Professional 233x CF cards are now available in 16GB and 32GB capacities. In addition, the Lexar Professional 133x SDHC card has achieved a Class 10 speed rating. This means it now provides a minimum sustained write speed capability of 133x (20MB per second) for shooting higher-resolution images and large-sized, high-definition video files with SDHC-enabled devices. Additionally, the Lexar Professional 133x SDHC card significantly improves camera performance and image transfer speeds from card to computer. All Professional line cards include a limited lifetime warranty and free downloadable copy of Image Rescue 4, the latest version of Lexar’s award-winning image recovery software.

Kodak invites consumers to unlock the photos and documents stored in their iPhones with its new Kodak ESP 7250 All-in-One Printer. Compatible with the Apple iPhone, iPod Touch (second generation) and some - though not all - Blackberry smartphones, the Kodak ESP 7250 features easy-to-use wireless capabilities, an intuitive control panel and the lowest total ink replacement cost in the industry, according to Kodak.  The ESP 7250 can print documents and photos directly from Wi-Fi enabled Blackberry smartphones or iPhone/iPod Touch devices through the new Kodak Pic Flick application. Apart from its wireless capabilities, the Kodak ESP 7250 features a built-in duplexer, intelligent paper sensor and auto-engaging photo trays saving time and money, and a 2.4” LCD screen as well as a number of memory card slots. Available in April 2010, the Kodak ESP 7250 retails for $199.99 U.S. MSRP.

muvee, a pioneer and leader in home movie-making software and services, has announced a Netbook version of muvee Reveal will be previewed at CES, starting tomorrow.  muvee Reveal Netbook edition was created specifically to enhance Netbooks from being primarily a secondary machine for mobile computing, entertainment and communication, to a portable personal media creation and sharing device, the company says. The muvee Reveal Netbook edition software enables users to take videos and photos from their cameras via the SD card reader, their Flips or even from online sources like Facebook and shwup. Then, in three steps, muvee Reveal automatically creates a professional-looking home movie synced to the beat of the music that can be shared on social networks like Youtube and Facebook or uploaded to a private group album at shwup.com. “An NVIDIA ION processor transforms a netbook into a fully-capable, small notebook,” said Michael Steele, General Manager, NVIDIA Visual Consumer Solutions. “By using the graphics processor to handle the video, muvee Reveal Netbook Edition provides a great multimedia and entertainment experience on ION-based netbooks.” muvee Reveal Netbook edition is expected to be released 1 March 2010.

Kodak has announced four new EasyShare M series digital compact cameras and two new chargers. The new Kodak EasyShare M580 (pictured) is the flagship of the range, featuring 14 megapixels of resolution and an 8x optical zoom that spans a focal range of 28-224mm in 35mm terms. Next up is the Kodak M575, another 14-megapixel model with a 5x zoom lens. Both of these cameras have 3” LCD screens and both can capture HD video. The M580 even has an HDMI connector. There are two 12-megapixel models in the M range too, the M550 and the M530. These come with 2.7” LCDs. The M550 features a 5x zoom lens, while the M530 makes do with 3x optical zoom. The M580 and the M575 are expected to hit the shelves in April, priced at £179.99/$199.95 and £169.99/$179.95 respectively. The M550 should be available by March, at an MSRP of £139.99/$149.95, while the M530 will reatil for £119.99/$129.95 beginning in February 2010. Kodak has also announced two new battery chargers, including the K7700 which features fast one-hour charging for many Kodak digital cameras, and the K450 which is a C-Series AA battery charger that comes bundled with two high performance AA Ni-MH rechargeable batteries.

Kodak has quietly introduced a new superzoom camera, the Kodak EasyShare Z981, featuring a 26x Schneider-Kreuznach Variogon zoom. The Kodak Z981 appeared in Kodak’s online store without much fanfare, and can also be pre-ordered from Amazon for $329.95. Apart from the 26x zoom lens that spans a focal range of 26-676mm in 35mm equivalency, the other main ingredient of the Z981 is a new, 14-megapixel imager. In most other respects, the Kodak Z981 is not really different from its predecessor the Z980. Just like that camera, the Z981 has a 3” rear screen, can shoot 720p HD video, features Kodak’s exclusive Smart Capture technology, and comes bundled with a detachable vertical grip. It also retains its forebear’s ability to capture raw image data, though Kodak warns that raw image editing is not supported on Mac OS. The flash hot shoe of the Z980 is, apparently, gone. Kodak claims a shutter lag of less than 0.2 seconds foir the Z981, though this is probably without focusing time. Like camera that preceded it, the Kodak EasyShare Z981 runs on AA batteries and comes bundled with four pre-charged Kodak Ni-MH rechargeables.

Via 1001 Noisy Cameras

Kodak today unveiled a new touchscreen-enabled digital photo frame, called Kodak Pulse. The new Kodak Pulse Digital Frame is equipped with Wi-Fi connectivity and a personal e-mail address so consumers can easily send pictures wirelessly to the frame from a computer, from Facebook and Kodak Gallery sites, or from any device that has email capability. The frame automatically refreshes when consumers, or their family and friends, add new pictures to their Kodak Gallery or Facebook albums. The 7-inch touch-sensitive screen has a resolution of 800x600 pixels and features LED backlighting. The Kodak Pulse digital photo frame will be available for £109.99/$129.99 beginning in April 2010.

Kodak today introduced the waterproof Kodak Playsport full-HD video camera. The pocket-sized Kodak Playsport is waterproof down to a depth of 3m, and features built-in software and USB cable output so users can edit and easily share with family and friends through sites such as YouTube and Facebook. 1080p full-HD videos are captured at a frame rate of 30fps, with electronic image stabilisation. The Kodak Playsport can also capture still photographs at a resolution of 5 megapixels and an aspect ratio of 16:9. Framing and playback are via a 2” colour LCD screen, featuring an LCD Glare Shield. Pictures and clips are recorded on SD/SDHC cards. The Kodak Playsport comes bundled with an HDMI cable, and will be available for £129.99/$149.95 MSRP beginning in April 2010 at major retailers as well as Kodak.com.

Kodak have just announced their first touchscreen camera, the fourteen-megapixel Kodak Slice. The new Kodak Slice features a 3.5” LCD touchscreen with anti-reflective coating, a Schneider-Kreuznach-branded 5x optical zoom lens, 720p video recording, optical image stabilisation, face recognition and a Share Button that lets you tag pictures directly on the camera for easy uploading to sharing sites including Facebook, Kodak Gallery, Flickr, and YouTube. The Kodak Slice Touchscreen Camera will be available in black, nickel and radish for US $349.95 MSRP beginning in April 2010. Best Buy will initially be the exclusive retailer for in-store sales. The Kodak Slice Touchscreen Camera will also be sold online at Amazon.com and Kodak.com. The UK price is £299.99 (RRP).

Google has officially announced its Nexus One smartphone, which has a large touch-sensitive screen and a 5-megapixel camera on board. The slim phone, which was unveiled at Google’s Mountain view headquarters, runs Google’s own Android operating system. The Nexus One handset, which features a 3.7” AMOLED display with 800x480 pixels, microSD card compatibility and a 5-megapixel auto focus camera with a LED flash, will be sold via Google’s website. The unlocked version costs $530. As to the camera part, it has a fixed focal-length lens that can focus down to 6cm, provides the user with an opportunity to geotag their photos using information from the built-in AGPS receiver, and can also shoot movies at a resolution of 720x480 pixels and a frame rate of at least 20fps.

Canon today introduced the new EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens. Built for the professional, the body structure of the new EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens has been enhanced to provide better durability and strength without a significant increase in weight, the manufacturer claims. Canon has improved optical performance on the new EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens by redesigning the internal elements, incorporating a fluorite element and a fifth UD element. The use of the fluorite element and five UD elements helps to minimise secondary chromatic aberrations and produce better image quality with improved contrast and resolution through the entire zoom range. Along with its redesigned optical elements, the new lens design features improved AF speed due to a new focusing algorithm and Canon has reduced the minimum focusing distance to 3.9 feet (1.2 metres) through the entire zoom range. The enhanced magnesium alloy barrel design of the EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens features added strength with a minimal 20-gram increase in weight compared with the previous model (1490g vs. 1470g) and retains Canon’s protective seals and fittings providing dust and water resistance for those photographers working in adverse conditions. Other noticeable improvements include a wider focusing ring, and sleeker design by reducing the thickness of any protruding elements such as the switch panel. The new lens is scheduled to be delivered to dealers in April, price to be determined.

Canon today launched the PowerShot A3100 IS and PowerShot A3000 IS, two new digital compact cameras whose main claim to fame is ease of use. Both sport a new, slim and lightweight body with an attractive exterior design. The PowerShot A3100 IS is available in a selection of bright, attractive colours, offering a choice of blue, red and silver variants, while the PowerShot A3000 IS comes in silver with a subtle black trim. The PowerShot A3100 IS features a 12.1 Megapixel imaging sensor, while the lower-cost PowerShot A3000 IS offers 10.0 Megapixels of resolution. Both are equipped with the manufacturer’s DIGIC III processor and a 4x zoom lens featuring optical image stabilisation. Both come with Canon’s Smart Auto mode on board. Smart Auto with Scene Detection Technology recognises up to 18 different scenes and automatically applies the optimum settings required to capture the best picture. It also includes i-Contrast technology, which analyses images to deliver perfect tonality, adding brightness and detail to darker sections without blowing out correctly-exposed areas. The PowerShot A3100 IS makes it easy to navigate menus, with on-screen Hints & Tips providing simple explanations of camera functions, and both cameras run on Lithium-ion battery packs rather than the usual NiMH cells. Compatible with SDHC and SDXC memory cards, both cameras will be available from February 2010. The PowerShot A3000 IS is exclusively on sale at Argos.

Canon today announced the new PowerShot A495 and PowerShot A490 – a duo of affordable and user-friendly compact digital cameras. Available in silver (both models), red and blue (PowerShot A495 only), both new models offer a 10-megapixel sensor and 3.3x optical zoom lens. Canon’s Smart Auto mode automatically recognises shooting conditions and applies the optimum picture settings required to get the perfect shot. The PowerShot A495 automatically detects up to 18 different shooting scenes, while PowerShot A490 can detect up to 13. The manufacturer’s i-Contrast technology is also on board, detecting difficult lighting conditions and ensuring that lighter and darker areas are captured in equal detail in the final image. Each of the new PowerShots are compatible with SDHC and SDXC memory cards – with SDXC offering storage capacity of up to 2TB, allowing users to shoot thousands of images on a single card. Like the previous PowerShots but unlike the new A3000 IS and A3100 IS models, the A490 and the A495 are powered by AA batteries. Both new PowerShots will be available from February 2010, but the A490 will be exclusive to Argos.

Canon today launched the new LEGRIA HF S series – a set of premium, Full High Definition (HD) camcorders designed for cinematographers and amateur video enthusiasts. Features of the LEGRIA HF S series camcorders include an 8 Megapixel Full HD CMOS sensor, Canon HD Video Lens (10x optical zoom) and DIGIC DV III image processing. In addition, all models can record sharp, smooth, detailed AVCHD footage at up to 24Mbps. Steady shots at maximum zoom can be achieved thanks to a new Powered Optical Image Stabilizer (OIS). Activated manually, it works in tandem with Canon’s existing Dynamic Optical Image Stabilizer system for additional shake reduction. LEGRIA HF S series models also feature a new six-blade hexagonal diaphragm, providing a more pleasant bokeh effect in video or stills where shallow depth of field is used. The new LEGRIA HF S series models feature a 922,000-dot Touch-screen LCD measuring 8.8cm (3.5”). New Touch Focus, Touch Exposure and Touch Tracking features allow users to quickly and simply control their shots. The unique gesture-based interface also provides sliding controls, offering an alternative way to manually adjust settings such as aperture, shutter speed or exposure. The LEGRIA HF S20, S21 (pictured) and S200 willl be available from April 2010. Prices are to be confirmed.

Note: The LEGRIA line is called VIXIA in the US.

Sony has just unveiled its latest digital SLR camera, the 14.2-megapixel Sony A450. Unlike the existing A550 model, the Sony A450 has only one Live View mode, delivered off the main sensor. Sony calls this solution Manual Focus Check Live View, which neatly sums up its purpose. Gone is the secondary-sensor Live View solution employed in most other Sony digital SLRs, which allowed photographers to use the same fast phase-detect AF sensors as when using the optical viewfinder. The SteadyShot INSIDE anti shake mechanism has been retained, however, and the Sony A450 does boast a few powerful features such as continuous shooting at up to 7 frames per second (fps), an Auto HDR mode that allows you to take two frames with different exposures in rapid succession and have the camera merge them into a single photograph, and a head-turning battery life of 1,050 images per charge (when not using Live View). The Sony A450 has dual memory card slots for Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo and SD(HC) media. With a sensitivity range extending from ISO 200 to ISO 12,800, the Sony Alpha DSLR-A450 will be available from the beginning of February 2010. Pricing is to be confirmed, but we expect the A450 to be a budget model.

OmniVision, a developer of advanced digital imaging solutions, has launched a 14.6-megapixel image sensor capable of delivering high-resolution still photography and full 1080p high-definition video at 60 frames per second (fps). The new OV14810 for digital still/video cameras and OV14825 for mobile applications are among the very first sensors to achieve the highest quality in both video and photography for mainstream consumer electronics, the company claims. The 1/2.33-inch OV14810 has an active array of 4,416 x 3,312 backside illumination pixels operating at 15 fps in full resolution, or delivering full 1080p HD video at 60 fps, using a binning feature to achieve higher sensitivity. In full HD video mode, the sensor also provides additional pixels for electronic image stabilisation (EIS).

Website: OmniVision

Yvon Bourque, editor of the Pentax DSLRs blog, has recently published his e-book on the Pentax K-x digital SLR. Bourque, who has written a number of e-books on a range of Pentax DSLR cameras, says he believes this is the most complete e-book he has published so far. Full of high-resolution colour photographs and illustrations, the Pentax K-x e-book can be downloaded from his site after paying $11 via PayPal. You can also print the new e-book for your own use.

Website: Pentax DSLRs
Review: Read our in-depth review of the Pentax K-x

The world’s most renowned outdoor and adventure photographers will share their art and their passion at Telluride’s inaugural Photography Festival, 20-26 September 2010. The festival will feature field classes and photography workshops, seminars, portfolio reviews, and exhibits. Also the Photography Festival is teaming up with the Ah Haa School for the Arts. The Ah Haa School is a community centre of learning and culture and a Telluride icon for nearly two decades. Ah Haa will help promote the Festival and host a number of Festival events as well as the opening reception and gallery shows at the School’s historic Depot building. “There is just no better place for a Photography Festival than Telluride,” said event founder and organiser Eric Moore. Tucked in a high mountain valley, Telluride, Colorado, is a dream playground for the adventurer and the photographer. Majestic peaks surround the town, once home to silver and gold prospectors. Weathered ruins of old mining operations dot the hillsides. Telluride is also home to a world-class ski resort. The area attracts mountain bikers, hang gliders, kayakers and climbers. Telluride is known worldwide for its summer festivals: the Telluride Bluegrass Festival, Mountain Film, Blues and Brews, Wine Festival and an international Film Festival.

Website: Telluride Photography Festival

Samsung has officially unveiled the much-anticipated Samsung NX10, a compact digital camera with a large sensor, electronic viewfinder and interchangeable lenses. The NX10 incorporates an allegedly fast and decisive auto focus system, 14.6-megapixel APS-C size CMOS sensor and large 3.0” AMOLED screen, allowing users to easily view their images, even in bright sunlight. The camera has a wide range of manual controls as well as a Smart Auto function which automatically detects the surrounding environment of the shot and selects the best shooting mode. Its Smart Range feature also enables the user to vividly express both bright areas and dark areas in the same frame, and the Supersonic Dust Reduction system keeps those dust particles clear of the image sensor that can often impair an image. It even senses when the user brings the camera close to their face to look through the viewfinder, and puts the AMOLED screen on standby to conserve power. The Samsung NX10 takes NX-mount lenses, which are completely new. The NX10 will be on display during the 2010 International Consumer Electronics Show, January 7-10, in the Samsung booth #11026 in the Central Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center, and should be available at retail by Spring 2010. The final pricing is not yet known, but the Samsung NX10 is expected to sell for £600 with an optically stabilised standard zoom lens, £650 with a fast normal prime, and about £750 with both of these lenses.

To celebrate its 90th anniversary, Rollei has announced the ultra-compact Flexline 100 inTOUCH digital camera. The Rollei Flexline 100 inTOUCH has a body that is only 15.6mm thick, and features rounded corners and a 3” LCD touchscreen. Inside the body, there is a 10 megapixel CCD imager, an internally stacked 3x Apogon zoom lens, smile and face detection and 21 scene modes. The Rollei Flexline 100 inTOUCH can take up to 30 photos in a single second. The inTOUCH model will be available later this month, at a recommended retail price of €199.95.

Via DCVIEWS | photoscala

Photography educators Jayne Whitelock and Mike Browne are offering two-day photography breaks for two in the New Forest National Park. Open to complete beginners and the more experienced, these photography breaks include One-to-One (and One-to-Two) photography training for two days, two nights and two days dinner bed and breakfast for two at four-star Careys Manor Hotel - and use of their award winning £6m Thai Spa to relax in after a long day out shooting pictures. Jane and Mike combine theory with lots of practical hands on photography to help you get to the next level - whatever that may be for you, the couple said in a statement. A Luxury Photography Break for two costs £1295.

Website: Photography Courses