Canon have released a new firmware update for the PowerShot SD880 IS. Version 1.0.1.0 corrects a phenomenon that when the following settings are used in combination, if the shutter button is pressed halfway to focus during shooting (AND the AF frame magnifies), but the shutter button is released without taking the picture, the camera will lose power.

Setting details
  1. The shooting mode switch is set to Special Scene Mode (SCN), Kids&Pets.
  2. AF Point-Zoom on the menu is set to On.
    (When the AF frame is in Face Detect or Center, and the Servo AF is OFF, the AF Point-Zoom can be set to On.)

Please note that, if the shutter button is pressed halfway, and the picture is then taken, this phenomenon will not occur. If loss of power does occur, pressing the power switch will restore the camera to its normal operation.

Website: Canon PowerShot SD880 IS Firmware Update 1.0.1.0

The SIM2 Solar Series is a new range of high-dynamic-range (HDR)-enabled LCD flat-screen displays. The Solar Series display is able to handle 16-bit processing for HDR signals, producing 65,536 shades per color, smashing the number of colors (1,024) shown by the most advanced current displays. “SIM2 was able to design Solar Series displays that deliver images so realistic that the display becomes a window into the world,” said Domenico Toffoli, Director, Professional Systems Business Unit, SIM2. SIM2’s Solar Series will be available in the second quarter of 2009.

The Photoshop Action Station offers rapid browsing and powerful search functions to users of Photoshop actions. “Our Action Station is designed to offer an alternative solution to managing not just our actions but those of other vendors as well. From a single dialog users will be able to browse and run their actions without having to locate them in the palette.” says 1click’s David Gill. The Action Station is compatible with Photoshop CS2, CS3 and CS4 on both Mac and Windows platforms, and is available immediately for $47.95,

Canon USA has issued a service advisory notice for the Canon EOS 5D digital camera stating that “in rare instances, the main mirror of some EOS 5D Digital SLR cameras may detach due to deterioration in the strength of the adhesive”. If your camera has been affected, Canon USA will repair and reinforce the mirror portion of the affected products free of charge.

Digital Anarchy has released two software products, Knoll Light Factory and ToonIt! Photo, for Apple’s Aperture. Knoll Light Factory generates lighting effects that enhance the natural or man-made lighting in photographs. ToonIt! Photo creates cartoon-like images from photographs. Aperture gives photographers the ability to manage large groups of images and work with RAW files. By using ToonIt and Knoll Light Factory directly in this environment, it is easy to design with multiple images and compare the results side by side. Knoll Light Factory 3.0 for Aperture is priced at $129 USD. ToonIt! 2.0 for Aperture is priced at $129 USD. Both products will be on sale for $99 each from until February 28, 2009.

The Canon PIXMA MX860 and PIXMA MX330 are two new office printers with photo capabilities. The Canon MX860 and MX330 are both equipped with the ChromaLife100+ ink system, which provides more vibrant and longer-lasting photos. “These two new Office AIO printers provide the consumer with the comfort of knowing all of their business and personal printing needs can be done from their home.” said Yuichi Ishizuka, senior vice president and general manager, Consumer Imaging Group, Canon U.S.A. The PIXMA MX860 and PIXMA MX330 will cost $199.99 and $109.99 respectively

The Nikon Creative Lighting System is a new book that explains flash photography for Nikon owners. The book employs a simple, step-by-step method for setting up and using the newest Nikon iTTL flash units, specifically the SB-600, SB-800, and SB-900 strobes. The Nikon Creative Lighting System is available now for $34.95 / £21.50.

The new LumiQuest Quik Bounce is a flash diffusion accessory designed for use with or without a ceiling to soften the light. The unique design has doors that can open to allow for 80% ceiling bounce while allowing 20% of the light to bounce off the remaining surface area to provide fill light and more even illumination. “From speaking with wedding photographers and watching them work I recognized the need to design a product that would allow them to take advantage of ceiling bounce when available, while at the same time transition seamlessly from horizontal to vertical shots,” stated Quest Couch, CEO and the designer of LumiQuest products.

Colour Confidence have launched an interactive training video for the X-Rite ColorMunki Photo. The flash-based tool will educate users in the basics of colour management and all aspects of the ColorMunki Photo. “The release of this series of videos is another excellent tool from X-Rite, which will help users achieve accurate colour and make managing their colour an easier task.” commented Geoffrey Clements, Managing Director, Colour Confidence.

Framed Horizons are running a photographic training tour of Thailand, with £50 off available exclusively to PhotographyBLOG readers. Training sessions are led by Steve Studd, a travel photographer with a portfolio including works for National Geographic and Rough Guide. The Framed Horizons tour allows you to experience true Thailand from bustling Bangkok, to the mountains of the north and paradise beaches of the south. Pricing starts from £1,699 excluding flights.

The Fujifilm FinePix F200EXR features a revolutionary new sensor developed in the rigorous pursuit of high image quality. Featuring Super CCD EXR technology, the Fujifilm F200EXR offers 3 selectable modes in one sensor - Fine Capture Mode (High Resolution), which deploys all 12 megapixels, Pixel Fusion Mode (High Sensitivity and Low Noise), which caps two adjacent pixels together to improve low-light quality, and Dual Capture (Wide Dynamic Range), which captures different exposures with two sets of six million pixels. The Fujifilm F200EXR’s “EXR AUTO” mode recognizes the subject and scene, and automatically decides the optimum EXR shooting mode.

“Consumers have realized there’s more to a good picture than just the number of MegaPixels, and with our Super CCD EXR sensor we prove that true image quality is about a combination of many factors like tone, hue, color fidelity, dynamic range, sharpness, and resolution – all brought to life vividly in the FinePix F200EXR.” said David Troy, marketing manager, Consumer Digital Cameras, Electronic Imaging Division, Fujifilm USA. The Fujifilm FinePix F200EXR will be available in February 2009 at a retail price of $399.95. UK pricing will be announced nearer to the date of the launch.

The Fujifilm FinePix A150 is a new entry-level 10 megapixel digital camera. Stand-out features offered by the Fujifilm A150 include Face Detection technology, a 3.0x optical zoom lens and large 3.0 inch LCD. “The new A150 combines this in a highly portable form factor making it easier than ever to ensure that you never miss a shot and the convenience of AA battery power.” said David Troy, marketing manager, Consumer Digital Cameras, Electronic Imaging Division, Fujifilm USA. The Fujifilm FinePix A150 will debut in February 2009 for $129.95. UK pricing to be announced nearer to the date of the launch.

The Fujifilm FinePix A100 is a new entry-level 10 megapixel digital camera. Aimed at families and first-time digital camera owners, stand-out features offered by the Fujifilm A100 include Face Detection technology, a 3.0x optical zoom lens, ISO 1600 sensitivity and a 2.7” LCD screen. The Fujifilm FinePix A100 will be available from the end of February, with UK pricing to be announced nearer to the date of the launch.

The 54 lucky winners of our fantastic January 2009 Newsletter contest have been randomly selected from the PhotographyBLOG Newsletter subscriber list.

Sandra Maria de Souza, Kim Lam, Caroline Lewis and Suella Orme each win a Trek-Tech Optera 230, worth £45 / $60 each.

50 runners-up all win a set of Energizer Advanced Lithium Batteries, worth $7.99 each.

The Nikon Coolpix P90 is a new 24x ultra-zoom digital camera. Equivalent to 26-624mm, the Nikon P90 can also shoot pictures as close up as 1cm. The 12.1 megapixel P90 is certainly no slouch - it can take up to 45 shots at 15 fps and record images before you’ve pressed the shutter button. The Nikon P90 also features a 3-inch vari-angle LCD screen, an electronic viewfinder, PSAM exposure modes and ISO 6400. Four Anti-blur technologies, Auto Scene, Face Priority AF, Smile Mode and Blink Warning complete the headline specs. Available in Black, the Nikon Coolpix P90 will go on sale on 13th March 2009 for £379.99 / €449.00 / $399.95.

The new 12 megapixel Nikon Coolpix S630 offers style, speed and simplicity in a compact camera body. The Nikon S630 features a 7x optical zoom lens, image-sensor shift VR, the all-new Blink Proof which combines Smile mode and Blink Warning, Sports Continuous Mode with up to 10 fps and Scene Auto mode. Available in Black or Ruby Red, the Nikon Coolpix S630 will go on sale on 20th February 2009 for £289 / €319 / $279.95.

The new Nikon Coolpix S620 is an extremely fast camera housed in a compact, well designed body. The Nikon S620 features a start-up time of just 0.7s, a 4x optical zoom lens starting at 28mm wide, 2.7-inch LCD screen and high sensitivity range up to ISO 6400. It also includes four anti-blur technologies, including lens-shift VR, and Motion Detection, new Blink Proof and Quick Retouch, Subject Tracking AF and Scene Auto Selector. Available in Bright Silver, Calm Black, Noble Purple and Precious Pink, the Nikon Coolpix S620 will go on sale on 20th February 2009 for £239 / €269 / $269.95.

The 10 megapixel Nikon Coolpix S230 and S220 are the most elegant cameras in the new S-Series. The Nikon S230 features a combination of an advanced 3.0 inch touch-screen with basic buttons, new Blink Proof, Quick Retouch, Scene Auto Selector and Scene Mode, and a 3x zoom lens. At just 18mm, the Nikon S220 is thin and lightweight (approx. 100 g) and has a 2.5 inch LCD monitor. Both the S230 and S220 have metallic bodies that will fit any small bag and come in a range of fashionable colours varying from Soft Silver, Warm Silver, Aqua Green, Gloss Red, Night Blue, Cobalt Blue and Magenta to Black. The Nikon S230 and Nikon S220 will go on sale on 20th February 2009 for £189 / €209 / $229.95 and £149 / €159 / $149.95 respectively.

The Nikon Coolpix L100 is a new 10 megapixel camera with a 15x zoom lens. Covering a wide-angle 28mm to super-telephoto 420mm, the Nikon L100 can even capture objects from as close up as 1cm. The L100’s Sports Continuous Mode allows up to 13 fps, and it offers four anti-blur features, including Image Sensor Shift VR image stabilisation. Smile Mode takes the picture when your subject looks his or her best whilst Blink Warning warns you when your subjects have their eyes closed. The Nikon Coolpix L100 will be available from 13th March 2009 for £239.99 / €269.00 / $279.95.

The Nikon Coolpix L20 and L19 are two new affordable cameras packed with high-quality features. The Nikon L20 and Nikon L19 (10 and 8 megapixels respectively) both feature Full-Auto Mode, Scene Auto selector, Smile Mode and Blink Warning and are powered by AA batteries. Large buttons and controls, and a 3-inch and 2.7-inch LCD monitor on the Coolpix L20 and Coolpix L19 respectively, improve operational ease. On sale from 20th February 2009, the Nikon L20 is available in black metallic and deep red for £129.99 / €139.00 / $129.95, and the Nikon L19 in bright silver or shiny pink for £99.99 / €109.00 / $109.95.