MELVILLE, N.Y., Nov. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Nikon® today announced new expanded capabilities for NikonPro (http://www.nikonpro.com), the powerful online service for professional photographers that offers heightened exposure, an instant online presence and creates unlimited opportunities for increased sales and new business. NikonPro matches professional photographers to potential buyers through fully functional online storefronts and then manages the financial transactions, expanding business by allowing photographers to shoot and sell at the same time.

With these new enhancements, photographers will see a newly streamlined process for posting, managing and selling their work to customers. Through these enhancements, NikonPro now offers powerful new tools like Web Publisher, an online version of its NikonPro Publisher (for Windows) application, which allows for full editing privileges and control of account information, orders, events and portfolios through the Internet, accessible to both Windows(TM) and Mac(TM) users. NikonPro has also upgraded NikonPro Publisher, a program for quickly and easily managing online portfolios and fulfillment capabilities.

"NikonPro understands that photography is a passion, but for professional photographers, it is also their business," said Tracy Mack-Jackson, manager of Internet Programs for Nikon Inc. "A NikonPro member photographer can take advantage of unique self-promotion tools and benefit from the ability to operate a completely customized, multi-faceted online photography business."

In addition to Web Publisher and NikonPro Publisher 2.0, NikonPro members will now be able to link up to the Labtricity(TM) network. Labtricity is integrated to offer easy communication and transactions between NikonPro member photographers and their photo lab. Photographers can transmit their high-resolution images directly to the lab via Labtricity or CD and have the orders quickly fulfilled to their own specifications. This new feature results in less time managing fulfillment leaving more time to shoot new assignments.

With NikonPro, photographers can invite clients to view work, select product packages and purchase their pictures. Members can create a working portfolio showcasing up to 18 customized samples of their work, which are uploaded as watermarked thumbnails for protection of the images. With more than 40 design templates, photographers can customize a storefront to reflect the look and feel of their "bricks" business, enabling them to sell their work 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to anyone, anywhere.

Nikon maintains a strategic partnership with Express Digital, a Denver-based digital software solutions company geared toward professional photographers, to help provide back-end products and services for the NikonPro program.

For more information about NikonPro, please log onto http://www.nikonpro.com.

About Nikon

Nikon Inc., the world leader in 35mm and digital photography, is recognized for setting new standards in product design and performance in consumer and professional photographic equipment. Nikon's suite of photo websites -- http://www.nikonusa.com, http://www.nikonnet.com, http://www.microscopyu.com, http://www.nikonmall.com and http://www.nikonschool.com -- offers all levels of photographers the most extensive learning, photo-sharing and inspirational community available on the Internet. Nikon Inc. distributes the Nikon Total Imaging System of consumer and professional 35mm film and digital SLR cameras, Nikkor optics, Speedlights and System Accessories; Advanced Photo System cameras; 35mm compact cameras; Coolpix® compact digital cameras; Coolscan® digital film scanners; Nikonos® underwater photographic systems; and Nikon sports and recreational optics. The company plays an active role in supporting aspiring and advanced photographers through a variety of organizations, educational programs, events and workshops.

About Express Digital

Founded in 1994, Express Digital builds award-winning software solutions for the professional photographic industry, including integrated workflow, e-commerce and fulfillment connectivity applications. Its open architecture software solutions enable those engaged in the business of photography to maximize profits using digital technologies. With offices in Denver and Austin, Express Digital has thousands of digital customers, including independent photographers, corporate studios, retail mini-labs, professional labs and manufacturers. For more information, visit the company's web sites at http://www.expressdigital.com, http://www.photoreflect.com and http://www.labtricity.com, or call toll free at 888.584.0089.