News Archive - September 2011 Return to: Current News Archive Index Friday, September 30, 2011 Adobe Releases Lightroom 3.5, Camera Raw 6.5, DNG Converter 6.5 12:52 EDT - New Raw file support, Lens profiles and bug fixes Adobe has released Lightroom 3.5 along with Camera Raw 6.5 and DNG Converter 6.5 following the public beta testing of their respective release candidates. According to the Release Notes, Lightroom 3.5... (More) Thursday, September 29, 2011 PRESS RELEASE: Samsung’s New 16-Megapixel CMOS Image Sensor Features High-Resolution Sensitivity and Performance for Advanced Mobile Applications 14:12 EDT - TAIPEI, Taiwan--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., a world leader in advanced semiconductor solutions, today announced its new 1/2.3-inch 16 Megapixel (Mp) CMOS image sensor - the S5K2P1 - with Samsung’s advanced 1.34 micrometer (um) backside illumination (BSI) pixel technology. This 16Mp resolution imager is designed for high-performance, advanced smartphones as well as digital... (More) Pentax Q Lab Shots Posted! 12:16 EDT - We've just posted our first set of test shots from a production-level Pentax Q, straight from the lab! The heart of the Pentax Q digital camera is a backside-illuminated 1/2.3"-type CMOS image sensor that's quite a bit smaller than Nikon's new CX-format sensor, and much smaller than the Micro Four Thirds... (More) Site change: Left- to Top-navigation 10:05 EDT - We've moved our navigation from the left of the page to the top, to rearrange our ad space and help people find content with fewer clicks. Longtime readers will notice a difference in our site layout today, as we've moved our site navigation from the left column to a navigation bar across the top of the page. We're working on a much more... (More) Wednesday, September 28, 2011 PRESS RELEASE: New improved flash bracket from Photoflex® - Expands creative options 21:00 EDT - Photoflex® Inc. of Watsonville, CA. announces the release of a redesigned version of their widely popular Adjustable ShoeMount Hardware, renamed Adjustable ShoeMount 2, for use with all brands of battery powered flash units. The Adjustable ShoeMount 2 is a sturdy metal bracket that enables any flash with a standard shoe mount design to be used with 23 Photoflex® soft boxes as well as many... (More) PRESS RELEASE: Wacom Rolls Out an All-New Line of Bamboo Pen Tablets 15:23 EDT - Wacom delivers new ways to connect, capture and create with the new Bamboo tablet lineup. VANCOUVER, Wash., Sept. 27, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Wacom® introduces an all-new lineup of Bamboo™ pen tablets, bringing together an elegant new design and value added software that enhance the use case interests of computer users better than ever. Consisting of three new choices, Bamboo Connect, Bamboo... (More) Review Update: Elements 10 Smart Brush 2:08 EDT - When we first tackled Adobe Photoshop Elements 10, we were mystified by the Smart Brush. Try as we might (and we tried everything, even reading the Reviewer's Guide), we could not get it to apply anything but a Blue Skies filter. Was there a simple explanation? Of course there was a simple explanation. We were selecting a filter from the Effects window on the left rather than the Tool menu above... (More) PRESS RELEASE: New ACDSee Photo Editing and Management Products Deliver Best Combination of Features and Cost 13:06 EDT - New Pro 5 and ACDSee 14 Products Give Pro and Amateur Photographers Capabilities Normally Found By Combining Traditional Products SEATTLE & VICTORIA, British Columbia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--ACD Systems International Inc. today announced two photo editing and management products which provide the richest combination of capabilities and value available. Both ACDSee Pro 5 and ACDSee 14 incorporate the... (More) Tuesday, September 27, 2011 Canon Service & Support Organization, Newport News, VA facility 22:53 EDT - We had a chance to tour Canon's service & support facility in Newport News, Virginia recently, one of five service and support centers located around the US. (Others are in Irvine, CA, Aurora, IL, Jamesburg, NJ, and Chesapeake, VA.) It's an impressive operation (certainly the impression Canon wanted us to take away ;-), so we thought we'd share a few details with our readers. We actually saw only a tiny part of the overall Canon Virginia operation, namely that dealing with camera, camcorder, and lens repair, which occupies just a portion of one building. Other activities of... (More) PRESS RELEASE: Green Hills Software Supports Development of Groundbreaking Phase One Digital Camera 21:57 EDT - Compilers, Green Hills Probe and MULTI IDE Used for 80MP Digital Camera BOSTON, MA--(Marketwire - Sep 27, 2011) - Embedded Systems Conference 2011, Booth #409 -- Green Hills Software, the largest independent vendor of embedded software solutions, has announced that its compilers, Green Hills Probe and MULTI® integrated development environment (IDE) have been used by Phase One, a world-leading... (More) PRESS RELEASE: Animoto Sponsors Fusion Panel at WPPI NYC 21:17 EDT - Dive Into Fusion! Panel takes place Wednesday, October 26th New York, NY (September 27, 2011) -- Award-winning online video creation service Animoto announces today that it is sponsoring the “Dive Into Fusion!” Panel taking place during WPPI NYC at the Javits Convention Center in New York City on Wednesday, October 26, 2011 at 1:15 PM -- 3:15 PM. Featuring moderator Jason Hsiao, President... (More) PRESS RELEASE: Ritz & Wolf Camera & Image Unveils New Experience at RitzPix.com 16:30 EDT - Redesigned Website Integrates Latest Imaging Technologies, Expanding Product Selection and Improved Ease of Use WASHINGTON, DC, Sep 27, 2011 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- Ritz & Wolf Camera & Image, the premier retail destination for cameras and imaging, today announces a revamp of its online imaging site RitzPix.com. Through a partnership with Lucidiom Inc., the leading provider of online photo... (More) PRESS RELEASE: piRAWnha v3.0 offers LivePreview functionality 14:51 EDT - Develop, adjust and perfect raw images with piRAWnha for iPad SAN FRANCISCO— September 26, 2011-- Cypress Innovations has released piRAWnha v3.0, which introduces a LivePreview to view edits in real‐time prior to committing changes. LivePreview dramatically speeds up the editing process, as users can make fewer edits. piRAWnha features both raw developing and post‐processing... (More) Monday, September 26, 2011 PRESS RELEASE: iStockphoto announces iStockalypse Milan 18:35 EDT - First iStockalypse in Italy Five days of photography education and shoots Leading industry insight into how to make a living from stock photography iStockalypse Milan to be sponsored by Canon Europe MILAN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--iStockphoto today announced the first Italian iStockalypse, a five-day photography event, 28 September - 2 October 2011 being held in Milan and surrounding villages.... (More) PRESS RELEASE: Renowned Photographer Kevin Kubota Showcases His Unique Educational Style With New "Lighting Notebook" And Associated App 17:10 EDT - Famed photographer, post-production specialist and educator provides easy-reference insight on lighting techniques in his latest book, Kevin Kubota’s Lighting Notebook: 101 Lighting Styles and Setups for Digital Photographers ™, and its companion iPad and iPhone app Bend, OR -- September 26, 2011-- Kubota Image Tools, provider of photographer-empowering creative imaging tools, workflow-saving... (More) PRESS RELEASE: Canon launches pan-European campaign to educate and inspire budding photographers 15:53 EDT - London, UK, 26th September 2011 -- Canon Europe today launches a pan-European campaign to educate and inspire entry level DSLR users about photography. The Canon ‘EOS Adventure’ campaign combines a series of educational features, including video tutorials from leading professional photographers, together with a pan-European photography competition and media partnership. Created to support... (More) PRESS RELEASE: Ambarella A7L Enables the Next Generation of Digital Still Cameras With 1080p60 Fluid Motion Video 13:19 EDT - First 32nm digital camera chip offers outstanding still image quality with ultra low power consumption SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Ambarella, Inc., a leader in low-power, high-definition video compression and image-processing semiconductors, has announced availability of the A7L system-on-chip (SoC), enabling the development of a new generation of HD video enabled Digital Still Cameras... (More) Sunday, September 25, 2011 Lens Review: Canon 200mm f/2.8L II USM 22:45 EDT - Today's lens review over at SLRgear.com is the Canon 200mm f/2.8L II USM. Originally released in 1996, the lens still holds great appeal as a capable telephoto prime lens. We've put the lens through its paces in our lab: click here to read our full review of the Canon 200mm f/2.8L II USM. Saturday, September 24, 2011 Review posted for Canon T3! 22:47 EDT - A little under three years ago, we reviewed Canon's Rebel XS SLR, and while we found some quirks that might lead enthusiasts to look elsewhere, we felt it to be a pretty well-rounded design, when the entry-level pricetag was factored into the equation. Although the Rebel XS is still available at a discount until the remaining stock is sold through, the Canon T3 is essentially a replacement for that camera, and as such marks the new entry-level point... (More) Sony announces service plan for NEX-5N "click" issue 15:14 EDT - Sony has announced a service plan to eliminate the clicking heard in some NEX-5N models in response to camera movement during video recording. While we didn't hear it in our own use of the NEX-5N, there have been reports of people hearing a clicking noise on the audio track in response to camera movement during video recording. It's possible... (More) Planned outage for IR server tonight 14:55 EDT - In the wee hours of tonight, the IR server will be taken offline briefly for a hardware upgrade. The outage is expected to last around 30 minutes, and take place somewhere between 1 AM and 4 AM Eastern time. Hopefully, the planned time will minimize inconvenience to our readers, but for those of... (More) Friday, September 23, 2011 PRESS RELEASE: The TritonFlash™ Power Cable: Big power for speedlights. 14:56 EDT - 09.14.2011 -- Photoflex® Inc. of Watsonville, CA. announces the release of the TritonFlash™ Power Cable for Nikon© or Canon© speedlights. The TritonFlash™ Power Cable enables users to leverage the power, immediate recycling time, and long life of the TritonFlash™ Lithium Ion battery pack for current model Nikon© or Canon© speedlights. The TritonFlash™... (More) PRESS RELEASE: Ivan Image Converter – an ultimate image viewer and batch converter 13:18 EDT - September 22, 2011 -- IvanView Software is glad to announce the release of version 3.0 of Ivan Image Converter, one of the company’s most popular products. The new version brings about a number of improvements, fixes and optimizations that make Ivan Image Converter one of the leading solutions of its kind on the market. Ivan Image Converter is an extremely versatile image viewer supporting... (More) Thursday, September 22, 2011 PRESS RELEASE: Redrock Micro's New LiveLens MFT™ Delivers Canon EF Lens Compatability for Micro Four-Thirds (MFT) Cameras 21:03 EDT - Razor-Sharp Canon Lenses Usable on MFT Bodies such as Panasonic AF100, GH2 Hollywood, CA and Dallas, TX - Redrock Micro, the recognized leader in affordable professional-grade cinema accessories, announced today the release of the new Redrock Micro LiveLens MFT™. The LiveLens MFT is the first active lens mount to allow Canon EF lenses to be used with any micro four-thirds camera body, including... (More) Exclusive: Interview with Masahiro Suzuki, General Manager R&D, Nikon Imaging Company 18:32 EDT - Imaging Resource Publisher Dave Etchells had a few minutes to sit down with Masahiro Suzuki at the Nikon 1 rollout in New York the other day, and took the opportunity to discuss the new model line and some of the technology that went into creating it. Mr. Suzuki is the General Manager, Research & Development Department, Development Headquarters, Imaging Company, and managed the team that created the new products. Interview with Masahiro Suzuki, General Manager of Research and Development Department, Development Headquarters, Imaging Company, Nikon Corporation Dave Etchells: Mr Suzuki, you were in charge of development... (More) PRESS RELEASE: Casio TRYX™ Earns Guinness World Records Accolade 16:06 EDT - TRYX™ Named World's "Most Adjustable Digital Camera" DOVER, N.J., Sept. 22, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Casio America, Inc. and its parent company, Casio Computer Co., Ltd., proudly announce that TRYX™ has been named the "World's Most Adjustable Digital Camera" by Guinness World Records. The 12.1 megapixel camera, which appears in the 2012 edition of the legendary reference... (More) PRESS RELEASE: Lensbaby Announces its new Movie Maker’s Kit Featuring the Composer Pro PL with Sweet 35 Optic 15:49 EDT - The Lensbaby Movie Maker’s Kit is a full-service in-camera creative effects lens kit packaged in a custom-built rugged Pelican hard case Portland, OR --September 22, 2011 -- Lensbaby announces today the newest addition to the Lensbaby Creative Effects camera products line-up, the Lensbaby Movie Maker’s Kit featuring the brand-new Composer Pro PL with Sweet 35 Optic, for use on PL mount... (More) Nikon J1 Lab Shots Posted! 12:10 EDT - We've just posted our first set of lab test shots from a production-level Nikon J1! The J1's CX-format image sensor has an effective resolution of 10.1 megapixels, with a diagonal of approximately 15.9mm. That's quite a lot larger than the 7.7mm chip used in Pentax's Q, but significantly... (More) Wednesday, September 21, 2011 PRESS RELEASE: 1 NIKKOR VR 10-30mm f/3.5-5.6, 1 NIKKOR VR 30-110mm f/3.8-5.6, 1 NIKKOR 10mm f/2.8 and 1 NIKKOR VR 10-100mm f/4.5-5.6 PD-ZOOM 09:11 EDT - September 21, 2011 -- The first four lenses in the new 1 NIKKOR series for the Advanced Camera with Interchangeable Lens Nikon 1 camera system: three compact and lightweight kit lenses, 1 NIKKOR VR 10-30mm f/3.5-5.6, 1 NIKKOR VR 30-110mm f/3.8-5.6 and1 NIKKOR 10mm f/2.8, suitable for a wide variety of shooting scenes, and the power drive zoom lens 1 NIKKOR VR 10-100mm f/4.5-5.6 PD-ZOOM. TOKYO-Nikon... (More) PRESS RELEASE: Speedlight SB-N5, GPS Unit GP-N100, Mount Adapter FT1 08:36 EDT - Dedicated accessories for the Nikon 1 Advanced Camera with Interchangeable Lens September 21, 2011 -- TOKYO-Nikon Corporation is pleased to announce the release of dedicated accessories for the new Nikon 1 camera system. The Nikon 1 Advanced Camera with Interchangeable Lens is a new digital camera system that proposes new forms of imaging expression and enjoyment. The Speedlight SB-N5*, GPS Unit... (More) PRESS RELEASE: Nikon proudly introduces the Nikon 1 brand 08:01 EDT - September 21, 2011 -- A new Advanced Camera with Interchangeable Lens that proposes new forms of imaging expression and enjoyment TOKYO-Nikon Corporation is pleased to announce its new Nikon 1 brand, an Advanced Camera with Interchangeable Lens that proposes new forms of imaging expression and enjoyment. The new Nikon 1 brand joins existing Nikon D-series digital-SLR cameras and the COOLPIX brand... (More) PRESS RELEASE: Improved GPS function (map view) and Function for playing Motion Snapshot files added to Nikon's image sharing and storage service, my Picturetown 07:56 EDT - September 21, 2011 -- TOKYO-Nikon Corporation is pleased to announce the release of the latest version of my Picturetown, Nikon's image sharing and storage service, with new and better functions and features. The latest upgrade of my Picturetown enables simpler playback of movie files as well as support for the playback of Motion Snapshot files recorded with Nikon 1 advanced interchangeable lens... (More) Nikon J1 Galleries Posted and Updated! 05:11 EDT - While the Nikon V1 and J1 news was sprung on us rather late, we were on Manhattan, and it was night time in Times Square, so I went out for a very late shoot in the city. (UPDATE: We've added daylight pictures! - 61 shots total, 20 NEF files!) Click here for the Gallery images. I lugged along a tripod to grab some ISO series, which cramped my freedom a bit when I wasn't using it. You'll see two ISO series shots. Lighting changes rather wildly... (More) Nikon V1, J1: Two new compact system cameras for Nikon's mirrorless debut (UPDATED) 00:19 EDT - Nikon Inc. has today announced two new compact system camera models, kickstarting its new 1 System series of mirrorless cameras. The Nikon V1 has the higher specification of the pair and includes a built-in electronic viewfinder, while the Nikon J1 aims for a trimmer, more compact design and an even more affordable pricetag. Both cameras share a new CX-format image sensor with an effective resolution of 10.1 megapixels. Said to have been developed in-house, the sensor has a 2.7x focal length crop, which equates to a diagonal... (More) Tuesday, September 20, 2011 PRESS RELEASE: App Store gives away Snapseed FREE for 72 hours 17:52 EDT - Powerful Nik Software photo app featured As part of Apple's 72hr App Store on Facebook free app program, Nik Software announced that it will be giving Snapseed away for free for just 72 hours beginning at 12:00 p.m. PST on September 20, 2011 through12:00 p.m. PST on September 23, 2011. Snapseed is Nik Software's acclaimed photo enhancement and sharing app for everyone and offers a fast, enjoyable,... (More) Olympus PEN Ready Project: Huge camera giveaway launched 15:49 EDT - Olympus Imaging America Inc. has announced its PEN Ready Giveaway promotion, which kicked off last Friday on a JetBlue flight from New York to Florida. Passengers on the flight were each given a camera kit including the Olympus E-PM1 compact system camera, and a further hundred kits have since been given away to Tumblr bloggers. In total, some 1,000... (More) Olympus SZ-30MR review posted! 15:13 EDT - Light and easy to maneuver, the Olympus SZ-30MR is one of the more uniquely handsome digital cameras to come out in some time, with a good grip and a 24x zoom lens. Starting quite wide at 25mm equivalent, the back-pocketable design zooms in to 600mm equivalent. Its 16-megapixel CMOS sensor isn't the only high-resolution device on the SZ-30MR, because its 3-inch LCD... (More) PRESS RELEASE: Canon U.S.A. Announces Select PIXMA Printers Now Support Apple's Airprint Enabling Wireless Printing From iPad, iPhone & iPod Touch 13:52 EDT - LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y., Sept. 20 -- Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging, today announced that the PIXMA MG8220, MG6220 and MG5320 Wireless Photo All-In-One inkjet photo printers will now support AirPrint wireless printing for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch. AirPrint allows users to wirelessly print photos, emails, Web pages and other documents without the need to install device drivers, saving... (More) Special Report: Elements 10 00:43 EDT - We spend a few days with Photoshop/Premier Elements 10 just before its tenth anniversary. Everything from your smart phone to your dSLR takes both stills and movies these days. And, really, the video looks pretty good -- especially on an HDTV. But where's the software that is as video smart... (More) PRESS RELEASE: Adobe Releases Photoshop Elements 10 & Adobe Premiere Elements 10 Bundle 00:36 EDT - Bringing Intelligent Photo- and Video-Editing with Intuitive Organizing Power to Windows and Mac Customers SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Sept. 20 -- Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) today announced Adobe Photoshop Elements 10 & Adobe Premiere Elements 10 bundle for Windows and Mac, the newest version of Adobe's award-winning, No. 1 selling consumer photo- and video-editing software. This milestone release... (More) PRESS RELEASE: Adobe Unveils Photoshop Elements 10 00:32 EDT - New Release Highlights Intuitive Editing Features with Intelligent Organizational and Sharing Capabilities SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Sept. 20 -- Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) today announced Adobe Photoshop Elements 10 software for Windows and Mac. The newest version of Adobe's No. 1 selling consumer photo-editing software, Photoshop Elements 10 provides a complete solution with amazingly powerful... (More) PRESS RELEASE: Adobe Premiere Elements 10 Now Available 00:30 EDT - Powerful Video Editor Makes Creating and Sharing Impactful Movies Fun and Effortless SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Sept. 20 -- Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) today announced Adobe Premiere Elements 10 software for Windows and Mac. As the No. 1 selling consumer editing software for videos, Adobe Premiere Elements continues to deliver innovative new features that quickly transform a collection of video... (More) Kodak M5370: Touch-screen compact digicam debuts 00:02 EDT - Eastman Kodak Co. has released a new EasyShare series model, the Kodak M5370 digital camera, which couples a touch-screen interface with some interesting social media features. The Kodak EasyShare Touch M5370 is based around a 16 megapixel CCD image sensor, and a 5x optical zoom lens with Schneider-Kreuznach branding. The body itself is quite clean and free of protrusions, with... (More) Monday, September 19, 2011 PRESS RELEASE: Alien Skin Software Announces Blow Up 3 Photo Enlargement Plug-In for Photoshop 15:30 EDT - Image quality is even sharper. User interface is now just as simple as Photoshop's resize command. Lightroom is supported. Runs faster. RALEIGH, N. C., Sept. 19, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Alien Skin Software today announced Blow Up® 3, the new version of its photo enlargement plug-in for Adobe® Photoshop®, Photoshop Elements, and Photoshop Lightroom®. Blow Up enlarges photos while keeping... (More) PRESS RELEASE: Tiffen Releases Version 3.0 of Popular Dfx Digital Filter Suite 12:15 EDT - New version heightens visual effects capabilities for professional photographers, cinematographers, video and film editors, and visual effects artists; Boasts 10+ brand new filters and enhanced multi-processor acceleration for the ultimate in creative control. Hauppauge, NY (PRWEB) September 16, 2011 -- The Tiffen Company, a leading manufacturer and distributor of award-winning accessories for the... (More) First test shots posted for Olympus E-PM1! 10:33 EDT - We've just posted our first set of test shots for the Olympus E-PM1, straight from the lab! The Olympus PEN E-PM1 features the same 12.3 megapixel image sensor, TruePic VI image processor, and high-speed "Frequency Acceleration Sensor Technology" autofocus system as in the P3 and PL3 models.... (More) Lens Review: Canon 8-15mm f/4L USM Fisheye 09:28 EDT - In August of last year Canon released an interesting new lens - the Canon 8-15mm f/4L USM Fisheye. Essentially packing both a circular and full-frame fisheye design into one item, the lens features all the bells and whistles you would expect from an L-class design: weather sealing, UD and aspherical elements, and a flourine anti-smear coating. While fisheye lenses defy our testing software, we've done up a report on this lens: click here to read our full review of the Canon 8-15mm f/4L USM Fisheye. Friday, September 16, 2011 Sony WX9 review posted! 6:22 EDT - Small and attractive, the Sony WX9 digital camera offers quite a few unique features for its price, including a 16.2-megapixel sensor, a wide zoom starting at 25mm, a high-res LCD screen, Full HD video capture, and iSweep and 3D Sweep Panorama modes. It's also easy to hold, with a simple menu implementation, but will the Sony Cyber-shot WX9 work for you? Click here for our review of the Sony WX9 digital... (More) PRESS RELEASE: Ready, Set, Record with ContourROAM: The World's Easiest Hands-Free Video Camera 18:18 EDT - Contour's Latest Camera Features a Waterproof, Versatile Design at an Affordable Price - Available Today to Record All Life's Action Contour Inc., Sep 8, 2011 (GlobeNewswire via COMTEX) -- SEATTLE, Wash. - September 8, 2011 - Contour, Inc. ( http://www.contour.com ), a market leader in hands-free video cameras and social video tools, today announced ContourROAM, the easiest, most versatile video... (More) PRESS RELEASE: SanDisk Announces Suite of Retail Products That Capture, Share and Preserve Digital Content 13:21 EDT - Introduces professional-grade imaging card with fastest write performance of any SD™ card to date Ships 64GB microSDXC™ card—can double phone and tablet storage Creates new SanDisk product category of devices that are designed for long-term data preservation MILPITAS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--SanDisk Corporation (NASDAQ:SNDK), a global leader in flash memory storage solutions,... (More) PRESS RELEASE: Phase One and Schneider Kreuznach Announce Innovative New Lens Designs 11:57 EDT - More high quality lens options for professional photographers COPENHAGEN, Denmark and BAD KREUZNACH, Germany, September 15, 2011 — Phase One, medium format market leader and precision lens maker Schneider Kreuznach today announced a series of new lenses. Building on two years of intense collaboration including delivering four new lenses to market, the companies have now designed another four... (More) Ricoh GR Digital IV: Prime-lensed compact gets an update 03:06 EDT - Japan's Ricoh Co. Ltd. has announced the latest camera in its long-running GR series, the Ricoh GR Digital IV. The GR Digital IV looks very much like its predecessor, retaining much the same body, lens and image sensor, but has a number of important upgrades in other areas. Most importantly, it now sports a hybrid... (More) Thursday, September 15, 2011 PRESS RELEASE: Ricoh releases fifth function-enhancing firmware update for GR DIGITAL III 10:03 EDT - Tokyo, Japan, September 15, 2011—Ricoh Co., Ltd. (President and CEO: Shiro Kondo) today announced the planned mid-October 2011 release of the fifth function-enhancing firmware update for its GR DIGITAL III, a high-image-quality compact digital camera launched in August 2009. Ricoh's function-enhancing firmware updates are developed in response to opinions and requests received from numerous... (More) Canon S100, SX40 HS: Duo of CMOS PowerShots unveiled (UPDATED) 08:00 EDT - Canon USA Inc. has today revealed new digital cameras replacing its popular S95 and SX30 IS models, in the form of the Canon S100 enthusiast compact, and the Canon SX40 HS long-zoom. Both cameras share much of the same DNA, and offer related upgrades over their predecessors in a number of areas. Key among these are the switch to a twelve megapixel CMOS image sensor, and a new generation... (More) Wednesday, September 14, 2011 PRESS RELEASE: Sekonic Announces L-758 Light Meter Upgrades to its Data Transfer Software and USB Driver for Mac 18:12 EDT - New Sekonic Data Transfer Software for Macintosh and the USB driver for Macintosh OS 10.6 (Snow Leopard) and 10.7(Lion) now available for free download Sekonic's new Version 2.1 Data Transfer Software is used to easily create and edit camera exposure profiles and then transfer them to the L-758DR DigitalMaster for extremely accurate control of exposure. Along with the sensor's dynamic range, it... (More) PRESS RELEASE: Serif Launches PhotoPlus X5 – The Powerful Digital Photo Editing Software 17:02 EDT - Photography enthusiasts, whether professionals or amateurs, looking to organize, edit, enhance and share their photos, can now benefit from PhotoPlus X5 -- the powerful and intuitive photo editing software. The latest version from Serif, the award-winning design, publishing and creative software developer, helps users unleash their creativity and achieve outstanding images -- all at an affordable... (More) PRESS RELEASE: The New Tiltpod, The World's Smallest Magnetic Quick Connect Micro "Tripod" 15:07 EDT - September 13, 2011 -- San Francisco, CA -- Gomite introduces the tiltpod, the worlds first magnetic quick connect micro tripod for compact cameras and video recorders. Amazingly small and versatile, the tiltpod’s high-strength magnetic base is designed to remain attached to the camera’s wrist strap. Perfect for taking sharp low-light shots, self-timer group photos, and stable video. The... (More) PRESS RELEASE: SanDisk Memory Vault Preserves Photos For Up To 100 Years 14:16 EDT - MILPITAS, Calif., September 14, 2011- SanDisk Corporation (NASDAQ: SNDK), a global leader in flash memory storage solutions, today introduced the SanDisk® Memory Vault, the first product in a new category of devices that are designed for long-term data preservation. SanDisk announced the device today as part of a comprehensive new suite of retail products. The SanDisk Memory Vault is a photo... (More) PRESS RELEASE: Eye-Fi, SanDisk Launch Co-Branded Wireless Memory Cards in Europe 11:05 EDT - Eye-Fi's Patented Wireless Technology and SanDisk's High-Quality Flash Memory Enables Consumers to Capture, Back Up, Organize and Share Photos on the Go MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Sept. 14 -- Eye-Fi Inc. (http://www.eye.fi), makers of the world's first wireless memory card, today announced an exclusive distribution agreement with SanDisk, a global leader in flash memory storage solutions. The relationship... (More) Sony NEX-7 Gallery Shots Posted! 09:35 EDT - Dave Etchells is out shooting with the Sony NEX-7 today, and has uploaded a few of the images he's shot into the Sony NEX-7 Gallery page! Image quality is pretty impressive, from what we can see. A particularly favorite shot of ours is the life-jacketed surf dog, whose eye is quite sharp as the handsome animal poses for photographers. ... (More) Tuesday, September 13, 2011 PRESS RELEASE: onOne Software Introduces Perfect Portrait 22:14 EDT - Brand new product from onOne provides photographers with automated and intuitive tools for portrait retouching. Portland, OR-- September 7, 2011 -- onOne Software, Inc., a leading developer of innovative, timesaving solutions for professional and advanced amateur photographers, today introduced Perfect Portrait, part of the new Perfect Photo Suite 6 that was also announced today. Perfect Portrait... (More) PRESS RELEASE: onOne Software Introduces Perfect Effects 3 21:35 EDT - A complete re-write of the popular PhotoTools plug-in gives photographers the best way to create images with impact with or without Photoshop, Lightroom or Aperture. Portland, OR-- September 7, 2011 -- onOne Software, Inc., a leading developer of innovative, timesaving solutions for professional and advanced amateur photographers, today introduced Perfect Effects 3, part of the new Perfect Photo... (More) PRESS RELEASE: Wacom Launches Cintiq 24HD For Creative Pros 20:41 EDT - New Cintiq offers spacious 24-inch HD widescreen display with brilliant color and breakthrough ergonomics for creative professionals seeking the ultimate digital pen-on-screen work surface VANCOUVER, Wash., Sept. 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Wacom®'s all-new Cintiq® 24HD brings control, comfort and productivity to a whole new level with best-in-class display performance and ergonomic comfort.... (More) PRESS RELEASE: Digital Video Expo Opens Next Week at Pasadena Convention Center for Three Days of Education, Training, Networking, and Technology Exhibits with the Latest Gear for Content Creation Professionals 19:10 EDT - PASADENA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--NewBay Media, a leading publisher of digital content creation media, today announced that Digital Video Expo is returning to the Pasadena Convention Center next week, where it will run from Tuesday, September 20th, through Thursday, September 22nd. Now celebrating its 15th year, the long-running conference and exhibition has become a “must-attend” event... (More) Olympus E-5: New firmware issued 17:35 EDT - Olympus America Inc. has today released a firmware update for its E-5 digital SLR. Announced almost exactly a year ago, the Olympus E-5 replaced 2007's E-3 model as the company's flagship SLR camera. The E-5 is based around a 12.3 megapixel Live MOS image sensor, Four Thirds lens mount,... (More) PRESS RELEASE: PODAS New Zealand Workshop is for Serious Photographers Who Want to Have Fun 16:35 EDT - Phase One Digital Artist Series Workshops are Designed to Help You Broaden Your Horizons and Perfect Your Vision COPENHAGEN, September 13, 2011 — Phase One today announced open enrollment for its New Zealand Phase One Digital Artist Series (PODAS) workshop. For seven days, participants will experience dramatic vistas -- beautiful lakes to glaciers and ice cliffs -- guaranteed to inspire and... (More) Panasonic LX5: New firmware adds features, improves performance (UPDATED) 15:01 EDT - Panasonic Corp. has today released updated firmware for its Panasonic LX5 digital camera. Firmware v2.0 for the DMC-LX5 makes a number of changes to add new features and improve performance. There's a new Miniature Effect function in the LX5's My Color mode, which adds either a horizontal... (More) PRESS RELEASE: Panasonic Announces the Expansion of HD Lens* Line-up and the Firmware Update Program for the Interchangeable Lenses of LUMIX G Micro System 14:25 EDT - Panasonic has set a new standard for the camera’s performance of auto focus and its silence performance for users to fully enjoy HD video recording. The following seven lenses clear this standard to be introduced as the HD Lenses. * HD Lens is a high performance interchangeable lens that realizes high quality video recording. The lens excels in the performance of tracking focus in video recording... (More) Monday, September 12, 2011 PRESS RELEASE: onOne Software Announces Perfect Layers 2 23:14 EDT - New version brings new features such as a retouch brush, file browser functionality and now serves as the hub for the new Perfect Photo Suite 6. Portland, OR-- September 7, 2011 -- onOne Software, Inc., a leading developer of innovative, timesaving solutions for professional and advanced amateur photographers, today announced Perfect Layers 2, part of the Perfect Photo Suite 6 that was also announced... (More) PRESS RELEASE: onOne Software Announces Perfect Mask 5 22:41 EDT - The next generation of Mask Pro masks subjects and replaces backgrounds easier than ever and now works directly from Lightoom and Aperture. Portland, OR-- September 7, 2011 -- onOne Software, Inc., a leading developer of innovative, timesaving solutions for professional and advanced amateur photographers, today announced Perfect Mask 5, the next generation of Mask Pro, that is part of the Perfect... (More) Apple iPhone 4 Camera review posted! 18:03 EDT - As pocket cameras are increasingly getting pushed out of people's pockets by smartphones, we decided to run the Apple iPhone 4 Camera through our lab and see how well one of the more popular models fares when faced with our test suite. The iPhone 4's backlit 5-megapixel sensor does surprisingly well in good light, and its 29mm-equivalent lens even includes a focusing mechanism. It doesn't quite outdo good quality pocket cameras currently... (More) Pentax RZ18: New long-zoom compact unveiled 18:01 EDT - Pentax Imaging Co. has today announced its Pentax RZ18 digital camera, the second model in its RZ-series of long-zoom digicams. Where the preceding RZ10 model featured a 10x zoom, the Pentax Optio RZ18 opts for significantly more reach, with a powerful 18x optical zoom lens. 35mm-equivalent focal lengths range from a useful 25... (More) PRESS RELEASE: Nik Software Announces Color Efex Pro™ 4 13:54 EDT - Next generation product delivers top requested features including stackable filters, visual presets, history browser, new filters and much more Las Vegas, NV -- (Photoshop World) -- September 7, 2011 -- Nik Software announces today its much-anticipated Color Efex Pro 4, the company's latest version of its popular digital photographic filters for retouching and creative enhancements. Recognized for... (More) Friday, September 9, 2011 Bloomberg, Reuters weigh in on mirrorless market 12:54 EDT - News services Bloomberg and Reuters have respectively published an article and video offering insight into the compact system camera market, as well as potential mirrorless plans from Canon and Nikon. The meat of the story is to be found in Bloomberg's article, reporting on the Japanese market for interchangeable-lens cameras, where leaders Canon and Nikon have seen a 35% drop in their combined market... (More) Thursday, September 8, 2011 PRESS RELEASE: AKVIS HDRFactory v.2.0: A Fast And Easy Way To Add The HDR Effect To Any Photo! 18:06 EDT - Get Amazing Results With The New Styles And Presets! August 31, 2011 - AKVIS is proud to announce the release of AKVIS HDRFactory v.2.0. AKVIS HDRFactory creates HDR images from a series of photographs taken at different exposures or from a single photograph. You can come very close to reality or even go beyond it by creating stylized images with fabulous colors and unique effects. The latest version... (More) PRESS RELEASE: Kodak Expands Mobile Connectivity With New Google Cloud Print Ready Printers 17:32 EDT - KODAK HERO All-in-One Printers Let Consumers Print from Anywhere, for Less Rochester, N.Y., September 07 -- To meet the demands of today’s mobile consumers and connected professionals, Kodak introduced a new line of KODAK HERO All-in-One Printers allowing people to print how, where and when they want. The HERO Printers are Google Cloud PrintTM Ready and KODAK Email Print Ready, letting consumerseasily... (More) PRESS RELEASE: InfoTrends Advises Focusing on Product Enhancements and Targeted Solutions to Sustain Growth in the Western European Digital Camera Market 16:14 EDT - (Weymouth, MA) September 8, 2011...InfoTrends announced the release of its Western European Consumer Digital Camera Forecast: 2011-2016. The digital camera market in Western Europe is reaching maturity and the law of diminishing returns is becoming a reality for all players in the market. Winners in the digital camera market will focus on the most profitable demographics, striving to design products... (More) Sigma SD1 test shots posted! 14:31 EDT - We've just posted a full set of test shots from a production-level Sigma SD1, straight from the lab! The SD1 is Sigma's first entry into the enthusiast DSLR market, and includes a weather-sealed magnesium alloy body, and a newly developed APS-C sized Foveon X3 image sensor which is quite a bit larger... (More) PRESS RELEASE: Animoto Announces Free September Webinars 10:49 EDT - Two new hour-long webinars will provide senior portrait education and tips for photographers New York, NY (September 8, 2011) -- Award-winning online video creation service Animoto announces today two new free webinars on September 15th and September 22nd for photographers interested in enhancing their senior portrait business. “Over the past few years we’re proud to have played a rapidly... (More) Wednesday, September 7, 2011 PRESS RELEASE: Redrock Micro's new microTies Solve Cinema Rig Cabling Conundrum 19:03 EDT - New rig accessory streamlines cables, reduces snags and disconnects Hollywood, CA - Redrock Micro, the recognized leader in affordable professional-quality cinema accessories, announced today the immediate availability of microTies, the perfect accessory for managing all cables on video camera or HDSLR rigs. microTies attach to your rig to enable camera operators and ACs control of all types of cables... (More) PRESS RELEASE: LifePics Inks Agreement with Hallmark 18:10 EDT - September 7th, 2011, Boulder, Colo. -- LifePics, a web-based firm supplying digital image technology that sends photo orders to retail stores worldwide, announced today an agreement with Hallmark Cards, Inc., allowing retailers in the LifePics network to offer customized greeting cards with designs from the world's greeting card leader. The new service is rolling out to retailers in the LifePics... (More) PRESS RELEASE: Adobe Carousel Photography App Debuts for Mac OS and iOS Devices 13:57 EDT - Adobe Imaging Magic Delivers All-New Way to Browse, Enhance and Share Photos Across Devices LAS VEGAS, Photoshop World 2011 -- Sept. 7 -- During the Photoshop World 2011 keynote, Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) announced Adobe Carousel(tm) for iPad, iPhone, iPod touch and Mac OS. Adobe Carousel is designed for anyone who loves photographs, takes a lot of them and needs a simple way to view,... (More) PRESS RELEASE: Corel® PaintShop™ Pro X4 Delivers Professional Photo Editing Power, Dramatic Performance Improvements and New Creative Effects 10:56 EDT - New Release Offers Over 75 New and Enhanced Features Ottawa, ON -- September 07, 2011 -- Corel today announced the release of Corel® PaintShop™ Pro X4 the latest version of its award-winning photo editing software. The trusted choice of millions of photographers worldwide, PaintShop™ Pro delivers 'DSLR' power at a 'point-and-shoot' price while offering an uncompromising depth and... (More) PRESS RELEASE: New InfoTrends Forecast Identifies Growth Opportunities for Maturing North American Digital Camera Market 10:26 EDT - (Weymouth, MA) September 7, 2011… As the digital camera market matures, industry vendors are struggling to maintain profits while increasing market share. A challenging economy and market saturation is causing average selling prices to drop, and repeat purchasers now dominate digital camera sales. Opportunities still exist for vendors who understand the market dynamics and target the right... (More) Tuesday, September 6, 2011 Lens Review: Nikon 40mm f/2.8G AF-S Micro 17:02 EDT - In July 2011, Nikon announced a new macro lens for its consumer lineup, the 40mm f/2.8G AF-S Micro. Small and economically priced, Nikon's press literature indicates it's targeted to DX users looking to get into macro photography, as it offers a 60mm equivalent field of view for those camera users. Does it fit the bill? Find out by reading our full review of the Nikon 40mm f/2.8G AF-S Micro. PRESS RELEASE: Topaz Labs Releases Topaz B&W Effects Plug-in 16:04 EDT - New Black and White Plug-in for Photoshop Offers Photographers Exciting New Tools for Creative Black and White Image Enhancements DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Topaz Labs announces the release of Topaz B&W Effects, their new black and white enhancement plug-in for Photoshop. Topaz B&W Effects goes beyond basic conversion methods, giving users the tools to make detailed and stylized enhancements,... (More) PRESS RELEASE: Iridient Digital releases RAW Developer 1.9.2 for Mac OS X 14:57 EDT - Pacific Grove, CA, September 2, 2011 -- Iridient Digital, Inc. has released RAW Developer 1.9.2 an update to our critically acclaimed RAW image processing software for Mac OS X. This update includes support for many new camera models including: Nikon D5100 Olympus E-P3 and E-PL3 Panasonic DMC-G3 and DMC-GF3 Sony NEX-C3, NEX-5N, SLT-A35, SLT-A65 and SLT-A77 Leaf AFi-II 12 Samsung... (More) PRESS RELEASE: PocketWizard® Photo Products Announces Convenient New Storage Solution 13:22 EDT - PocketWizard G-Wiz Trunk designed specifically for MiniTT1®, Flex TT5® and accessories So. Burlington, VT -- September 6, 2011 -- LPA Design, manufacturers of PocketWizard radios, the world leader in wireless control and synchronization of cameras, flash lighting and light meters, announces today the new G-Wiz Trunk bag. Designed specifically for use with the MiniTT1, FlexTT5 radios and accessories,... (More) PRESS RELEASE: New Epson Small-in-One™ Delivers Superior Performance 13:08 EDT - LONG BEACH, Calif. -- Sept. 6, 2011 -- Epson America, Inc., a leading provider of superior performing desktop printing solutions, today announced the Epson Stylus NX430 Small-in-One™, featuring all-in-one performance in an unprecedented space-saving design -- the smallest footprint available for the feature set. “Consumers will be amazed with the compact size and powerful performance... (More) Pentax Japan shows KQ mount adapter prototype 12:48 EDT - With its Pentax Q compact system camera now starting to become available around the world, parent company Hoya Corp. has revealed a prototype mount adapter which would allow use of K-mount lenses on the tiny Pentax Q camera body. The tentatively-named Pentax KQ mount adapter, shown to press and public at an experience event in Osaka, doesn't provide any electronic or mechanical connectivity between lens and camera. It does however... (More) Software Review: DxO FilmPack 3 09:39 EDT - The new version adds 10 new emulsions with a new interface. DxO worked on an update to its FilmPack emulsion emulator while updating Optics Pro to v6.6 but the new FilmPack 3 stands on its own. Adding support for Lightroom and Aperture, FilmPack 3 includes a few... (More) PRESS RELEASE: DxO FilmPack 3 Brings Classic Film Looks Back to Digital Photos 09:04 EDT - New film renderings wrapped in a new interface highlight the new version, all of which are covered in our review by Mike Pasini. PARIS -- DxO Labs today announces the immediate availability of DxO FilmPack 3 at a special launch price starting at $49, until Sept. 30. DxO FilmPack 3 allows photographers from beginners to experts to authentically recreate the magic of dozens of black & white or color... (More) Friday, September 2, 2011 PRESS RELEASE: Major ControlTL Firmware Update for MiniTT1 and FlexTT5 12:26 EDT - PocketWizard, the industry leader in wireless control and synchronization of cameras, flash and light meters, announces a major new update to its ControlTL firmware for both Nikon and Canon versions of its MiniTT1 and FlexTT5 radios. Available now, version 3.0 for Nikon and Version 6.0 for Canon include several new features and updates to make the system more powerful than ever including HyperSync™... (More) PRESS RELEASE: Game-changing Olympus XZ-1 gets tele conversion lens - Accessories boost high-quality magnification by 1.7x 11:28 EDT - Olympus launches powerful conversion lens for flagship compact Hamburg, 1 September 2011 -- Olympus’ red dot design and TIPA award-winning XZ-1 compact camera just got even better, with the launch of a powerful and bright new tele conversion lens and adapter. The TCON-17X adds outstanding magnification and flexibility to the flagship digital compact’s already impressive optical talents,... (More) PRESS RELEASE: Christmas will be early for Hasselblad Owners this year 11:16 EDT - 31/08/2011 The major firmware update announcement for our flagship H4D-60 medium format camera this summer will become available free of charge to Hasselblad H4D-40 and H4D-50 series owners in December. Therefore, Christmas for Hasselblad H4D-40 and H4D-50 owners will be slightly earlier this year -- and here’s the all-important link to collect your free gift from December 1st: www.hasselblad.com/upgrade.... (More) Thursday, September 1, 2011 Express Review posted for the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W570 17:18 EDT - Among the smallest and lightest digicams we've seen this year, the Sony W570 nonetheless packs a lot of pixels. It's also comparatively light on features, which isn't necessarily a bad aspect in a small camera. It does sport a few of Sony's recent innovations, like Sweep Panorama and Dynamic Range Optimization,... (More) PRESS RELEASE: Pentax Announces Price Reduction And Temporary Instant Rebate On K-5 Digital SLR: Combined Savings Total $400 USD 17:16 EDT - GOLDEN, CO. (September 1, 2011)…PENTAX Imaging Company has announced a price reduction on the PENTAX K-5 Digital SLR. Effective today, the price of the K-5 has dropped $100.00 USD to $1499.95 USD (body only) and to $1,649.95 USD (for the K-5 lens kit w DA 18-55 WR lens). In addition, from now until November 30, 2011, a $300.00 instant rebate is in effect on any qualifying purchase of either... (More) Solution: Printing With the Epson R2000/3880 on Lion 13:08 EDT - In our recent review of the R2000, we couldn't get the Lion-compatible driver to install. Then we discovered the trick. We've updated our review of the Epson R2000 with details on how to update the printer driver to use the printer under Mac OS X 10.7. There are two files to download and the installers must be run in the... (More) Samsung NX200: 20mpix, 7fps mirrorless flagship previewed 05:01 EDT - Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. has today unveiled its latest flagship compact system camera, the Samsung NX200, and we've just posted our hands-on preview. The NX200 is based around a new APS-C sized CMOS image sensor with a resolution of 20.3 megapixels, developed by Samsung, and offering sensitivity to a maximum of ISO 12,800 equivalent. The Samsung NX200's... (More) Samsung MV800: High-res compact with articulated LCD unveiled 05:01 EDT - Samsung has today unveiled a new digital camera that offers a different solution to the self-portrait from its existing DualView models: the Samsung MV800. The DualView camera line has proven very successful for Samsung since its launch a couple of years ago, and it's not hard to see why. The eyecatching front LCD panel is a real attention-getter, and it... (More) Samsung WB750: New long-zoom digicam announced 05:01 EDT - Rounding out its announcements for the day, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. has unveiled its new Samsung WB750 long-zoom digital camera. The Samsung WB750 retains the same Schneider-KREUZNACH branded 18x optical zoom lens as in its predecessor, the WB700. The most significant difference between the two cameras is to be found in their... (More) Return to: Current News Archive Index