OpenRAW Launches Survey

1/31/2006 For Immediate Release — RAW Survey launched: An International Study of the Experiences, Requirements, Preferences, and Concerns of Photographers regarding RAW Imaging Technology.

On January 31, 2006, the OpenRAW initiative launched an international survey on its Web Site to collect information about the experiences, requirements, preferences, and concerns of digital photographers and other interested parties regarding RAW imaging technology — a concept that many writers are comparing to a "digital negative".

RAW Technology Issues
As the digital properties of RAW image files have become better understood, many digital photographers have embraced RAW technology as the best means to obtain maximum image quality for themselves and their clients. However, during the past year many photographers, photo archivists, and others involved in digital imaging have become concerned about the absence of a robust, common standard for RAW image file formats. Faced with a proliferation of proprietary RAW format— often different for each successive camera model from each camera manufacturer— imaging professionals and devoted amateurs have experienced significant disruptions in their digital image workflow and limitations in their choice of software tools.
This expansion of the sheer number of proprietary RAW formats and the adoption by camera manufacturers of the practice of encryption to conceal information stored in RAW image files have increased fears about the viability of RAW formats for the long term archiving of photographic material. Some manufacturers whose cameras produced proprietary RAW files have already gone out of business, with unknown consequences for future access to those images. Many photographers are concerned that RAW files from current camera models may not be accessible in the future when those models are discontinued.

Why a Survey?
Although these topics are being discussed in many photography forums, we have very little systematic information about the experiences, requirements, preferences, and concerns of photographers regarding RAW imaging technology. One thing is clear— many photographers and archivists believe that camera manufacturers are making important decisions about RAW image technology with little or no input from the people who buy and use their equipment or who are involved in the preservation of photographic works. The OpenRAW survey will give photographers and other interested parties an opportunity to have a voice in the further development of RAW imaging technology.

The online survey questionnaire will be available for eight weeks beginning on January 31, 2006. The date was chosen to coincide closely with the 168th anniversary of an address by William Henry Fox Talbot to the Royal Society of London in 1839 describing a process of "photogenic drawing" (the collotype) based on a paper "negative" that would permit unlimited copies of an image to be made.

We encourage everybody with an interest in RAW image formats to visit the OpenRAW website at http://openraw.org/survey/ and to complete the survey questionnaire, which will take approximately 10-15 minutes. All responses will be kept completely anonymous and confidential. The OpenRAW organization and survey have no connection with any business or commercial interest. The purpose of the survey is to give professional and amateur photographers a means to express their requirements, preferences, and concerns which will be made available to camera manufacturers, software development firms, and other key participants in the digital imaging industry.

Results of the survey will be reported at the OpenRAW Web page. We believe good decisions by the digital photography industry should take account of the needs, requirements, and preferences of the photographers who make their living or pursue their artistic vision through this medium. We will share the survey results widely in the hope that the future of the craft will benefit.

For more information please visit the OpenRAW web site: http://www.openraw.org/
The OpenRAW survey sponsors:
Juergen Specht, photographer and founder of the OpenRAW initiative or@openraw.org
Calvin Jones, statistical research consultant ccj@stat-eval.com

Adobe Release Camera Raw Version 3.3

Adobe have officially released Camera Raw plug-in for Photoshop CS2. It can be downloaded from Adobe's download servers Download Servers. Support for the processing of RAW files from 17 new cameras has been added since v3.2, including the Canon EOS 5D, EOS-1D Mark II N and EOS 20Da, as well as the Nikon D200. There have also been noticeable improvements in the rendering of fine detail. JPEG, TIFF and PSD files saved directly from the plug-in will now also contain caption metadata in both XMP and IPTC formats, instead of just XMP as before.

Milestone Week

This week has been a busy one for the world of Protography and Digital Imaging. Canon celebrated the production milestone of shipping their 30 millionth EF lens, no mean feat for a system less than 20 years old. Konica-Minolta annouced their withdrawal from the camera and photo business ... Sony being the beneficiary of a substantial portion of their digital photo technology assets and technologies. Zeiss officially announced the introduction of a range of "ZF" lenses, which are compatible with Nikons F mount. This was also the week that Samsung launched their first D-SLR, The 6 megapixel. GX-1S features a 2.5-inch screen, ISO 200 to 3200, an FOV Crop of 1.5x and a Pentax AF lens mount.

Briots View - Luminous Articles

Alain Briot lives and works in the heart of Southwestern Arizona. He has spent much of his time there producing wonderful images of what is one of my favourite parts of the world. Although born and educated in France, Alain moved the U.S. in 1986. He moved to Peoria, Arizona, in January 2003 from the Navajo Reservation, at Chinle, Arizona, having spent 7 years there. As said at Luminous Landscape "These locations allow him access to the Sonoran Desert and to new photographic opportunities. Monument Valley, Canyon de Chelly and the Grand Canyon are his backyard, and he explores them in depth with an artist's eye."

I can identify and be only a little envious, as I hope one day to go on a photographic tour of the region. He began his studies in photography in France, and then received his Masters degree from Northern Arizona University, where he is currently working on his PhD. The Tutorials at Luminous Landscape are excellent and provide some wonderful insights into aesthetics and photography. Do yourself a big favour and check out Briots View and Alains personal website Beautiful Landscape.

Adobe release public beta of Lightroom

Adobe have announced the public beta of Lightroom, which is a new application that has the digital photographer in mind. Lightroom is aimed at the same market space which Apple have targeted with Aperture. It's a workflow and editing application which takes many of the useful features from Photoshop and combines this with some very powerful and useful capabilities for importing, browsing and organizing your digital photos. Lightroom is no quick response to Apples Aperture however, as it has been in development for a while. As explained in this great article by Jeff Schewe (which is well worth a read if you are interested in a historical context), Shadowland (a name I like) has been created with the input and help of some of the leading luminaries in the world of digital photography. The Lightroom Beta is available only as a Mac OS X version only, but I'm looking forward to trying the Windows Version when it is available. Download the Lightroom Mac OS X Beta here. For excellent coverage of the Beta and its capabilities, please visit Michael Reichmanns Luminous Landscape for the Lightroom Preview. Whilst working with Adobe I had a chance to see this great app long before Aperture came on to the scene and whilst Aperture is certainly innovative ... it is by no means original in concept.

ACDSee announce ACDSee Pro Photo Manager

ACDSee have released their foray into the world of Professional Digital Photography Image Management and Workflow tools. I'm looking forward to trying ACDSee Pro and comparing it to other tools in this market space. In their words ACDSee Pro is designed to help you "View, process, edit, organize, catalog, publish, and archive your photo collections..." It includes full RAW support and processing, powerful organizational tools, quick editing capabilites, visual tagging and full color management support for ICC and ICM profiles. For more information visit the ACDSee Pro website.

CCD Inventors to Receive $500,000 Prize

In 1969, Willard S. Boyle and George E. Smith, who will share the annual Charles Stark Draper Prize presented by the National Academy of Engineering, were trying to figure out a way for semiconductors to store data when they sketched out the design of the CCD. Developed at Bell Laboratories, this design would become the first practical solid-state imaging device. Little did they know that this sketch would revolutionize how people view themselves, the world and the universe. The prize will be presented Feb. 21 in Washington, D.C.

Digital Imaging & CES News for January 5th 2006

CES New product Announcements
CES has always been the site of many new product releases and this year is no different ...

Sony Announce several new models.
Sony have announced the release of the Cyber-shot S600 and M2 Digicams at CES. The S600 is another in their line of budget digicams (US$200) which features a 3x Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens covering a 31-93 mm equiv. range. Features also include a large 2.0-inch LCD screen, a sensitivity of up to ISO 1000 and a 460 shot battery life. The Cyber-shot M2 Sony US is the successor to the M1, which was originally revealed in Europe back in September. The M2 combines the functionality of a digital stills camera and a digital video camera. This unusual twist and flip design reminds me of the kind of form factor normally seen in mobile phones. For more info visit Sony.

Kodak and Lexar Introduce High-Performance Memory Cards

KODAK and Lexar High Performance memory cards are designed for digital camera owners who require high-speed processing for rapid-fire still shooting, high frame rate video capture, and fast computer transfer. The cards will initially be available only in SD (Secure Digital) format.
The memory cards will be available from Lexar in capacities of 512MB and 1GB this month with larger capacity cards available later on this year. Kodak also announced several new cameras, including the Kodak EASYSHARE C530, C663, V570 and the Z650. They have also updated their EASYSHARE Software to Version 5.2.

Samsung Introduce a Combined Camera and Media Device.

The Digimax i6 is a 6MP Digital camera which features enhanced multimedia capabilities supporting MP3 and video playback. This is done using the conversion software supplied with the camera. Music can be stored on an SD/MMC card and can be listened to even whilst you are taking pictures. The i6 is only 18.5mm thick, and features a unique curved design. The i6 also features ASR (Advanced Shake Reduction) which is based on an algorithm which reduces the effects of camera shake. Samsung have also introduced several new cameras in the S series ... the S500, S600 and S800.

HP, Sanyo, Pentax and Panasonic

HP announced the HP Photosmart E327, the HP Photosmart M527/M525/M425 and HP Photosmart R927/R727/R725. Sanyo announced their Xacti HD1 High Definition Video camera (1280 x 720-pixel) which also supports recording a 5 megapixel still photo capability. Pentax also announced two new Optios, the 6 megapixel E10 and the 8 megapixel A10 both of which feature a 3x optical zoom. Panasonic have announced the 6 megapixel DMC-LZ3 / DMC-LZ5 and the Panasonic DMC-LS2 all of which feature the MEGA Optical Image Stabilization system which they put into all of their cameras to compensate for slow shutter speeds and camera shake.

There were many other releases announced at CES, I won't go into too much depth, but if you care to read more try LetsGoDigital and Steves Digicams for excellent coverage.

2005 - The Year the Earth Moved.

,Last year was for many people a year of turmoil and strife ... sectarian violence and terrorism in Iraq, terrorism in London, earthquakes as well as other natural disasters all over the world. Who can forget the post tsunami images showing the ruination of a paradise. Villages washed away, towns and cities brought low by massive waves and the movement of the earth. A tsunami and earthquake, which wiped out entire families, villages, towns and communities. Over 250,000 people were wiped off this blue and green planet of ours. Look to Pakistan, India and the region of Kashmir where another earthquake later in the year caused the deaths of around 100,000 people and made over 3 million homeless.

For the world of photography this was a year that allowed us to tell stories, as the wealth of images it produced have left an impression with many. Who can forget the images of schools which collapsed taking an entire generation with it. The images produced by ordinary people of massive waves which took away everything in their path, the streets left empty of life. Images of bodies floating in rivers for days, because there was no one to take them away. I include the tsunami from boxing day 2004 because the most striking images took days to come to us ... and continue to make an impression.

To me, 2005 represented the year that technology really put the telling of the news, into the hands of the common man. The year when the cellphones, digital cameras and camcorders which were in the hands of the public, told the story as it happened, where before, the press would only have been able to tell it after the fact. Ready availability of this technology has changed the world of newstelling irrevocably, further enhanced by the advent of the first stock companies which specialize in the use of news media recorded by the public.

This was also the year when thugs used this same technology in "Happy slapping" episodes where hapless victims were beaten and assaulted for no reason other than to record and share it with their friends ... because it was "funny". This kind of behaviour is in my mind an example of what desensitization has brought about. Turn the news into entertainment and people (maladjusted or otherwise) will think its funny ... Monkey See, Monkey Do ... God help us.

2006 should be an interesting year as this technology has improved substantially ... Cellphones which now boast 2 - 6 megapixel cameras are now readily available and in circulation. Many of these phones and cameras also boasting large capacity memory storage and even video capabilities. Add to this broadband capable transmission speeds, and you can get this media to anywhere in the world at the touch of a few buttons. The democratization of media is here ... it'll definitely be something to watch out for.

Hopefully 2006 will about many changes and improvements, but I fear that knowing humankind we will see both extremes, and this technology will continue to be used to show humanity at its very best and also its very worst.

Digital Imaging News for December 27th 2005

DP Review celebrates their 7th anniversary...
I would like to congratulate Phil Askey and DPReview for providing 7 great years of excellent quality coverage of Digital Photography News and Issues. I have followed DPReview since its earliest days and regularly use it as a point of reference. DPReview is in my mind an example of how a web based information site and portal should operate. Well done ... Visit DPReview here.

Bibble 4.5 Released
This new release has support for several new cameras and includes major improvements to how it handles Canon .CR2 Color based cameras. Support is now included for the Nikon D200 (tethered shooting supported), the Olympus Evolt E-500, SP310, SP350 & SP500UZ, the Pentax *ist DS2, and the Sony DSC-R1. Bibble 4.5 is available from here.

DxO Labs Offers DxO Optics Pro Starter Edition
DxO Labs, have announced the DxO Optics Pro Starter Edition. DxO Optics Pro Starter Edition incorporates the same image enhancement technologies found in the DxO Optics Pro Standard and DxO Optics Pro Elite editions. It is now available from DxO Labs visit for more information.

Apple releases Aperture v1.0.1 Update
Apple has released an update (v1.0.1) for Aperture. This update for Apples Pro workflow application fixes several bugs and adds performance improvements in certain operations. The update improves the quality of photos exported in 8-bits per colour, the usability of the eyedropper and the auto stack function has been improved. There have also been fixes made to Apertures Print and Book ordering capabilities. The update is available from here.

Sigma HSM lens conflict with Nikon D200
Sigma confirmed that there is a conflict between its HSM equipped lenses and the Nikon D200. The conflict occurs when the 'AF-ON' button is pressed on the rear of the camera. It doesn't affect auto-focusing when using the shutter release button. Sigma will provide a free firmware update for affected lenses.

Canon Firmware Update for EOS 5D and 1D MKII N
Canon has released firmware updates for the EOS 5D and 1D Mark II N. The Updates improve brightness on the LCD monitor and correct errors in the language menus. The update for the 1D Mark II N also fixes a file numbering error that occurs during bulb shooting. The 5D update fixes an issue which creates unusually large files and an operational error in AEB (Auto Exposure Bracketing) Mode.

Microsoft update their RAW Image Thumbnailer and Viewer
Microsoft have released an update to its free RAW Image Thumbnailer and Viewer for Windows XP. Support has been added for RAW files from the Canon EOS 1D Mark IIn and the EOS 5D. Support for the Nikons D50 and D70s, and the D2Hs. You can get the update here.

Nikon Capture software version 4.4.0 and 4.4.1
Nikon Capture versions 4.4.0 (Windows) and 4.4.1 (Mac) is now available for download. The Windows update has added support for the D200. Other improvements include a new black and white option in the Advanced RAW tool palette for Color Modes and improvements to the way tones are reproduced in highlight areas. The Mac update addresses an issue which caused the program to unexpectedly quit whilst trying to print. You can download the windows version here and the Mac version from here .

Digital Imaging News for December 10th 2005

*istDS Firmware Upgrade
Pentax have announced a firmware upgrade for the *istDS that adds a number of new features. Version 2.00 will add a Continuous AF mode to the AF settings in the Record Mode menu, Auto ISO has also been added to the sensitivity menu and the AE-L button on M has been added to the Custom Function menu. Dutch and Swedish users have also been catered to with the addition of menus in these two languages. Download the upgrade here.

Adobe and Macromedia Aquisition is Finalized
With the Aquisition of Macromedia, Adobe have firmly placed themselves in pole position in the digital imaging and design industry. With this aquisition Adobe has also announced three new product bundles for design, video and web solutions. The Adobe Design Bundle which includes Creative Suite 2 Premium with Flash Professional 8 software; the Adobe Web Bundle which contains CS 2 Premium and Studio 8; and the Adobe Video Bundle which will offer video solutions and also include Flash Professional 8. The Adobe Design Bundle and Web Bundle are available immediately and are priced £1381 and £1656 respectively. The Adobe Video Bundle should ship sometime in early 2006.

Scott Kelby's book receives top honours.
The Photoshop CS2 Book for Digital Photographers by Scott Kelby, receives top honours from consumers and industry alike. Professional Photographer magazine, Amazon editors and Amazon readers rated this excellent book one of the hottest computer books this year. It received a “Hot1 Award” by Professional Photographer magazine and was rated a “Top 10 Pick” by Amazon editors for computer books as well as the “#1 Photoshop” book in the Amazon Top 10 Pick category, and ranked as the #3 Amazon “Readers Choice” for all computer books based on sales. Congrats Scott...

ExpressDigital's Darkroom Professional is Enhanced
ExpressDigital, a leading provider of digital workflow software, internet storefronts, and lab solutions, have released an enhanced version of their Darkroom Professional Edition. Enhancements include a retro color tool, professional red eye removal and new hardware support for the Nikon D2X, D2Hs, D70s, D50, Canon Rebel XT and Fuji S3 digital cameras. It also features direct support for printers like the Mitsubishi CP-3020DU, CP-9550DW, Kodak 9810, Shinko S9045, S1245 and the Fujimoto SHP5080 digital mini-lab.
Version 8.5 is available immediately at the ExpressDigital website.

News for the week of November 26

Lord Lichfiled Dies
Photographer and Royal Cousin Dies at the age of 66 from a stroke. Lord Lichfield was the Queen's first cousin, once removed and was official photographer at the wedding of the Prince of Wales to Diana. His Illustrious career includes working for Vogue and photographing many stars and personalities, including Michael Caine, Colin Farrell, model Jerry Hall, the late Indian prime minister Rajiv Gandhi and the Royal Family.

Plenoptic Imaging
This was one of the most interesting pieces in the last while. DP Review featured an article covering the development of a new type of digital image recording. Ren Ng, who is a graduate student at Stanford University has developed a hand-held plenoptic camera. The camera works by taking the shot first and then allows you to make the decision about the focus point in software afterwards. According to the article "The prototype camera is actually a Contax 645 with a modified Megavision FB4040 back (sixteen megapixel). The back has had an array of 90,000 microlenses mounted in front of the sensor (with a gap between the array and the sensor). These microlenses create a unique image on the sensor surface which includes not only the amount of light deposited at that location, but how much light arrives along each ray. The image is then reconstructed in software and a focus point can be chosen. Note that the final resolution is the same as the number of microlenses." for more info visit dpreview which has plenty of links to more info.

Sigma Lenses and EOS 5D Review
Other news includes new lenses from Sigma, a 135 - 400mm F4.5-5.6 DG lens, a 170-500mm F5-6.3 APO DG Lens. A full Review of the Canon EOS 5D at dpreview which makes interesting reading and makes me even more interested in get my hands on one.

Solar Bags from Eclipse
Eclipse Solar Gear are a Manufacturer who have released a line of bags aimed at gadgeteers. innovative solar charging carrying cases for all your mobile personal electronics. The bags are in eclipses own words: "a patented line of backpacks, messenger bags, soft coolers, and other quality cases designed to charge the batteries of common handheld electronics including: cell phones, PDA’s, iPods, and GPS units in a convenient and effortless manner."

Forgent JPEG Compression Patent under Challenge

I was perusing Slashdot, one of my favourite tech information and news sites when this bit of news posted by CowboyNeal caught my eye: "ChocLinux writes "The Public Patent Foundation has filed a request at the US Patent Office to revoke Compression Labs' data compression patent, which it is reportedly using to harrass anyone that implements the JPEG format. 'CLI's aggressive assertion of the '672 patent is causing substantial public harm by threatening this international standard on which the public relies,' says Pubpat in its filing." I'm pleased by this development as I see Forgent and their ilk as prime examples of this kind of practice at its worst... Roll on the public's interest... View the article and associated comments here.

Imaging News for the Week of November 8

Canon Eos 20D/Da Firmware Update
Canon Have Updated their firmware for the Canon Eos 20D/Da. The update fixes a colour temperature information problem when using Speedlite 430EX and it also improves communication when using CF cards. Visit Canon's BeBit for the Updates.

Nikon Announce Remote Speedlight Commander
Nikon announced their new remote Speedlight SB-R200 and Command Unit SU-800. This wireless flash system is intended for close-up and macro photography. The SU-800 commander unit is also compatible with other speedlights and can be used in up to three groups. Nikon is selling these components separately but also a Macro kit which includes a command unit and two SB-R200 Speedlights. As always DPReview have excellent coverage.

Nikon Announce D200 Prosumer DSLR
DPreview have yet again produced another great preview of a new DSLR from Nikon. The Nikon D200, is a 10.2 MP digital SLR with professional features and build quality. Features include a magnesium-alloy body, an 11-area AF sensor, 3D Color Matrix Metering II, 5 frames per second continuous shooting at up to 37 JPEG (Fine-Large) images or up to 22 NEF (RAW) images when using a SanDisk SDCFH (Ultra II) or SDCFX (Extreme III) 1GB CF card. It also features shutter speeds ranging from 1/8,000 of a second to 30 seconds, a 2.5" LCD monitor, USB 2.0, 1/250 sec X-sync plus WiFi and GPS support. The D200 should retail for $1,849 in the US. Click here for DPReviews coverage.

Wacom Announce Wide-Format Tablet.
Wacom have announced the Intuos3 6x11 tablet. It is the world's first wide-format pen tablet designed for use with widescreen displays and dual monitors. The tablet features Wacoms programmable ExpressKeys and Touch Strips, and the cordless battery-free Grip Pen offers 1024 levels of pressure sensitivity. The Tablets will ship in the US with Adobe Photoshop Elements 3, Corel Painter Essentials 2, nik Color Efex Pro 2 IE and Wacom Brushes 2. It is expected to retail for US $369.95 Visit Wacom for more info.

Nikon Release D2X and D2Hs Firmware Update
Nikon have updated their firmware for the has today released new firmware for the D2X and D2Hs digital SLRs. Firmware version 1.01 improves autofocus performance and preset white balance and resolves issues with the AF-assist illuminator on certain Speedlights and a flash sync issue with the SB-800 Speedlight. The Update also corrects errors in menus when Dutch language is selected. Visit Nikon Asia's website for the updates.

Digital Film Tools announce 55mm Version 6
Digital Film Tools have announced the release of 55mm Version 6. This update film filter effect set includes updated and improved filters and several new and useful addition to the already extensive filter kit. New filters include; Relight, Strip Grad, Vari-Star, Rack Focus and Color Spot. DFT are very good at what they do and they continue to impress me with their Plug-in work. Visit the 55mm product site for more info.

Imaging News for week of October 20

Breeze Systems Releases DSLR Remote Pro v1.1
Breeze Systems have released DSLR Remote Pro v1.1. Remote Pro is used to control Canon EOS 5D, 350D/Rebel XT, 20D, EOS-1D Mark II and EOS-1Ds Mark II cameras in addition to the EOS 10D, 300D/Rebel, 1D and 1Ds. It features improved exposure control in tricky lighting conditions by auto bracketing up to 15 images by varying either the shutter speed or the aperture. Great for using the HDR (High Dynamic Range) features in Photoshop. Read more at Breeze Systems.

Photo Mechanic 4.4 will appear as Public Beta.
Camera Bits have been open about their release of v4.4 of Photo Mechanic as a Public Beta. Version 4.4 is workflow-focused and will be available for Mac and Windows. Read more here.

Bibble 4.4 released
Bibble Labs have updated their RAW workflow solution, Bibble, to v4.4. New features include a shadow recovery function called "Fill Light" and also support for the Canon's EOS 5D and EOS-1D Mark II N, the Konica Minolta 5D, and the Pentax *ist DL. Bibble 4.4 is available in Pro and Lite versions for Windows, Macintosh, and Linux. Visit Bibble Labs today.

ACDSee Pro Photo Manager announced
ACDSee Systems have announced ACDSee Pro Photo Manager for Windows, an upgraded version of the popular photo browser aimed at professional photographers. Its professional focused features include support for RAW file display and conversion, batch IPTC captioning, and more extensive color management capabilities. Visit ACDSee.

Kodak launches high resolution CCDs
Kodak announced the world's highest resolution sensors for medium format cameras with the 36x48mm, KAF-39000, 39 megapixels, and the 33x44mm, KAF-31600, which offers 31.6 megapixels. The CCD sensors will be featured in Phase One's upcoming P45 and P30 digital backs. Read more here.

Kodak in troubled waters...
Eastman Kodak Co., are having financial troubles and after reporting $1.03 billion loss for the third quarter analysts are wondering how the long term will look for this photography giant. Although they have posted a massive loss their sales of digital products now exceed revenue from film-based photography. They also report that they are No. 1 in sales of digital cameras and digital X-ray systems in the US and of photo kiosks, thermal home printers and online photo services worldwide. Should be interesting times ahead with the expected loss of 25,000 jobs.

Canon announce the Wireless PowerShot SD430
Canon announced a new compact PowerShot model, the SD430 (Digital IXUS Wireless), which features built-in WiFi (802.11b). This 5 mp, 3x optical zoom camera is practically identical to the SD450 but with WiFi added. The camera kit also includes the 'WA-1N Wireless Print Adapter' which provides WiFi printing to PictBridge compatible printers.

Nikon's PictureProject updated to v1.6.1
Nikon has announced an update for its image management, editing and design program, PictureProject. Version 1.6.1 is two different upgrades for the Mac and Windows platforms. All update up to v1.6.0 must have been installed before updating to this version.

Extensis Portfolio 8
Extensis have announce Portfolio 8 which allows you to instantly view, sort and manage all your photos, including RAW files, access your files directly from Photoshop, and also to publish images to the web. Portfolio 8 will be available for download and purchase in December priced $199.95. Read the press release here.

Adobe Updates DNG and RAW Plug-in
Adobe Systems Inc., has added 14 New Cameras to their Camera RAW Plug-in and announced its Digital Negative Specification (DNG) -- an industry-wide initiative to create one unified format for archiving RAW digital images -- is continuing to win support from camera manufacturers and software makers. Adobe have introduced the Camera RAW 3.2 plug-in which now supports over 80 cameras. Using the new plug-in, users can preserve more metadata when saving files in the DNG format. other features include support for GPS metadata, an updated interface for Photoshop Elements 4.0 users and "As Shot" white balance support for Nikon D2X, D2Hs and D50 camera users. The RAW Plug-in can be downloaded from Adobes Site.

Apple announce Aperture

Apple Announced many new things at Photo Plus Expo 2005, one of which is their foray into the world of Professional Digital Imaging Software. It looks interesting but I reserve judgement until I see it action. In apples own words Aperture is; "Designed from the ground up for professional photographers, Aperture provides everything you need for after the shoot, delivering the first all-in-one post-production tool for photographers. ... Aperture’s color-managed workflow and flexible design tools will help you easily create stunning prints, customized contact sheets, elegant books, and web pages as beautiful as the images you capture"

Apeture is certainly aimed at the pro and with features like RAW workflow support, editing, media management, retouching, output and non-destructive editing they look as though they are trying to get into an already busy workspace. Read more at the official website.

This week in Digital Imaging

All told, this past week in the world of digital imaging and photography has been a slow one. This weeks' announcements centre around a number of service advisories from the likes of Olympus, Ricoh, Minolta, Canon, Fuji, Nikon and Sony. It seems like there have been some common problems with CCD's supplied by Sony between 2002 and 2004. For more info; visit DPReview, as they have done their usual excellent job of tracking these issues.

On another front Fujifilm have announced a new camera. The FinePix Z2 which uses a large LCD instead of a viewfinder, offers a wider aperture range of up to F8, longer shutter speeds of 4 seconds and 256-zone metering. Fujifilm have also reduced the price of their FinePix S3 Pro, Digital SLR.

Canon has updated its professional editing and RAW conversion software; Digital Photo Professional. Version 2.0.3 fixes a couple of issues such as missing color tones in images taken with the EOS-1D or the EOS-5D and also changes a setting name in Picture Styles from B&W to Monochrome.

Canon have also released firmware version 1.2.4 for their EOS-1D Mark II and version 1.1.4 for the EOS-1Ds Mark II. The new firmware includes a fix for file numbering errors during bulb exposure shooting and improves the reliability of operation with a few CompactFlash cards. A problem that could lead to horizontal line noise in the EOS-1Ds Mark II has also been addressed.
Breeze Systems have released v1.3 of BreezeBrowser Pro. New features include automatic lens distortion correction and support for RAW files from Canon's EOS 5D and EOS-1D Mark II N cameras.

DPReview have also released the latest iteration of their excellent dpreview resolution chart for testing your digital cameras.

Sony announce the 8MP Cybershot DSC N-1

On Monday Sony announced the compact and clean looking DSC-N1. This new model features a wide viewing angle 3" LCD touch screen designed to act as both camera control and display. The DSC-N1 also records a VGA (640x480) copy of every image you take and stores it internally. Up to 500 of these images can be stored even after the full resolution images have been transferred providing a long term 'pocket album' feature which can be browsed in a variety of ways. The Camera/Album features Sonys' eight megapixel 1/1.8" CCD sensor and supports up to ISO 800. The camera also records video and audio at 640x480 and up to 30 fps on the memory stick pro. visit Sony for more info.

MINOXannounces the DMP-1 Media Device

This great little pocket storage device and media viewer/player is a cool little device from all appearances. "The Minox DMP-1 weighs in at just 62 grams and fits into almost any pocket thanks to its compact dimensions of 75x52x15mm. Incorporating a digital photo album, MP3 player and recorder, FM radio, digital sound equalizer, E-book facility for storing and viewing text files and a selection of pre-installed games to play." For more info, visit Minox...

Nikon Capture v.4.3.2 posted for download

Nikon have posted an update to Nikon Capture. Version 4.3.2 addresses an issue which caused the Capture Editor to quit unexpectedly on some computer systems when images were adjusted using the Color Boost slider displayed by selecting Better Quality (HQ) in the D-Lighting palette. The update is available for Windows and Mac platforms and can be downloaded by clicking on the previous links.

Leaf and Mamiya Introduce ProDigital II 22-Megapixel Digital SLR

Leaf America and Mamiya America Corp., have introduced the Leaf Mamiya ProDigital II 22-megapixel digital SLR. Comprising the new Mamiya 645AFDII camera and the Leaf Aptus back, the new ProDigital II offers medium format quality in an SLR based form factor. the Camera sports A 3.5-inch touch screen, a 1.2 fps capture rate and a completely new auto-focusing system. Captured images can be stored on Leaf Digital Magazines or Compact flash cards. Check out the Leaf America website for more information.

Adobe Introduces Photoshop Elements 4.0 and Adobe Premiere Elements 2.0

Adobe have announced Photoshop Elements 4.0 and Premiere Elements 2.0 software for Windows. These Packages bring some great capabilities to the consumer level Photo and Video Enthusiast. Pop by Adobe for a look and download a demo today.

Ulead Announces PhotoImpact 11

Ulead has announced the availability of PhotoImpact 11. This new version supports a scalable interface which Ulead have labelled 'My Workspace'. This interface has a basic mode for beginners and moves up to an advanced mode for high end users. Workspaces can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Features include: 16-bit editing, RAW/DNG support, editable alpha-channel masks for objects and non-destructive Layer Masks, a per Photoshop. PhotoImpact 11 available from October will be priced at around £49.99, with upgrades available from £29.99 via the Ulead website.

Canon EOS 5D Shipping in Europe and Canada

Canon EOS 5D is beginning to ship in Europe and Canada, photographers in the UK, France and Germany and in Canada are getting their hands on this eagerly awaited full frame DSLR (I can't wait to get mine). The forums on several of the online Photosites are buzzing with reports, check them out.

Adobe releases Camera Raw 3.2 for Photoshop CS2

Adobe has released v3.2 of its Camera Raw plug-in for Photoshop CS2. This version adds official support for the following cameras: the Hasselblad H2D, Leica's Digital-Modul-R back, the Nikon D2Hs, D70s and D50. Camera Raw V3.2 also supports the "As Shot" white balance in RAW files from the D2X, thanks to the inclusion of code from Nikon.

Corel Releases Paint Shop Pro X

Corel announced a new version of Paint Shop Pro. Paint Shop Pro X was launched simultaneously with Corel's image management program Photo Album 6. PSP X has had a facelift with work carried out on its user interface and also features a new integrated Learning Center and Browser palette. Corel Photo Album facilitates the downloading, organization, editing, sharing, and protection of photos and allows your images to be automatically downloaded, rotated and saved once your preferences have been set. Visit Corel for more information.

Ricoh announce Caplio R3

The Ricoh Caplio R3 was announced earlier this month. The R3 is a wide angle slimline 5.1 megapixel camera which features a 7.1x optical zoom. The Caplio R3 also features a 28 - 200 mm 'double retracting' lens, other features include a vibration reduction function which deals with camera shake, a 1cm macro mode and skew correction function which automatically detects trapezoids in images and corrects them.

Sony Announce the Cyber-shot DSC-R1

Sony's Cyber-shot DSC-R1, features an APS-C size 10.8 million pixel CMOS sensor with non-removable 24-120 mm equivelant lens. The R1's APS-C size sensor is also unique in that it provides a full-time live view for the camera's electronic viewfinder and LCD monitor. This means that the R1 has a more compact integrated lens and body design than other SLR based Digicams. Read more at DPReview, who have written a decent preview of this nice piece of kit.

Nikon Release New Models and Firmware Updates

Over the last couple of weeks, Nikon have announced and released many new models and also posted firmware updates on their website. New models include the 6 megapixel S3, The smart and compact 6.2 megapixel L1, The swivel lens based 6 megapixel Coolpix S4 which also features a large 2.5 inch LCD Display. They have also announced the 5 megapixel, Coolpix P1 and 8 megapixel P2 which both feature built in 802.11b/g WiFi modules which allow for the cameras to live link with PictureProject. Firmware updates for the coolpix 7900 and 5900 have been posted on Nikons site which corrects a slow file write error under certain conditions.

Adobe Project and Tardy Posting

I have a bit of an apology to write, I have been a bit Tardy in posting here on this Blog. I have been working for the last 6 weeks with Adobe on an interesting project, which will keep me away from home for most weeks. As a result, I've not had internet access, except whilst at Adobes facility in Norwich. No excuses, I should have tried harder, but in this day and age I would have thought that WIFI Hotspots would have been more prevalent. I've been trying to find a decent and reasonable hotel with WIFI but to no avail, nuff said. Now, on to my posts...