Adobe updates digital photography documents

Adobe has updated several of its publicly available white papers and primers relating to digital photography. CS2 centric primers include: Digital Image Integrity, Black and White Conversion Tutorial, About Metadata, A Color Managed Raw Workflow, Making the Transition from Film to Digital, and Highlight Recovery in Adobe Camera Raw. Visit the following pages on Adobe Digital Imaging Solutions and Adobe digital photography white papers and primers to access the downloadable PDFs.

DPReview post Sony Alpha A100 Review

DPReview have just posted their 30 page review of Sony's New Alpha DSLR. As usual they've provided comprehensive coverage of what looks to be an excellent new entry to the DSLR world from Sony. Read the full review starting here.

Extensis Release Universal Binaries for Portfolio.

Extensis have released Universal Binaries of Portfolio, Portfolio Server , Portfolio Server and SQL Connect and Portfolio NetPublish that will run natively on both Intel- and PowerPC-based Macs. Version 8.1 of each Portfolio variant is available for download as a free update to v8.0. For those of you who aren't familiar with portfolio visit http://www.extensis.com/ to familiarise yourself with this excellent asset management solution.

BreezeBrowser Pro 1.5.1 for Windows Released

Breeze Systems has released an updated version of BreezeBrowser Pro for Windows. According to Breeze Systems, new features include:
Adobe XMP metadata support for JPEG, TIFF, PSD, DNG, PNG, JPEG 2000 and RAW files. The program creates a Photoshop-compatible XMP sidecar file to store the XMP information.
New IPTC scene and subject code editors which use the NewsCode XML topicsets.
A new keyword editor.
Improved colour in Nikon D200 RAW conversions.
An option to output either 8 bit or 16 bit Photoshop (PSD) format files when creating proofs or converting RAW files.
Updated lens distortion correction.
The ability to display a frame around a picture in proofs and slideshows. The frame and matte can be chosen from a selection of included ones, or you can create your own.
For more information, pricing and to download the update, visit Breeze Systems.

Epson Announce 2 New Slimline Scanners

Epson have announced the new Perfection V350 Photo and Epson Perfection V100 Photo scanners, both of which are aimed at consumers and feature a new slimline design suited for either portrait or landscape orientation. The lid on these models can be opened up to 180 degrees and is well suited to facilitating the scanning of three-dimensional objects, as well as oversized objects, photos and documents. These scanners offer hardware resolutions up to 4800 x 9600 dpi on the Perfection V350 Photo and up to 3200x 9600 dpi on the Perfection V100 Photo. Both units support 48-bit color scanning and feature a 3.2 dynamic range for high quality scans. The bundled Epson Easy Photo Fix software allows for automatic color restoration and dust removal, providing a complete solution for the consumer. I look forward to reading the reviews. For more information, please visit Epson.

Adobe Release Lightroom Public Beta 3 for Windows

I, like many of you no doubt, have just received a notification from Adobe, indicating that they have released a public Beta of Lightroom for Windows. Visit the Adobe® Lightroom™ beta* Site to download the beta today.

Nikon Release Trial Version of Capture NX

Nikon announced the immediate availability of a trial version of its new image workflow, editing and conversion application, Capture NX. Capture NX is the result of a collaboration between Nik software and Nikon, and should be welcome news for many Nikon owners who have wanted better Nikon raw, NEF, conversion software. Capture NX will available for $149.95 for the full package or $89.95 as an upgrade to registered owners of Nikon capture 4. There is a 30-day trial available for download at http://www.nikonusa.com. An online demo of how Capture NX works is available at http://www.capturenx.com/ or http://www.nikondigital.com/.

Fujifilm unveil new cameras and Logo.

Fujifilm debuts its Face Detection technology in the FinePix S6500fd. The Camera should be available here in the Uk from October onwards and will feature a 10.7x optical zoom lens, TV-quality VGA movie recording at 30 frames per second with sound, Jpeg and RAW file formats, Super CCD HR VI sensor delivering 6 megapixel images and PictBridge™ support.

The second camera which Fujifilm annnounced is the FinePix F20 which shares many of the features the FinePix F30. Its compact design features a 6.3 MegaPixel Super CCD HR sensor and a 2.5-inch LCD display. Another excellent feature a Picture Stabilization feature in the form of a button that boosts ISO sensitivity to as high as 2000 at full resolution. For more info on these cameras visit these FinePix S6500fd, and FinePix F20 pages on the Fujifilm website.


They also unveiled a new Logo which can be seen just above, and which should come into use sometime in October.

Catherine Leroy Dies

French Born Catherine Leroy, has passed away from Cancer at the age of 60. As a photojournalist she is famous for her work during the Vietnam War. Her work often appearing in the pages of Life magazine and other publications.

At the age of 21 she bought a one-way ticket to Saigon and began to record the life of American troops in Vietnam, becoming the only accredited journalist to actually participate in a combat parachute jump when she joined the 173rd Airborne in Operation Junction City.

Leroy was even captured by the NVA during the Tet Offensive, after talking her way out, she left with images of the NVA in action that were used for a Life magazine cover. Jonathan Randal, a longtime Washington Post correspondent who met Leroy in late 1965 said "She was tiny and totally fearless," To see examples of Catherine Leroys work visit Piece Unique Gallery.

Tabblo - Photos, Stories and Printing

I came across a new photo sharing community today - Tabblo, which is no doubt derived from Tableau, which means; "A vivid or graphic description". It looks pretty cool and is definitely aimed at the consumer who wants to tell a story with their pictures. In their own words "What is Tabblo? Your photos. Your words. Put them together with Tabblo and tell your story." It is based a round a template driven interface which allows you to upload your photos, add your own text and then select a tempate for your personal portal, which by the way you can share and even customize. There is even a facility for creating prints and posters of your photos. Visit Tabblo and take a tour.

Nikon Exceeds dSLR Sales Estimates

Nikon's digital SLR sales have exceeded what they projected for April and May 2006. Nikon has said that production is running at full capacity to meet demand for the D50, D70s and D200. With new models expected from Sony and Pentax it should be interesting to see how the dSLR market progresses.

Nikon post trial version of Camera Control Pro

Nikon Europe and USA have posted 30-day trial versions of Camera Control Pro for Windows and Mac OS. Camera Control Pro is Nikon's new standalone application for both tethered and wireless remote operation of Nikon cameras. Visit the Nikon USA site for the Windows and Mac versions and these pages on the European site for the Windows and Mac versions.

Nikon posts notice of lack of D2Xs NEF support

The Nikon Europe tech support website has posted a notice which explains that NEF (RAW) files from the D2Xs, which has just hit the market, are not supported by any Nikon software except PictureProject. Even Nikon Capture 4.4 does not support NEF files from the D2Xs and it appears from the statement that it will not be updated to do so. Capture NX, will support D2Xs NEF files, but the release of NX is delayed. It begs to wonder, how the hell do Nikon think they can appease current users of the D2Xs ... get it together guys.

Canon Firmware updates for 5D and 1D MKII N

Canon have released two firmware upgrades for their EOS digital SLR cameras. The updates are the EOS 1D Mk II N firmware 1.1.0 which enhances the direct printing function in combination with the PIXMA Pro 9000 or PIXMA Pro 9500 professional photo printers.
The EOS 5D firmware 1.1.0 includes the enhancement of direct printing with specific printers and corrects communication errors which occurred when shooting with EOS 5D and EOS Capture software after shooting about 138 shots. It also corrects an error in which the flash mode settings are changed from E-TTL to Manual when the EOS 5D is used in combination with the Speedlite Transmitter ST-E2 and the Speedlite 580EX.

Samsung announce NV10 and NV7 Digital Cameras

Both the NV10 and NV7 offer slimline styling with advanced features. The NV10 offers a 10-megapixel sensor with anti shake technology and features an innovative touch pad GUI. It has a sleek, brushed black aluminum body and compact design. Measuring under an inch in thickness, it includes a Schneider 3x optical zoom lens (35-105mm equivalent), a 5x digital zoom and a large, 2.5-inch color LCD display. It is also video capable and can record in VGA (640x480) at 30fps.

The NV7 is a seven-megapixel slimline model which uses Optical Picture Stabilisation "which physically adjusts the CCD to combat handshake and Samsung's Advanced Shake Reduction (ASR)" and it also features a 7x Optical zoom. It too, can record in VGA (640x480) at 30fps. Both cameras will be available to the consumer market in the autumn of 2006.

Canto Releases Cumulus 7

Canto have announced the release of Cumulus 7, an upgrade to their powerful Digital Asset Management solution. Canto has promised that the new features offer "increased asset control, faster production, and more efficient collaboration, improving the business of organizations that have made asset management an integral part of their marketing and communication processes."

Updates also include improvements to the database engine and include server enhancements such as the introduction of mirroring and permanent cacheing. Cumulus 7 Server and Client software are also available as Universal Binary applications on Mactel computers. Having worked with Cumulus Solutions in the past I look forward to seeing how they've improved it's performance and functionality. For more information on Cumulus 7 please visit Canto.

Intuos3 A5 Wide / 6x11 Graphics Tablet

Reviewed by: Mario Georgiou, July 2006
Manufactured by: Wacom Europe, Wacom USA
Requires: For PC—Windows 98SE/ME/2000 and XP; for Apple—MacOS X 10.2.6 or later; all platforms require a CD-ROM drive and available active USB port
MSRP: US$369.95, UK £297.00, EUR429,00

(Ed. Note: Digital Imaging & Graphics Products Editor Mario Georgiou is based in London, England, so from time to time we review the UK/European versions of some products. This Wacom tablet is marketed in North America as the Intuos3 6x11 model).
For many designers and artists, the advent of the graphics tablet provided an almost natural way for them to work with computers. Tablets were wonderful until recently, when wide aspect/wide screen monitors came along. Using a wide screen monitors with any of the standard tablets has proven to be a real pain and seeing that more and more designers are using wide aspect monitors or even multiple monitors for work, it seems that it would be only natural for someone to address the problem.

Along comes Wacom, who have been in the graphics tablet business for a long time, and who are wonderfully innovative in their product design. The announcement of the Intuos A5 Wide met with a lot of interest amongst my creative colleagues. I heard "Wow", "Cool" and "It's about time" repeated quite often. Before I tell you about my experiences, let me first state that I've never really been comfortable with graphics tablets. I'm still not entirely convinced that they're as intuitive as drawing on paper. The basic idea of looking at a vertically oriented monitor and drawing on a separate horizontally oriented graphics tablet surface annoys me (although not as much as trying to do the same thing with a mouse).

So how does the Intuos3 A5 Wide stack up? First, it is big—about twice the size I expected—so having one of those wide aspect monitors with space under it is going to be a necessity. Next, it's really well designed and put together. I love the new stylus design too. Last but not least, it’s really easy to set up and use. My installation took less than a couple of minutes as all the drivers were provided on CD and the USB interface made it a painless exercise.

The Intuos3 A5 Wide is bundled with Corel Painter Essentials, which is a super-light version of Painter. I didn't bother installing it as I have Photoshop CS2 and Painter IX.5 which both work extremely well with the unit.

It took a few sessions to get to grips with the tablet and familiar with its usage and learning how to work with the Custom ExpressKeys and Touch Strip. I decided that using the tablet would have been even better had I also received the excellent Intuos3 Mouse for review. The mouse is in fact included with the standard A5 model and I strongly suggest to Wacom that future A5 Wide packages should also include a mouse.

The working area of the tablet is approximately 6" x 11" (15cm x 28cm), which makes it the perfect size for drawing and mousing around. The whole experience of using this tablet and the pen is something that any creative will appreciate. It is as close as you can get to a natural interface without spending thousands on one of its bigger brothers such as a Cintiq. Support for this excellent product is also good, with updated drivers, FAQs and help available via phone, email and online forums.

The Use It section on the Wacom web site features some great online demos, tips, techniques (which are well worth investigating) and downloads which cover usage and ergonomics. Apropos of nothing at all, I wonder if Wacom is going to partner its technology with one of the Tablet PC makers?

In the UK and the rest of Europe, Wacom has doubled the product support period via the commercial Intuos3 CarePack. This means you can obtain a total of four years of support and warranty coverage if you purchase the Intuos3 CarePack. The additional two years of coverage costs a total of UK£64.99/€499,99 and it's well worth the investment if you are a professional user. Unfortunately, the CarePack does not appear to be available in North America.

Cons: Still not as natural as using a sketchbook. No mouse provided.

Pros: Easy to set up and use. Excellent Custom ExpressKeys feature. Support for multiple operating systems. Superb design and finish. As any good creative will tell you, the tool is only as good as the talent. This tablet more than fills a hole in the market which needed to be addressed. The attention to detail which Wacom has put into this product is evident in every part and in the smooth and effortless functionality. I really enjoyed using the A5 Wide. Experiencing the Intuos3 A5 Wide has been exciting and now I can't wait to get my hands on a Wacom Cintiq interactive pen display for review. I highly recommend the Wacom Intuos3 6x11/A5 Wide for any creative who prefers a pen to a mouse.

This review has been reproduced in its entirety from Kickstartnews.com

Corel announces Alta.

Corel Corporation have announced their plans to release a new modular digital imaging platform, which they have code-named "Alta." "Representing the first hybrid product offering from Corel, Alta combines the speed, power, and security of desktop software with the connectivity and rapid enhancement cycle of Web-based applications."

Corel will make the first release of this new platform a free download that should be available by Autumn of 2006. "Once customers install the free version of Alta, they will have the tools they need to easily organize, enhance and share their digital photos and video clips. In addition, they will be able to add new functionality by upgrading additional components as they need them. This will provide customers and partners with unprecedented control and flexibility in customizing their digital imaging and photo management software." This all sounds like they've developed a modular toolkit for consumer based users to use for managing, enhancing and sharing their photos and videos.

Adobe purchases RawShooter Technology

Adobe has announced that it has bought the 'technology assets' of Pixmantec, the Danish company behind the RawShooter raw workflow and conversion application. Adobe indicates that they expect this acquisition to strengthen their leadership in raw processing and that they will integrate Pixmantec's raw processing technology into Lightroom and other Adobe products. Although Adobe will still support and make available the Essential edition of RawShooter, the Premium edition will be discontinued. For more information visit Adobe.

iView Acquired by Microsoft

iView Multimedia has announced that it has 'joined' Microsoft. iView are the creators of MediaPro which is a digital imaging workflow and management application, created for Mac and which was later developed for Windows. Yan Calotychos, who is the founder of iView, is adamant that Mac support would continue and that the iView product range will continue to be available (and supported and that development would continue. Read the release here.

Window Seat: The Art of Digital Photography & Creative Thinking

Reviewed by: Mario Georgiou, June 2006
Written by: Julieanne Kost
ISBN: 0596100833
Published by: O'Reilly
Requires: N/A
MSRP: US$39.99, UK£28.50, CAD$55.99

Julieanne Kost is a creative artist and Photoshop expert who has spent much of her professional career as an evangelist for Adobe. Her talents are evident to anyone who has been exposed to her work and knowledge through one of the many workshops she presents. The concept behind Window Seat is just what the title suggests—a look into the creative process, an intimate window into the way Kost sees the world, and a creative exploration of subject matter which, even if commonly experienced, is something many of us who travel take very much for granted.

When I received the publication in early May 2006 I really enjoyed reading it and looking at the images that Kost created for this excellent book. The often rich and beautiful images presented in Window Seat were created from photos she took while flying from one city to another. Taking photos from the vantage point of an airplane cabin window is no mean feat because the glass which protects passengers from the world outside also makes it very difficult to get any useful photos. The images Kost has created are substantially and skillfully reworked by her using Photoshop. All the shots are taken using the camera without any sort of flash unit (you're dozens, hundreds or thousands of feet from anything which kind of makes a flash useless, besides which any sort of flash would reflect back from the cabin window and ruin most photos anyway).

The book is organized into three distinct sections and an introduction. The textual content only spans some thirty or so pages with the rest of the pages dedicated to stunning images and screenshots of Photoshop in action.

The first section, The Art of Creative Thinking, details some eighteen key philosophical insights and working practices. This book isn't as instructional as it is insightful, so you will get more out of experiencing it than you will by just reading it. It is more like walking into a gallery of Kost's works with her as the guide providing you with thoughts about the process of creativity rather than about the work itself.

The practical component is demonstrated in literally the last 25 or so pages of this book, but this is more than enough to demonstrate what one can achieve within the scope of the dedicated application of these excellent tools.

My only criticisms are that the book was too short and that the images would have benefited more from being printed using a high fidelity process. Having said this, it’s not a real criticism but more of a desire to see more of these images and have them displayed in a medium which truly does them justice. Experiencing this book reminded me of another one I bought a few years ago called, "Ember Glance: The Permanence of Memory". It featured images of an installation of sculpture, sound and light by David Sylvian & Russell Mills. What is key about both books is their experiential nature.

After finishing Window Seat, I took it down to the pub with me one day and came across a friend. He opened the book out of curiosity and this led to one of the most enjoyable chats I've had in a long time, the most delightful part of which was watching his facial expressions as he discovered each image and felt compelled to offer his interpretation of what he saw. This to me reveals what art is all about and also the very personal and experiential nature of what we encounter in it. Window Seat is as much about the thinking and philosophy of creativity as it is about the practical exploration of artistic processes.

Cons: Very few. It could have been longer and printed using a high fidelity process. The Textual content is somewhat thin.

Pros: Window Seat is well written and features a clean layout and design which adds to the reading experience. Kost's beautiful images are a tapestry which is a pleasure to behold. If you have been looking for a book with which to explore the working of the creative mind, then look no further—Window Seat is it. The book is filled with insights and excellent images which will open your eyes and inspire you to think about the world around you in new and creative ways. What is truly enjoyable is that it opens an intimate window into Julieanne Kost's working processes and the thoughts behind them. Highly recommended.

This review has been reproduced in its entirety from Kickstartnews.com

News for week of June 18 - 25

111 Megapixel Sensor
DALSA Semiconductor announced that it has developed the worlds first 100 plus megapixel sensor. This sensor, is specifically aimed at astronomy and features 10,560 x 10,560 pixels. The sensors active area measures approximately four by four inches and has a 9 µm pixel pitch. The sensor has been jointly developed with Semiconductor Technology Associates for the US Naval Observatory. I for one, am looking forward to seeing the images it produces.

Google launches Picasa Web Albums
Google announced a new web albums feature for their photo management application, Picasa. The new feature, which is only available by invitation at the moment, enables quick and easy uploading of images from Picasa to a Google hosted gallery system. With the Web Albums you get 250 MB of storage free and for $25 a year you can add an additional 6 GB of storage.

DPReview posts an exclusive preview of the new Panasonic Lumix DMC-L1
For those of you who are fans of Leica Lenses DPReview have got an exclusive preview of the new Lumix DMC-L1 which uses Leica "D" class lenses. This Camera is designed to comply with Four Thirds™ standard. Visit DPReview for their exclusive hands-on preview.

ExpoDisc Digital White Balance Filters will be available at Ritz Camera and Image stores
ExpoImaging told DPReview that their ExpoDisc Digital White Balance Filters will soon be available in Ritz Camera and Image stores nationwide as well as through Ritz Camera online. "The ExpoDisc design enables it to receive, scramble and transmit light from a wide angle in front of the disc through to the camera’s image sensor for a faster, easier and more accurate white balance correction. This produces excellent results, even in mixed light."
"Each ExpoDisc is manufactured and individually calibrated by hand to strict tolerances of light transmission and color neutrality. Consisting of multiple layers of carefully selected and matched optical grade materials, each ExpoDisc is guaranteed for neutrality (+/- 2%) for demanding photographic professionals." For more information visit ExpoImaging Inc.

Bibble Labs updated to 4.8
Bibble Labs have just released version 4.8 of Bibble Labs Pro and Bibble Labs Lite. These new versions are available free to existing Bibble 4 owners. This release includes advanced lens correction (distortion, chromatic aberrations and vignetting) as well as B&W and spot color filters. It also adds support for the Fujifilm S3 Pro. Visit BibbleLabs for the new version.

Apple releases Aperture update.
Apple have released Aperture 1.1.2 for Mac. This appears to be largely a maintenance and performance based release. Apple have indicated that the release "addresses issues related to overall reliability and performance." I need to get a mac to take a look at Aperture and Lightroom. The update for aperture is available here.

Adobe releases Lightroom Beta 3

Adobe have posted Lightroom Beta 3, the latest public release of the their upcoming pro photo management and RAW conversion application. Lightroom is still Mac only, I'm dying to get my hands on a Wintel release. More information on what's new is in Lightroom's release notes.

Photoshop World Opens Registration With Discount Offer.

Photoshop World Conference & Expo – the largest Photoshop educational event in the world – will be held September 7-9 at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. Photoshop World is offering an advance registration discount of $100 until Friday, August 4th. Registration is open at photoshopworld.com or by calling 800-738-8513, Monday-Friday, 8:30 AM – 7:00 PM EST.

Thinck.com Launches Online ICC Colour Profiling Service

In what looks to be a reasonably priced service, Thinck.com have announced the launch of its ICC Colour Profiling Service. It promises to make high-quality colour management available at affordable prices using a system which allows users to download the appropriate test charts (colour targets), print them out and subsequently send them to Thinck.com by post. Thinck indicate in their press release that less than a week later, the customer will receive their new printer profile via email. Prices start at €45.00 for a RGB or CMYK printer profile.

Whilst this is a good start I can see that this will have to go hand in hand with solutions in the most important are of colour management - Calibration of Display Devices. For more information the service, visit thinck.com.

Announcing Spymac Galleries

I dont usually like to quote directly from press releases but the following is excerpted from a relase I received from Spymacs PR Agency -Thomas PR

June 12, 2006, NY, NY – Spymac www.spymac.com, the largest Macintosh community with over 1 million members, announced today Spymac Galleries, the first photo and video community that lets you express yourself like never before. Post photos, movies and music online for free and then discuss personal photos, new music, crazy videos, gossip, news, etc. online with friends and other Spymac members.

Available for Mac and Windows, Spymac Galleries let you upload for free massive multimedia files of up to 3GB using new “Spymac Disk” technology for exceptional drag-n-drop ease of use. An additional 9GB of online storage space and other services are also available to Spymac Club members for a small annual fee of only $25/year. Users can share or embed their photos and videos in their own or other’s blogs, auctions and web pages.

Spymac Galleries – Create Your Own Photo & Video Community

With Spymac Galleries, the emphasis is on community. Socialize, build relationships, and have fun sharing and exploring files, bookmarks, multimedia, schedules and other content with your friends and family. Files can be made public or viewable only to your friends and colleagues. Spymac visitors can comment, rate, and be polled on new multimedia creations for an unequaled interactive experience and a true community of friends and family all over the world.

Easy to Use Spymac Disk Technology

Posting to the Spymac Galleries is extremely easy. Using new Spymac Disk technology with advanced AJAX and WebDAV features, photo and video galleries can be quickly designed by dragging and dropping files. Spymac Disk makes it easy to drag files from your computer to the Spymac servers, where they can be displayed and viewed. Spymac Disk shows up on your desktop as a drive (just as an iPod or other storage device would), and managing files is just as simple as dragging and dropping photos, music and video from the drive where they are located to the Spymac Disk drive. Spymac Disk synchronizes with the Spymac site in the background while you work, so sharing and storing files online has never been easier.

Should definitely be an interesting experience and worthy of some exploration. Visit Spymac now and sign up for an account.

Photography Great, Arnold Newman Dies

Another great has left us ... Arnold Newman is perhaps one of the most candid and powerful photographers you will ever come across. His work is famous for capturing the essence of his subjects. His portraits of Igor Stravinsky, Pablo Picasso, Marilyn Monroe, Otto Frank, Andrew Wyeth, Andy Warhol and Alfried Krupp are excellent examples of his ability to capture and convey character. His death is a great loss to us. To see some of his powerful images visit PDNs Legends Online and Digital Journalist.
I leave you with a quote which captures the essence of his talent -

We do not take pictures with our cameras,
but with our hearts and minds.

Arnold Newman 88 - 1918-2006

News for June 2 - 12

HP recalls Photosmart R707 cameras
HP is recalling nearly 700,000 Photosmart R707 cameras dues to reports of a fire which was apparently caused when the camera was fitted with a non-rechargeable battery. A firmware update has been released which corrects the problem -- or they can contact HP to have the update carried out. The Firmware is available here.

Sony introduces Alpha DSLR-A100 digital SLR.
Sony have relased their much awaited DSLR, known as the Alpha (α) DSLR-A100, the camera is based upon Konica Minolta's Maxxum 5D/7D models. This further reinforces the continuation of the Konica/Minolta product line (which Sony bought last year) whilst bolstering Sonys Digicam offerings. In addition there are also 19 new lenses, including three from German lensmaker Carl Zeiss.
The basic specs are listed below, and if you want more details be sure to check out the reviews from Digital Camera Resource or DP Review
Alpha DSLR-A100:
10.2 effective Megapixel CCD, produces images at 3872 x 2592
Super SteadyShot CCD-shift image stabilization system
Sony/Minolta Alpha mount, supports most KM lenses and all the new Sony ones.
A hardware based Dynamic Range Optimizer.
Two dust reduction systems: special coating on sensor repels dust, and CCD "shakes" the rest off when camera is turned on/off.
2.5" LCD display with 230,000 pixels.
Enhanced full manual capability
ISO support up to 1600
RAW, RAW + JPEG support
Unlimited JPEG continuous shooting at 3 fps
Proprietary Hot shoe for external flash.
CompactFlash Type II slot; Memory Stick Duo adapter included
USB 2.0 High Speed support
Uses new NP-FM55H lithium-ion battery; 750 shots per charge
Ships in July for $899 body only or $999 with a Sony 18 - 70 mm lens

ArcSoft announce Panorama Maker 4

ArcSoft Panorama Maker 4 allows users to easily create seamless panoramic images from a series of digital photos. In the words of Mr. Stephan Cote, ArcSoft Vice President of Sales, Desktop Imaging Group. "Panorama Maker 4 is truly an amazing piece of software. In just seconds it will stitch a small set of pictures into a beautiful, wide-angle shot or turn a whole series of photos into a panoramic work of art, ... Almost every part of Panorama Maker has been upgraded. The workflow has been simplified, photo selection and photo ordering is now fully automated and photo stitching is fast and flawless. Fans of the previous version will love this upgrade but it's going to turn a lot of new heads too." I'll download a demo and try it out and report back when I get a chance. Panorama Maker 4 is available from the ArcSoft website.

Nikon Announce D2Xs and New Software

Nikon announced the D2Xs, which is a slightly upgraded D2X. The improvements include a larger 2.5" LCD, electronic masking of the focusing screen in high-speed crop mode, modified metering in high-speed crop mode, longer lasting battery life, a black and white mode, Adobe RGB in all color modes, up to 3 custom tone curves, 1/3 step ISO boost options, in-camera trim functions, and it's compatible with image authentication systems.

Nikon have also announced Nikon Camera Control Pro and Nikon Image Authentication. The former is an enhancement of Nikon Capture 4 Camera Control, and is compatible with Nikon Capture NX. Nikon Image Authentication is a Windows only product and is aimed at law enforcement, government, media and insurance markets. The software enables the integrity verification of images captured with the D2Xs, it can report if metadata or even the image itself has been altered since the image was taken. This last tool is especially important in forensics and any situation where images require legal usage and fidelity.