Sony Announce 24.81 Megapixel Sensor

Sony have just announced a new full size 35mm based CMOS sensor featuring 24.81 effective megapixels. The new sensor is aimed at future professional-level DSLRs. Sony's patented "Column-Parallel A/D Conversion Technique" is used in the new sensor and is said to achieve high signal to noise ratios even while shooting at the 6.3 - 12-bit frames per second. This new chip looks to be aimed squarely at Pros who are considering a future purchase of something like the Canon 1Ds MkIII. It'll be interesting to see who uses this chip in their cameras.

PMA Announcements Come Hard & Fast...

This week PMA 2008 begins and as expected the announcements from hardware and software manufacturers are coming hard and fast. Canon, Nikon, Fuji and just about everyone are announcing new desirables. For extensive coverage of all the PMA action you can read the coverage at Imaging Resource, Outback Photo, Photography Blog however we here at CIN will be publishing a summary of all the latest news at the end of each day...

Wacom Cintiq 12WX and Cintiq 20WSX

Wacom announced two new members to their Cintiq family last week. The Cintiq 12WX and Cintiq 20WSX offer onscreen editing for tablet fans, artists, photographers and imageers. The Cintiq 12WX offers a resolution of 1,280 x 800, and has a street price of $999. The Cintiq 20WSX, is the world's first wide-format desktop pen display with a 1680x1050 resolution. This makes it ideal for those who prefer to work with a 16:10aspect ratio and has an SRP of $1,999.

Creative Photoshop - Digital Illustration and Art Techniques

Review by Mario Georgiou
Author: Derek Lea
Focal Press - http://www.focalpress.com/
ISBN: 9780240520469
http://www.creativephotoshopthebook.com/
SRP: US$ 39.95 UK£22.99

Award winning illustrator Derek Lea has penned this excellent reference book for Focal Press. His illustration work is a unique combination of original photography, traditional illustration, and digital art. In Creative Photoshop, Derek uses his extensive experience with Photoshop to produce a series of tutorials which will give readers a nice balance of inspirational imagery and technical insight.

The book can be divided into four sections, the first which deals with traditional illustrative techniques such as drawing, painting and colouring. In this section Derek tackles the creation, definition and use of brushes, how to use Shapes and layers., emulating the look of graffiti and stencil art and how to trace photographic imagery to create illustrations. It also details several techniques for creating illustrations from sketches and retro art based stock. This section is completed by taking a look at colouring a comic based illustration.

The second section consists of coverage of unconventional illustrative techniques and methods. The first example uses thermal fax paper and a hairdryer to artificially age paper and also makes good use of scanned images and layering effects. The examples include the use of xerography, creating urban lowbrow art although a short section it provides some very cool solutions for creating effective and colourful imagery quickly.

The third section covers the creation of illustrative photography and includes one of his more famous tutorials which covers the blending of architectural source materials with a models face, to create a striking image. Subsequent examples provide solutions for emulating a 3D ribbon peel away effect, artificially ageing a portrait and creating a dark, moody and surrealistic image of a person peeling back their skin from a selection of different source materials. These images are a lot more complex than I have described, but you’ll just have to buy the book to see what I mean.

The fourth and final part covers the use of Photoshop in combination with other software. This primarily centers on the use and enhancement of 3D imagery. The last two chapters detail the use and editing of vector illustrations and details their use as elements in the creation of illustrations. My favourite chapter details the creation of a morphing pattern based upon the work of Max Ernst. All told Creative Photoshop is an excellent book from one of the best creatives in the industry.

Cons: Not for beginners.

Pros: Well written. Easy to follow. CD based tutorials and content. Creative and Imaginative.

Derek Lea succeeds with this excellent book, because he brings to bear his extensive practical experience with Photoshop and the other tools in his arsenal to create some very practical and creative solutions to tasks illustrators, imageers and designers will experience in their day to day work. Highly Recommended
*****

I-O data Launch Tough 16 GB Flash Drive

Japanese Firm I-O data have created the HDMC, a 16GB, freezable, droppable, completely water-proof USB flash drive. This device would make the idea of portable and hardy storage quite realistic for the photographer on the go. This device isn't cheap mind you, at ¥25,300, or about US$230, this device will put a hole in your wallet. Visit Akihabara News for more info and a really cheesy albeit interesting video.

Adobe Photoshop CS3 A-Z

Author: Phillip Andrews
Publisher: Focal Press
ISBN: 9780240520650
Price: US$29.95 - UK£17.99
As far as reference books for photoshop CS3 are concerned, Focal Press have been really busy the last few months. This book by Phillip Andrews isn't a tutorial book, it's a lavishly illustrated and in-depth reference which covers pretty much every feature in Photoshop CS3. It does a thorough job of explaining the use of all the tools and even begins with a very nice step by step section which I would have like to see more of... The rest of the book provides an excellent and easy reference for anyone who ever wanted a manual with Photoshop CS3. It is both comprehensive and extremely easy to follow. Highly Recommended

Virtual Vixens: 3D Character Modelling and Scene Placement

Focal Press are one of my favourite publishers of books dealing with Photography. With this reference work by Arndt von Koenigsmarck, Focal Press take a look at the world of Virtual or 3D people, or more specifically the creation of believable 3D Females. The book starts with a look at the work of artists like Steven Stahlberg and Liam Kemp who are well versed in creating virtual females. There is even an excellent feature on the work of Max Edwin Wahyudi ,which focuses on the creation of a virtual Natalie Portman. I was quite impressed with the quality of the model and images produced.
The book continues with several excellent workshops which focus on software and techniques for refining these characters and models. This book could have demonstrated just how far the technology has come in recent years but instead provides a solid groundwork for anyone interested in the techniques and tools currently being used. The one thing which stands out in this book is the importance of having excellent photo reference, both as source material and as textures. Virtual Vixens is worth a look, but don't expect it to show you anything groundbreaking unless you're a beginner.

Adobe Release Photoshop CS3 & Bridge CS3 Updates

Following closely on the heels of the lightroom and ACR updates, Adobe have also released updates to Photoshop and Bridge CS3. Photoshop Product Manager John Nack, has indicated that "The Photoshop 10.0.1 update addresses the key pain points experienced by users printing from CS3, particularly on Windows. I've posted a separate note that goes into more detail on the topic. The update also includes better support for preserving XMP metadata (including copyright) via Save For Web, through the inclusion of a new "Include XMP" option in the dialog's settings menu. The Photoshop update does not address a problem with changing the values for various tools on Mac OS X Leopard, but Apple and Adobe are working together on a separate fix (details)."
Click on the following links for the Mac and Windows updates.

The Bridge 2.1.1 update, includes a new preference, which enables High Quality Preview in the Bridge Preferences - Advanced panel. "When enabled, the preference addresses the problem of a soft or blurry preview appearing in the Preview panel and in Slideshow mode. The Bridge update also remedies other problems reported by users, including a problem that could cause Bridge to lock up when using arrow keys to navigate."
Click on the following links for the Mac and Windows updates.

onOne Release New Pro Tools

onOne have announced the immediate availability of its two new digital imaging software plug-ins -- PhotoTools and PhotoTools Professional Edition. The new versions PhotoTools are flexible yet powerful new Photoshop plug-ins that utilizes the power of Photoshop Actions to provide a wide range of imaging tools including effects, corrections and production automation via a full-featured interface. PhotoTools allows users to preview effects individually or combined/stacked together in a layer-like configuration as well as save their favorite combinations as presets for future use. Visit the onOne Software website for more information.

Adobe Update Lightroom and Adobe Camera Raw

Adobe have released updates to Photoshop Lightroom and their Photoshop Camera Raw plug-in. The updates are available immediately as free upgrades for existing users. Lightroom can be downloaded from Lightroom product page and provides added support for Apple Leopard Mac OS X 10.5 and includes a technology preview of the Lightroom Export SDK, which is available as a separate download on the Adobe Labs site. The Lightroom 1.3 and Camera Raw 4.3 updates also include raw file support for seven additional digital cameras including the Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, Canon PowerShot G9, Nikon D3, Nikon D300, Olympus E-3, Olympus SP-560 UZ, and Panasonic DMC-L10.

Plustek OpticFilm 7300

Review by Mario Georgiou

Manufacturer: Plustek
System Requirements: CD-ROM Drive
One available USB Port
512 MB RAM
500 MB free HDD space
High Color graphic card (VGA or higher)

Windows
CPU: Pentium III or faster CPU
Microsoft Windows 2000 / XP / Vista Compatible

Macintosh:
CPU: PPC G4, PPC G5, Intel
MAC 10.3.9 and higher including Leopard

SRP: £169.99 US $369.95

Over a year ago I reviewed the Plustek 7200i, when I was offered the 7300, I was intrigued to find out what the updated model would have to offer. The Plustek Optic film is aimed squarely at the amateur and and enthusiast. Although it features 7200 dpi high resolution scanning and basic dust and scratch removal, it misses on some crucial capabilities such as support for more transparency and negative formats. However the added capability for multiple exposures of a single image source makes up for what is missing. So how good is the 7300, and how does it live up to the requirements of converting your slides and negs into digital equivalents.

The OpticFilm 7300 is priced at £145 excluding VAT, and with an even lower price point than its predecessor, I expected to be let down, I was however please by how little was of issue. The 7300 was easy to install and use. Scanning with it is as easy as ever and with the slide viewer embedded in the top of the unit, it was truly a pleasure to work with.

Like the 7200, SilverFast software is bundled with the scanner and it is extremely easy to use. Also included is LaserSoft Imaging’s latest SilverFast SEPlus 6.5 ME image editing software, which provides a powerful scan with high-quality results. Like the 7200i it is relatively fast for scanning clean negs and slides, however scanning times go way up when you try to use silverfast and the annoying muddying introduced in this process is still problematic and give some detail a soft watercolour look.

The scans produced are pretty good, and although I like the ability to select the type of film being scanned although the range of products supported were still not sufficiently expanded to handle all the film types I had in my collection. Like the 7200i, I had to guess on a couple of OEM based film brands and their ideal profiles.

Two film carriers are provided and support both film and slides. I still think the carriers needed to have a more secure fit, still, I found no issues with the resulting scans, because of this.

Unlike the 7200i detail in the highlights and shadows was not blown out, due to the multiple exposure feature. I would recommend this scanner for the enthusiast and amateur who needs high resolution but the dynamic range is still in need of improvement.

For the amateur this unit is a real steal, dedicated film scanners of similar capabilities can cost much, much, more. The 7300's clean looks and ease of use makes it an attractive option.

Cons
Slow scanning in high resolution. No support for larger negs and transparencies.

Pros
Easy to set up and use. Small footprint. High optical resolution and good detail. Surprisingly low price. Multiple Exposure mode is a much welcome addition.

For the amateur photographer who wants a cheap scanner to scan their slides and negs, this unit is a perfect option. It, like its predecessor is easy to install and even easier to use. I highly recommend the Plustek Opticfilm 7300 for the amateur photographer and enthusiast.

Phil Askey - PMDA Person of the Year

The PMDA (PhotoImaging Manufacturers and Distributors Association) have announced that Phil Askey of dpreview.com will receive its 'Person of the Year' award for 2008. This award will be presented at the PMDA awards dinner just before the PMA show in Las Vegas on 30th January 2008. The PMDA has members such as Casio, Canon, Kodak, Fujifilm, HP, Leica, Nikon, Olympus, Panasonic, Pentax and Samsung. It's good to see the hard work Phil and his team have put into DPReview being recognised by the industry. For more info visit PMDA Congrats Phil...

Silver Oxide Intro Orthochromatic Filter

Silver Oxide, have introduced a new filter which emulates the look of Orthographic film.

Until 1925, Hollywood studios used orthochromatic Eastman Standard Negative stock. Orthochromatic film was only sensitive to the brightest natural light, so large ultraviolet lamps had to be used during shooting. It also registered only blue light, so anything colored red showed up on the film as black.

Silver Oxide produce excellent digital filters which do an excellent job of emulating classic Black and White films. The new generation of SilverOxide filters also work as Smart Filters in CS3. For more info and demos visit SilverOxide.

GWG Photography White Paper on Printing

The int'l Ghent PDF Workgroup has announced the availability of the GWG Photography White Paper. This paper is designed to provide a comprehensive set of guidelines for digital photography print productions for publishers and photographers.

Considering the wide variety in image and file formats, correct implementation of color management and standards is essential to ensure that quality is maintained from the original capture to the final print. The GWG recommends using the guidelines for digital photography projects for print..

It's a good read ... download it and other papers here.

Plugin Galaxy 2

Plugin Galaxy 2 has been released for Windows. This plugin is for creating special effects and enhancing images with the more than 160 basic effects. It is compatible with Windows Vista and with performance improvements it is also up to twice faster than the previous version. It also supports 16bit RGB and grayscaled images, features new Layers and Blend features, which allows you to apply multiple effects to the image in one session and create sophisticated effect combinations that were not possible before. There is also a new batch processing option which can apply the same effect to hundreds of images with just a few clicks. The saving and opening of filter settings as presets is now also supported. Visit The plugin site for more info...

HDR Labs Release The HDRI Book

The HDRI Handbook is now available from O'Reilly Press. This book delves into the niceties of High Dynamic Range Imaging (HDRI) and is filled with practical hints and tips, software evaluations, workshops, and hands-on tutorials. The book also has an accompanying DVD which includes HDRI software. This book was written by Christian Bloch, who is an acclaimed Visual Effects Artist and who has been working professionally in the field for years. His work can be seen in StarTrek:Enterprise, Smallville, Invasion, Lost, 24, and a growing number of movies and commercials. He is a pioneer in the practical application of HDRI in post-production, specifically under the budgetary and time restraints of TV production. Any photographer, CG artist, compositor, or cinematographer would do well to pick this up... for more info visit HDR Labs

Aperture Updated To Version 1.5.6

Apple have announced an update to Aperture. Version 1.5.6 addresses some performance and stability issues and provides compatibility with Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard. Issues that are addressed include minor compatibility issues with iPhoto 7.1, iLife Media and several other performance issues.

Adobe Photoshop CS3 for Photographers, by Martin Evening

Reviewed by: Mario Georgiou, September 2007
Published by: Focal Press
ISBN: 0-240-52028-9
Requires: N/A
MSRP: US$46.95, UK£29.95

Having reviewed previous editions of books in this series from excellent photographer, Martin Evening, I had come to expect very high standards from this latest in the "... for Photographers" series. Adobe Photoshop CS3 for Photographers doesn't disappoint. Taking you through CS3 in color coded and well formatted sections, it provides an easy-to-follow, in-depth and knowledgeable reference for even the most well-versed digital photographers and imageers.

The book has been rewritten from scratch since the CS2-based edition. Evening does a good job of covering everything that's new in Adobe Photoshop CS3 compared to previous versions of Photoshop, while also looking into the essential features for any imageer and photographer. Adobe Photoshop CS3 for Photographers is firmly positioned as a reference work for the professional Photoshop CS3 user whose main area of work is related to digital photography. The absence throughout the book of any platform bias is also nice, so you'll find almost equal attention paid to both Mac and Windows key bindings and other information.

Each of the 15 chapters takes you through its chosen subject matter from the basics through to more advanced features and applications. Chapters 1-3 are an introduction to the new features and differences that appear in Adobe Photoshop CS3 along with a look at the changes in the user interface. They also feature a look at the basic tool sets and how to use them, which includes a look at Adobe Bridge, drawing tools and some of the basic methods of working with images.

Chapters 4, 5 & 6 look into the process of making adjustments and corrections to images as well as the acquisition of images through Camera RAW and Bridge. They continue with a look at the process of making fine adjustments and image corrections using the healing brush and other tools as well as adjustment layers and layer masks.

Chapters 7 and 8 deal with image retouching and methods of using the tools in CS3 for further enhancing images using layers, cloning and brushes. Layers, Selections and Masks are amongst the most useful and powerful of features in Photoshop and are actually well deserving of an entire book dedicated just to them. One of the most useful examples provided is one where the author has used a sequence of shots of the same scene to remove unwanted people by using the automatic alignment and image stack capabilities. The extraction of image elements using a variety of tools is also quite thoroughly covered and to great effect.

Chapter 9 takes a look at replicating traditional darkroom effects in CS3. Effects such as Solarization, Split toning, black & white from color, duo-tones, infrared emulation, cross processing, and the use of gradient maps. Chapter 10 takes a closer general look at the use of Photoshop's built in filter to further enhance your images.

Chapters 11 and 12 explain many of the intricacies of image and color management. While the former is handled largely through the use of Bridge, the latter is a bit trickier. Although color management can be handled to some extent using software, the use of hardware based calibrators can augment this substantially.

Chapters 13 and 14 continue with a look at the world of output with printing and web-based output both considered in some detail. In the former the different factors affecting the accuracy and longevity of your photographic prints are considered along with calibration and configuration. In the latter the web capabilities of Photoshop CS3 are covered with attention paid to file optimization and types, watermarking and gallery creation.

Chapter 15 completes the book with a look at the powerful automation capabilities built into Photoshop CS3, with coverage of actions, droplets and some of the plug-ins and scripts that come with Photoshop CS3.

Although an excellent and fairly comprehensive title, This volume does suffer due to a timing issue, it doesn't cover the excellent Adobe Capture Raw (ACR) 4.1 update, which was released after the book was published. However, there is an update on the website.

Cons: No coverage of ACR 4.1

Pros: Excellent Layout and information. Comprehensive and with no platform bias. This excellent, well-formatted book and its companion DVD containing video tutorials and extra chapters, serve both amateur and professional digital photographers, imageers and graphic artists. It is highly recommended and a must-have for your reference library.

Grubba Software Announces TrueGrain

TrueGrain is yet another example of software dedicated to emulating some of the real world characteristics of film. As you can tell from the name it is a tool designed to recreate the look of film grain. Where it differs, is that it doesn't just use noise with software algorithms to recreate this look, but actively models itself based upon the characteristics of the real world equivalent film type selected.

The TrueGrain software contains a library of grain samples and profiles for a number of classic film stocks, some of which are no longer available and are unlikely to be available in the future.

“People have been fooling around with techniques for recapturing the look of film for a while now, but most of these attempts have been tentative and generic in both thrust and result,” said Martin Doudoroff, Grubba Software collaborator. “We think TrueGrain goes quite a bit further through its empirical approach: high resolution film grain samples and meticulous databases of measurements. Our approach is brute force, but it produces the kind of results professionals are looking for. And our software makes it all quite accessible.”

TrueGrain effectively uses these samples to recreate the look and feel of the film type being emulated. With features like Spectral Response, Dynamic Range and Film Grain controls this is a truly powerful and simple tool to use. The tool looks to be a worthy addition to the arsenal of any digital photographer however it is only available for Mac OS. For more information, to view a video or to download a demo visit Grubba Software

Alien Skin Announces Exposure 2

Exposure 2 has been updated to include even more capabilities to give digital photographs the look and feel of film. With Exposure 2 you have one-click access to the broadest range of film stocks and special effects settings available in any software package.

The variety of films you can simulate with Exposure 2 is truly impressive. With this excellent tool you can match the look of popular film stocks like Portra®, Velvia®, Kodachrome®, Polaroid®, TRI-X®, Agfa® Scala®, GAF® 500, and Kodak® EES.

The capability to emulate the distinctive look of film grain is awesome and has been improved over the capabilities in Exposure 1, Version 2 gives you the most realistic grain on the market, providing you with control over sharpness, colour variation, and intensity throughout the images entire tonal range. Exposure 2’s grain size automatically adjusts to your image size, providing you with consistent and accurate results across all of your cameras.

There are over 300 effects presets in Exposure 2, including push and cross processing, a vastly improved infrared simulator, and sophisticated colour to black and white conversion.

Exposure 2 simplifies your workflow by providing control over colour, dynamic range, softness, and grain control into one easy-to-use plug-in. Use it to correct a colorcast, soften a digital portrait, or tweak contrast with the powerful slider and curve controls. You can also create your own presets that help you define your own signature look allowing you to recall and apply it at will.

For more information and to download a demo, visit Exposure 2

ACDSee 10 Photo Manager Announced

ACD Systems International Inc. announced the release of ACDSee 10 Photo Manager. This latest update to their popular photo organization and sharing software includes features which include real-time viewing, management and editing of multiple image files, even in large albums and photo collections. These features combine to make ACDSee 10 the most powerful and affordably priced tool available for seamless integration with photo sharing sites such as Flickr and SmugMug, as well as cameras and other devices.
ACDSee 10 Photo Manager is available for a free 30-day trial and for purchase for $49.99 (USD) at http://www.acdsee.com/. Users can bundle this program with ACDSee Photo Editor for the combined price of $79.99 (USD). Photo Editor is the companion software that helps users of any skill level, enhance photos and create their own digital layouts to print and share.

DxO Optics Pro v5 Software

DxO Labs have announced the upcoming availability of DxO Optics Pro v5, their automatic image quality enhancement software for Digital SLR camera users. DxO Optics Pro v5 sets a new standard for image quality with its new RAW conversion engine. This new version features a breakthrough in demosaicing technology via a completely new demosaicing algorithm which promises to produce images with much more detail and fewer artifacts. “DxO Labs’ approach to demosaicing promises to turn a number of classical solutions on their head: instead of only considering pixels with respect to their direct neighbors, DxO’s new RAW Engine uses a ‘non local’ approach looking much further than is usual from each pixel in the image in order to reconstruct detail. This approach, according to DxO, significantly reduces demosaicing artifacts and performs noise removal directly on the RAW data for best lowlight performance.

Noise reduction is performed upfront, before noise has a chance to be amplified by the RAW conversion process. Combined with other proprietary techniques, the new RAW Engine promises to produce both the most detailed and most natural looking images yet. According to DxO Labs, the new RAW conversion engine has been fine-tuned and optimized with the rest of the software’s automated image enhancement features (optical corrections, colour rendering, exposure optimization, highlight recovery, etc.) to produce best-in class results.

DxO Optics Pro v5 now incorporates a new tool to remove dust and blemishes from any digital image. Once dust and blemishes have been marked by the user, DxO Optics Pro v5 can automatically process any number of images with this particular dust/blemish template.

DxO Optics Pro v5 features a revamped User Interface which promises to improve workflow and ease of use. The tools are organized into four main sections that match the photographer’s approach: Light, Colour, Geometry, Details.

Users of DxO Optics Pro v5 can also customize their workspace to their particular way of working or choose to keep the tool organization of the previous version. DxO Optics Pro’s powerful project and preset functions have also been overhauled for increased ease of use and functionality.

Increased speed and camera support, benefiting from an entire rewrite using Microsoft’s .NET and Apple’s ObjC-Cocoa technologies, DxO Optics Pro v5 will be up to four times faster than version 4.0. DxO Optics Pro v5 for Windows should be available at the end of October 2007, with the Macintosh version available approximately one month later.

DxO Optics Pro v5 will be available in Standard and Elite versions at pricing unchanged from version 4.5: DxO Optics Pro v5 Standard: $169 DxO Optics Pro v5 Elite: $299

Visit DxO Labs online at http://www.dxo.com/

ACDSee Release New Pro Photo Software Solution

ACD Systems International Inc., have announced their ACD See Pro2 for professional photographers. ACDSee Pro 2, features their next-generation workflow management and RAW processing functionality as tested by thousands of professional photographers. This new version of their “one-stop” software for viewing, processing, editing, cataloguing, publishing and archiving digital images is a feature rich offering which enhances their already excellent powerful Pro solution. This update was developed with input from the more than 2,500 photographers, who participated in their beta-testing program.

ACDSee Pro 2’s features enhanced processing power and performance which allows speedy viewing and handling of large RAW files. File manipulation is facilitated through features which nclude: the cutting and pasting of RAW photo settings, one-step rotating and cropping, and recovery of up to two stops of lost highlight detail with their Highlights Recovery slider. RAW files can be simultaneously exported to up to 14 different formats and multiple resolutions also included is the capability to rename, resize and embed colour profiles.

Cataloguing images using ACDSee Pro 2’s is even easier with improved metadata handling which includes automated metadata-based file sorting, advanced browsing capabilities such as “Group By,” “Filter By” and “Events View,” and read/write capabilities for both XMP sidecar files and digital negatives (DNG). Enhanced editing is supported via tools such as opacity and blending, channel mixer, and their patent-pending shadow and highlight controls.

For more information visit the ACDSee Pro2 product page...

RAW Product Announcements

There have been several RAW image product announcements this week. Bibble Labs have updated Bibble to include support for the Canon 40D, Pentax K100D Super and the Fujifilm FinePix E550. The support for the Canon 40D included tethered shooting and sRAW, check out Bibble Labs for more information on this release.

Phase One announced the beta release of Capture One 4, this is a new application building on cutting-edge technology, a new architecture, and what users found best from previous generations of Capture One. The beta is available now at no cost until November 1. Capture One 4 is available for Windows XP (SP2) and Vista and Mac OS 10.4.8 (or higher) platforms. Visit Phase One for more information.

Ichikawa Soft Laboratory have updated Silkypix Developer Studio to version 3.0.12 adding support for the Canon EOS 40D, visit the Silkypix product page for more information

Corel Announces Paint Shop Pro Photo X2

Corel Corp. have announced the launch of Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo X2. This new release features a new photoneutral interface and major workflow changes that promise to improve a users experience of editing and correcting their photos and images. Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo X2 is at the photo-enthusiast and also at business users who wish to edit and enhance photos for their presentations and other applications. Many of the features found in PSP Photo X2 are found in professional level applications and as such would be ideal for use by the amateur photographer who wants their capabilities to grow with their experience level. Improvements and new features include: Express Lab, which which allows for quick edits, enhancments and changes to images, HDR Photo Merge which adds High Dynamic Range capabilities to Paint Shop Pro.
Other improvements include, Layer Styles, Makeover Tools, Auto-Preserve Originals and Crop as New Image. For more information please visit Corel. Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo X2 will be available for a suggested retail price of US$99.99.

onOne Announces PhotoTools and PhotoTools Professional Edition

onOne has introduced two new digital imaging software plug-ins – PhotoTools and PhotoTools Professional Edition. PhotoTools is a new Photoshop plug-in that utilizes Photoshop Actions to provide a wide range of imaging tools. These include; effects, corrections and production automation and all are applied through a nicely crafted interface which allows the user to more easily control their application. With PhotoTools users can preview effects either individually or...

"combined/stacked together in a layer-like configuration as well as save their
favorite combinations as presets to be used in the future."

PhotoTools replicates many traditional photographic filters and darkroom techniques.

"PhotoTools and PhotoTools Professional Edition will faithfully reproduce camera
filters like neutral density, color correction and polarization as well as
darkroom techniques and alternative processes like solarization, cyanotype and
palladium printing as well as many paper toners. PhotoTools even includes cinema
looks popularized by Hollywood movies."

Phototools includes over 150 effects, whilst the Professional Edition adds over 100 more. PhotoTools 1.0 is available for a retail price of US$159.95 and PhotoTools Professional Edition will retail price for US$259.95.

Photoshop Express Shown At Photoshop World

Photoshop Express was shown by Adobe Senior Vice President, John Loicono to crowds of onlookers at Photoshop World. Photoshop Express isn't meant to replace any of the existing products, but is instead designed to be a web based application similar to Premiere Express, which was released earlier this year. The application follows some of the same UI principles shown in Lightroom and other RAW apps but is far simpler in its use. Allowing users a pick and use type of approach for edits and enhancements. John Nack mentions it on his blog, and even provides a screenshot of the app in action.

Microsoft Release Beta HD Photo plug-ins for Photoshop

Microsoft have released an updated beta version of their HD Photo plug-in for Photoshop for Windows, they have also introduced a Universal Binary beta for Photoshop for Mac. Microsoft's Bill Crow, Program Manager for HD Photo, has indicated on his blog, that these are likely to be functionally identical to the final versions of the plug-ins for each platform.

HD Photo is a free download for bothWindows and Mac. Microsoft and the JPEG Group recently announced that they have begun the process of standardizing HD Photo as a new variant of JPEG. HD Photo will most likely become known as JPEG XR.

Nikon Announce New Compacts

Nikon have followed up their announcement of the D3 and D300, with news of several new compact digicam models. This includes their 12.1 megapixel, Coolpix P5100, the 8.1 megapixel Coolpix P50, the S700 with image stabilization, and other models like the S510, the S51 and 51c and the entry level L14 and L15. All should be available in the UK from September.

Ricoh Announce New R7

Ricoh has updated its R-series of compact digicams with the Caplio R7. The optical specs remain the same as the R6 with a 28-200mm equivalent lens and CCD-shift image stabilization, however the sensor has been upgraded to 8.15 megapixels - up from 7.2 MP - image processing has also been updated to include Smooth Imaging Engine III. Available in black, silver or orange, the Caplio R7 will be available in the UK from September 2007 for around £230.