Nikon Coolpix L3 review
Asia.cent has posted a review of the Nikon Coolpix L3 digital camera review.
Will Greenwald writes: Images from the Coolpix L3 generally came out sharp but were hindered by some annoying qualities. For example, we noticed vignetting–the darkening of corners of the image–in our test shots, and high-contrast edges developed a slight purple fringe. Despite these image problems, details were rendered crisply, and colors were reproduced accurately, if slightly cool.
Nikon Coolpix L3 5.1MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom
Olympus ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 7-14mm Digital Lens Review
Cameralabs has posted a review of the Olympus ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 7-14mm Digital Lens. Gordon Laing writes: The Olympus ZUIKO DIGITAL 7-14mm is without a doubt an extremely impressive lens. Not only does it offer noticeably wider coverage than any other ultra-wide zoom on the market, it also features highly-corrected optics.
As our results page shows, the 7-14mm exhibits virtually no geometric distortion, impressively low vignetting considering its extreme coverage, and is sharp in the corners throughout its focal range. It’s also very well-built and designed to stand-up to professional use. There’s really no technical aspect we can fault it on.
Olympus ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 7-14mm Digital Lens
Joby Gorillapod camera tripod Review
Pocket-lint.co.uk has posted a review of the Joby Gorillapod camera tripod.
Doug Harman posts: Weighing just 45g and able to fold or wrap to almost anything, the Gorillapod is small enough to pack in a handbag, say, or take along with you on holiday, camping, or to a party. It is able to cope with cameras up to 335g, so most modern digital compacts would be fine perched atop its bendy frame. Moreover, two new versions are on the way for larger compact cameras and D-SLRs, so watch this space.
The Gorillapod is (almost) as grippy as a real gorilla, but unlike a large (probably) angry ape, it is also a great photo accessory for any small digital camera.
Joby Gorillapod Camera Tripod
Choose Great Frames for your Digital Photos
Press Release:
Digital Light & Color Introduces FRAME EXPLORER for visualizing framing
Cambridge, Mass, October 31, 2005 – Digital Light & Color, Inc. today introduced its Frame Explorer software for visualizing and exploring framing options for photographs and artwork. The new program helps you quickly explore the myriad of mat and frame colors and proportions to achieve the optimum presentation of any image. Frame Explorer can be purchased at www.dlc.com. Availability is set for November 15, 2005. It will also be offered free with a purchase of Picture Window Pro for a limited time.
With Frame Explorer, you display the actual image you want to frame. Then select mat and frame sizes, colors, and textures and view them realistically against the actual background color where you will hang the frame. You can even approximate display lighting conditions. You can choose single, double, or triple matting, square or beveled edges, and rectangular or oval openings as well as different frame widths and profiles. You can quickly and easily explore myriads of options to develop the most effective framing design for your image. When you are happy with your choices you can print the overall design for reference. Frame Explorer also prepares a table listing all the materials and their dimensions.
Frame Explorer is fully color managed. On calibrated monitors, it automatically displays the image and all materials in the monitor’s color space, for maximum color fidelity.
In short, Frame Explorer takes the guesswork out of framing your photographs. It lets you experiment with unconventional combinations and achieve the framing design with the greatest impact.
Frame Explorer is available directly from Digital Light & Color. It can be purchased over the web at www.dl-c.com. The price is $39.95.
Frame Explorer runs on the PC under Windows 98, ME, NT 5.0, Windows 2000 or Windows XP.
About Digital Light & Color
Since its inception in 1993, the goal of Digital Light & Color has been to create and distribute the best possible software for photographers. The company was founded by Jonathan Sachs – the programmer who, in 1982, created the first version of Lotus 1-2-3. In 1994, Digital Light & Color distributed the first copies of its critically acclaimed electronic darkroom software, Picture Window. The company also developed Color Mechanic – an award-winning Photoshop plug-in for making selective color adjustments, and the suite of Profile Mechanic color management tools for monitors, scanners and digital cameras.
Frame Explorer is a trademark of Digital Light & Color. Other trademarks are properties of their respective owners.
Olympus Magnifier Eyecup ME-1
Here’s a short press release that Olympus released yesterday. This little accessory seems to attach to the viewfinder of the E-500 and E-300 and magnifies the view by 1.2 times.
I don’t know how useful that would be… but the say that it will improve ease of use.
Hamburg, 9 November 2005 – The new Olympus Magnifier Eyecup ME-1 increases the viewfinder performance of the recently-launched E-500 by providing views 1.2 times larger than normal. It also fits on the E-500’s forerunner – the digital SLR E-300. Simply attach the eyecup magnifier in place of the standard eyecup and enjoy bigger views of subjects. Ease of use is thereby significantly enhanced during focusing and framing. The eyecup incorporates two lenses and measures 40 x 30 x 12mm. This very helpful accessory will be available from December 2005.
For questions or further information, please contact:
Christina Blake
Olympus Europa GmbH
Corporate Communications
Tel.: +49-40-237 73-191
email: christina.blake@olympus-europa.com
And visit: www.olympus-europa.com
The Perfect Christmas Gift for the Ninja / Spy photography enthusiast in your family
You can use this handy little tool to photograph around corners, photograph based on motion detection, or photograph after an exact time interval. Perfect for people photographing everyday scenes, nature scenes, taking pictures for covert operations, or for home security measures. Looks good and it costs around $200.
Press Release:
Seculine ZIGVIEW-R - the world’s first TTL Motion Sensor shutter release, Interval & Exposure Timer, based on the original Zigview Digital Angle Finder.
Building on the success of Seculine’s Zigview Digital Angle Finder, the Zigview R incorporates a host of new features including a motion sensor trigger, a sophisticated interval timer and a Bulb exposure controller making it the ideal accessory for wildlife, nature and macro photography or any situation where a covert or accurately timed approach is required.
Simply attach the Zigview-R digital angle finder to the viewfinder of your camera, frame the subject area as required on the TFT colour display and input the required shutter trigger settings using the on screen menu’s.
The motion sensor fires the shutter when movement is detected based on brightness levels in 9 areas of the viewfinder image. This innovative design allows the sensor area to be over any distance and with any area of view including the most extreme telephoto and wideangle lenses, with the sensitivity of each trigger being variable to allow movement in parts of the field of view.
Fujifilm Announces Four New Memory Card Readers
Nothing special really. FujiFilm as launched some USB 2.0 memory card readers which pretty colors and lights. wheeee
Press Release:
Four new Fujifilm memory card readers launched (13:32:51 - 08th Nov 05)
New media card readers feature multiple format support, USB 2.0 connection for fast data transfer, and cool translucent design - with blue LEDs, all characterised by their high performance, stylish design and ease-of-use.
Fujifilm DCR2-161 memory card readerThe four new readers include: DCR2-161, , DCR2-71 and DCR2-MS
Each reader is capable of incredibly quick data transfer speeds of up to 480Mbps via a plug-and-play*, USB 2.0 connection. The devices also feature a futuristic blue LED that lights up when they are in use.
ExpoCap White Balance Filter Improves Color In Digital Photos
For better results and more creative control over your digital images, the ExpoCap Custom White Balance Aid is an easy to use white balancing tool designed for use with fixed lens prosumer and entry-level DSLR cameras.
I haven’t tried it out so I’m not sure how significantly this will improve your photographs. It is still a very nice product.
Press Release:
November 08, 2005 06:01 AM US Pacific Timezone
ExpoCap White Balance Filter ”Ends the Blues” for Digital Cameras; Affordable Solution Improves Color in Time for Holiday Picture Taking
MORGAN HILL, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Nov. 8, 2005–Finally there’s a solution that can end the “blues” for fixed lens prosumer and entry-level digital SLR cameras at the point of capture. It’s called ExpoCap from ExpoImaging www.expoimaging.net.
Millions of people will find digital cameras under their Christmas tree in 2005, or break them out to take holiday season photos — and a large number of those people will continue to take pictures with cool, bluish tones and poor skin color.
Epson P-4000 Launched in the UK
The 80Gb Epson P-4000 has now been announced in the UK, priced at £499.99 ($887.446 USD). It seems more expensive than that it’s selling for in Japan (¥70,000 (approx $629)).
The P-4000, features a larger 80GB hard disk, 3.5-inch LCD and new higher powered 2600mAh battery, compared to the 2300mAh battery in the P-2000. The device can display JPEG files as well as RAW images from the Epson RD-1 and also play MPEG-4 movies at 640 x 480 pixels. The P-4000 also has slots for CompactFlash Type 2 and SD cards.
Epson UK Press Release
Epson’s® P-4000 Multimedia Storage Viewer is the essential portable device for photographers on the move
With its 3.8” Photo Fine high definition colour display, impressive 80GB storage and wide RAW support, the P-4000 is one of the most advanced photographic storage devices on the market.
1st November 2005: The Epson P-4000 Multimedia Storage Viewer is the new addition to Epson’s award winning Multimedia Storage Viewer range. It is the ideal tool for professional and semi-professional photographers, featuring an incredible 80GB storage capacity for image backup as well as Epson’s market leading Photo Fine screen. Presented in a sleek and resilient aluminium casing the Epson P-4000 is a truly stylish and portable device that should be in every photographer’s camera bag.
With the 3.8” display size and resolution of 640×480 pixels or 212 pixels per inch, you can review your photos on the brightest, highest resolution screen on the market. Epson Photo Fine LCD technology ensures a sharp lifelike preview of recorded images unsurpassed by any other manufacturer. The high-density LCD provides a much higher pixel density than other available models. The results are clearer, sharper images of unprecedented detail with high-quality colour rendition and brightness.
Sony Launches New 5GB CompactVault(TM) Media
5 GB on a one inch drive! I wonder how much this costs. Whatever it will cost i’m sure everything else will decrease in price. This will be able to hold 1600 images (at 3megs each) or 4 hours of video. Native transfer speed is not too bad … 96.7Mbps which is about 12 megabytes per second. This will seem small in the years ahead i’m both delighted and disappointed to say. Thats because image sizes will keep going up as higher and higher megapixel cameras come out! I’m glad these guys are fighting hard to keep up! 
Press release:
New CompactFlash(TM) Type II hard disk drive with unique Cybercapture (TM) technology delivers increased storage capacity for all photo enthusiasts and professionals
Paris, 31 October, 2005 - Sony Europe’s Recording Media & Energy (RME) division today announced the launch of its first 5GB CompactFlash™ Type II media, under the new COMPACTVAULT™brand. The new COMPACTVAULT provides the latest addition to Sony’s removable media range, enabling storage of up to 1600 images (1) or four hours of MPEG 4 recording. The one-inch hard disk drive boasts a native transfer rate of up to 96.7Mbps, which is further maximized when the COMPACTVAULT is used in conjunction with future Cybercapture enabled products, providing even faster recording of images and higher quality of videos, in what is termed AV mode.
The new COMPACTVAULT media is compatible with all products with a CF Type II slot(2). Once the images have been recorded onto the COMPACTVAULT media, they can easily be transferred onto computers running Windows ME, Windows 2000 and Windows XP, either directly through a PC’s CompactFlash Type II slot or in the case of many laptops via a PCMCIA adapter.
“The COMPACTVAULT is the next step in the development of our removable media family”, said Céline Haffner, Product Manager, Sony RME. “It offers high storage capacity for state-of-the-art digital cameras, such as the new Sony Cybershot R1. In addition, we expect to see devices becoming available in the future that take full advantage of our Cybercapture technology. By moving the file system from the hardware device onto the hard disk drive itself, the Cybercapture technology will allow an even higher recording rate of still pictures in multi-shot mode as well as higher quality recording of moving pictures, on a COMPACTVAULT running in AV mode.”
The 5GB COMPACTVAULT will be available from November 2005.
1 - Based on an average picture file size of 3MB
2 - The latest compatibility information will be available at www.sony.net/compactvault/COMPACTVAULT and Cybercapture are registered trademarks of Sony Corporation.