Datacolor has announced Spyder3Pro and Spyder3Print. These two new solutions
are expertly designed to address the color management needs of photographers
and creative professionals that require the most accurate color for digital
editing and printing.
We recently received an email from photographers James C. Williams about his
efforts to convince Kodak not to discontinue manufacture of HIE-135mm film.
We reproduce his letter and plea for photographers to join his efforts to save
this film.
Delkin Devices, Inc. has expanded CompactFlash card storage capacity and speed
for digital cameras by announcing its 16GB UDMA enabled CompactFlash PRO card.
This latest addition to Delkin's Compact Flash PRO line boosts fast read/write
speeds-up to 305x (45MB/sec sustained transfer speed capability). Now photographers
using UDMA enabled cameras such as the Canon 1Ds Mark III, Nikon D300 and Nikon
D3X have a memory card that can maximize the full benefits of their camera investment.
Photographers without UDMA enabled digital cameras and camera backs can apply
the technology's benefits to their workflow process right away. The enhanced card-to-computer
transfer times are striking. Delkin's UDMA CompactFlash Pro cards, when used with
the company's UDMA enabled FireWire reader and adapters, dramatically reduce the
time needed to download digital image files to a computer.
...
Tamron
has announced the AF18-250mm F/3.5-6.3 Di-II LD Aspherical (IF) Macro, a lightweight,
compact and ultra high power zoom lens designed exclusively for digital SLR
cameras with APS-C sized image sensors with a Built-In Motor for Nikon (Model
A18N II). The AF18-250mm F/3.5-6.3 Di-II LD Aspherical (IF) Macro boasts the
world's greatest zoom ratio of 13.9X.
Pantone, Inc. and onOne Software Inc. have announced a new digital imaging bundle
that improves the color fidelity and image control for design projects. Now available
at a 30 percent cost savings, the bundle includes PANTONE hueyPRO, and onOne Software's
Genuine Fractals 5, an Adobe Photoshop plug-in for image scaling.
hueyPRO offers color clarity and consistency across multiple CRT, laptop and LCD
displays at an unprecedented level of precision calibration. Additionally, it
features an embedded high-precision sensor that automatically measures the ambient
light within a room. Genuine Fractals 5 is the industry standard for image enlargements,
allowing users to increase images by 1000 percent with no loss in image quality.
The PANTONE hueyPRO/Genuine Fractals 5 bundle is available immediately for $199
SRP at www.pantone.com and www.ononesoftware.com. Both products are compatible
with Windows and Macintosh operating systems.
PANTONE hueyPRO is also sold separately through Pantone at www.pantone.com and
other major electronics, photo and online retailers for $129 SRP.
Genuine Fractals 5 is sold separately at www.onesoftware.com for $159.95 SRP.
Olympus has announced its inaugural "Photographers of Tomorrow"
photo contest, which is specifically designed for aspiring professional photographers
or photojournalists, and will enrich the resumes and portfolios of the participating
students.
Starting January 14, 2008, students will submit their best work captured with
the Olympus E-3 digital SLR (single lens reflex) camera in three categories:
Speed, Travel and Environmental Issues. Student entries will be judged by a
panel of award-winning photographers, comprised of Olympus Visionaries. The
winning images will be announced in April 2008. Complete rules and regulations
can be viewed at www.olympusamerica.com/e3photocontest.
Participating schools include Texas A&M University at Commerce, The University
of the Arts Philadelphia, Art Institute of Colorado, Brooks Institute, Rochester
Institute of Technology, Hallmark Institute of Photography, University of Texas
- Austin, Rockport College, and Academy of Art University San Francisco, among
others.
"The Olympus competition is our way of helping the next generation of
professional photographers and photojournalists to showcase their work nationally,
as the winning submissions will be visible on the Olympus Web site," said
John Knaur, senior marketing manager, Digital SLR at Olympus Imaging America
Inc. "The students will connect with the three distinct categories of
speed, travel and environmental issues."
Photo Submission Categories
Olympus has selected the following categories for contest submissions to inspire
the budding photographers and to best represent the capabilities of the new
Olympus E-3 digital SLR camera.
Speed: Images capturing the essence of speed and movement of
life;
Travel: Images depicting exotic, exciting, or extreme journeys
or adventures, showing the color and temperament of the local culture; and
Environment Issues: Images showing the impact of man and global
warming, or natural settings of landscapes, flora, and fauna.
The Prizes
The students who submit the three winning images (one for each of the three
categories) will be awarded the following prizes. The three students'
respective professors will also be awarded the camera, lenses and accessories.
· $5,000 Scholarship
· Olympus E-3 Digital SLR Camera
· Two New ZUIKO Digital Lenses -- the ED 12-60mm (24-120mm equivalent)
f2.8-4.0 SWD and ED 50-200mm (100-400mm equivalent) f2.8-3.5 SWD
· Olympus Travel Bag and Lens Cloth
Contest Camera and Lenses
The Olympus E-3 provides the high-precision performance demanded by professional
and enthusiastic photographers to capture exceptional images every time. When
coupled with the ZUIKO digital 12-60mm SWD (Supersonic Wave Drive) lens, the
E-3 offers the fastest autofocus system in the world.[1] Body-Integrated Mechanical
Image Stabilization to stabilize every lens, a 10-megapixel Live MOS image sensor,
and the reliability of a high-endurance, dust-proof and splash-resistant magnesium
alloy body join the impressive innovations developed for the E-3. Olympus pioneered
Full-Time Live View and Dust Reduction Technologies for digital SLR cameras,
leading where others have followed.
The Judges
An esteemed panel of judges, comprised of Olympus Visionaries, will evaluate
the student submissions and vote for the top winner in each category. The Olympus
Visionary program celebrates the work of some of the most talented still photographers
of the day, who use E-System equipment for travel, news, documentary, fashion,
food, people, nature and landscape, commercial and fine art photography.
Wacom Technology Corp. has announced two new members to the Cintiq family --
the Cintiq 12WX and Cintiq 20WSX. The Cintiq 12WX combines all the advantages
and power of direct pen-on-screen input with a new low-profile, lightweight and
flexible design. The new Cintiq 12WX is aimed at professional creators of digital
content looking to improve and streamline their workflow. Storyboarding for 2D
or 3D animations, compositing for post production, designing graphics, as well
as retouching photos are just a few of the many creative applications where the
Cintiq 12WX will excel.
Also joining Wacom's Cintiq lineup is the Cintiq 20WSX, the world's
first wide-format desktop pen display. Combining the the same design elements
and ergonomic enhancements as the Cintiq 21UX, Wacom's latest wide-format
pen display is ideal for those who prefer to work with a 16:10 aspect ratio and
may not require the increased resolution of the 21UX.
...
Kingston Technology Company, Inc. has posted answers to a new series of questions
submitted by professional and aspiring digital photographers to its Ask the
Icon interactive feature on the `Icons of Photography' microsite
on kingston.com.
"Kingston's `Icons of Photography' has generated interest
from photographers of all levels who want to learn from some of the world's
most-respected photographers," said Jaja Lin, Flash memory marketing manager,
Kingston®. "We're delighted to be a conduit between our customers
and the Icons, providing a platform where everyone can share and explore ideas,"
added Lin.
Questions submitted by digital photographers from England, Malaysia, Ireland
and the U.S. were addressed by Kingston's four Icon photographers participating
in the program -- Harry Benson, Colin Finlay, Gerd Ludwig and Peter Read
Miller. Site visitors are encouraged to ask questions related to equipment;
tips and techniques for capturing better images; advice about getting started
as a photographer; or marketing one's work.
"I continue to be impressed with the level of interest photographers have
shown in the program and the types of questions they ask," said Finlay,
whose recent book project, Darfur: Twenty Years of War and Genocide in Sudan
recently won a Lucie Award in New York. "I think we learn as much from
them as they are hopefully learning from us and there is a great level of satisfaction
that comes from openly sharing our collective knowledge with each other."
Kingston's `Icons of Photography' program consists of three
elements -- 20 Questions, Ask the Icon and Critique My Image. Through the
program, professional photographers and enthusiasts can improve their techniques
by submitting their own photography for constructive critique. Additional information
is available at www.kingston.com/iop.
Nikon Inc.
has introduced the versatile AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR lens that
offers Nikon's proprietary Vibration Reduction (VR) technology to help
consumers snap sharper photos than ever before, even while shooting handheld.
Compact and lightweight, this affordable lens is for use with Nikon DX-format
digital SLR cameras and is the ideal focal length as a "first lens."
The 3x optical zoom offers users of Nikon DX-format D-SLR cameras including
the D40, D40x, D80 and new D300 with a versatile picture angle perspective ranging
from wide angle for dramatic landscapes and interiors, to moderate telephoto
that is ideal for flattering portraits.
Bowens has launched a unique, affordable ringflash, the lightweight Ringlite
Converter. Priced at $480.00, this innovative converter is said to make ringflash-style
photography affordable. Said Mark Aherne, Bowens technical director, "Traditional
ringflash generally comprises flash tubes, cable and a powerpack, so the full
kit required is quite unwieldy and expensive. We built the converter and followed
up with associated bracketry to ensure the unit would be suitable for most cameras
on the market. We have created an attachment which allows photographers to convert
their standard Bowens strobe lights to produce ringflash-style light. Using
this new converter photographers can simply put the camera lens through the
centre of the light source. This creates a softer, wholesome surrounding light
around the lens which reduces shadows. It can also create shadowing around the
outline of the subject so users can work with a specific photographic effect.
The additional benefit of the converter is its `backwards capability'.
Photographers can take a standard Bowens product going back many years and use
it - as long as it has an S-Type adaptor. This will bring additional cost benefits
to our customers."