Archive for May, 2008
SanDisk introduces the fastest card in its Memory Stick product family: the SanDisk Extreme III Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo. The new card offers with read and write speeds of 30 megabytes per second, and is capable of functioning in extreme temperatures, from -13 to 185 degrees Fahrenheit or -25 to 85 degrees Celsius. SanDisk’s new Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo cards will be available worldwide in June. The manufacturer’s suggested retail price for the 4GB card is US $89.99 and for the 8GB card is US $149.99…
SanDisk announced its latest product aimed at Sony electronics called the SanDisk Extreme III Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo. The MS promises read and write speeds of 30 MB per second and will be available in June.
The new card will come in either 4GB or 8GB capacities and is aimed at Sony DSLR cameras, point-and-shoot cameras and camcorders. In addition to being very fast the cards can also operate in extreme temperatures from -13 to 185 F and ship with software to recover deleted images. Pricing for the cards is $89.99 for the 4GB and $149.99 for the 8GB.
"The SanDisk Extreme III Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo continues our tradition of delivering best-in-class performance in the SanDisk Extreme product line," said Susan Park, director of consumer product marketing for SanDisk’s performance cards. "Our customers know SanDisk Extreme cards not only deliver cutting-edge read and write speeds, but are designed for durability - even under harsh conditions."
NEW YORK (May 23, 2008) - Calling all shutterbugs! Nikon today announced the "Nikon D60 Moving Moments Photo Contest" in conjunction with the D60 D-SLR advertising campaign featuring Ashton Kutcher. Beginning May 23, 2008, consumers can upload an image with an accompanying description to www.ashtonsd60.com for a chance to win the grand prize of a trip for two to Los Angeles to attend The Hollywood Style Awards sponsored by Nikon and a new D60 camera kit to capture all of the action. Sixty first prize winners will also receive a new D60 camera kit allowing them to capture their "moving moments" with incredible ease.
"We are very excited to engage consumers through the ‘Moving Moments Photo Contest’," said Lisa Baxt, senior communications manager for Nikon Inc. "This contest is a fantastic way for people to share their favorite memories and the moments that move them for a chance to win some great prizes."
One-hundred and twenty semi-finalists in the "Nikon D60 Moving Moments Photo Contest" will be chosen beginning June 21 by a panel of judges based on the interpretation of the "moving moments" theme, their accompanying description and photo quality. The sixty D60 winners will be determined by consumers visiting and voting on their preferred picture on ashtonsd60.com between June 25 and July 15, 2008. The image that receives the most consumer votes will win the grand prize.
In addition to the photo contest, visitors to ashtonsd60.com can view images taken by the D60, learn more about the D60 with Ashton and watch the television commercial.
For more information on the photo contest and the D60 D-SLR camera, please visit www.ashtonsd60.com.
Hamrick Software, the developer of VueScan, the world’s most widely used scanning software, has released VueScan 8.4.73 which now includes support for multi-core processors.
PHOENIX, Ariz. May 29 — Hamrick Software, the developer of VueScan, the world’s most widely used scanning software, has released its latest version 8.4.73, which now includes support for multi-core processors.
Many scans are up to 50 percent faster when using a dual-core processor. No other scanning software has multi-core support and for users working with very large files this will result in a significant time saving. The largest performance improvements are with infrared cleaning, grain reduction and descreening.
Many people use VueScan for scanning large numbers of images and documents and this is often very CPU intensive. I’m always looking for improvements to VueScan that improve productivity. Other scanning programs such as NikonScan and Silverfast don’t use multiple cores and aren’t universal binaries on the Mac, so scanning can be painfully slow with these programs.
Sigma launches the 50mm F1.4 EX DG HSM large aperture lens. The fast F1.4 aperture makes this lens desirable for use with digital SLR cameras, where the lens effectively becomes an 80mm medium telephoto lens on cameras with APS-C size sensors. The lens has a minimum focusing distance of 45cm and has maximum magnification of 1:7.4. The rounded 9 blade diaphragm creates an attractive blur, and the HSM (Hyper Sonic Motor) ensures a quiet and high-speed AF as well as full-time manual focus override…
Aperture and iPhoto ‘08 handle eight new Raw format
Along with a number of updates released yesterday for both Leopard and Tiger versions of Mac OS, Apple released Digital Camera Raw Compatibility Update 2.1. The update is a 2.4MB download that extends Raw file compatibility for Aperture 2 and iPhoto ‘08 to the following cameras:
• Canon EOS Digital Rebel XSi/Kiss Digital x2/450D
• Epson R-D1
• Leaf AFi 7
• Leaf AFi 6
• Leaf AFi 5
• Pentax K200D
• Pentax K20D
The update can be downloaded from the stand-alone update page.
Epson, the overwhelming brand of choice among professional photographers, today announced the Epson Stylus Photo R2880, a professional printer designed for photographers who seek the highest-quality sellable photographic and fine art prints. Incorporating the same technology as the Epson Stylus Pro printer line, the 13-inch Epson R2880 features Epson UltraChrome K3 with Vivid Magenta ink technology and a high-performance print head for professional photographic output. The printer also features Radiance Technology, an innovation that smoothes color transitions and optimizes highlight and shadow detail. The Epson R2880 replaces the Epson R2400 as the flagship of Epson’s 13-inch printer lineup.
BenQ announces a compact and only 14.9mm thick touch screen digital camera. The new T850 features an 8 megapixel CCD sensor, 1600 ISO settinsg and a 3x optical zoom Pentax lens. The photo taking and editing functions are centered around circular touch buttons on the 3 inch TFT LCD screen. Almost all camera functions can be accessed and engaged by using one of three simple finger movements: tap, circle, swipe. The BenQ T850 is the only touch screen camera employing natural "swipe" gestures for viewing photos and video…
OmniVision Technologies, Inc.), the world’s largest supplier of CMOS image sensors, today launched its OmniBSITM architecture, a novel sensor design that adopts a radically different approach to traditional CMOS image sensor technology.
Using backside illumination (BSI), OmniBSI enables OmniVision to continue offering improved image quality while extending its pixel roadmap down to 0.9 micron pixels, which is the key to continued miniaturization of digital imaging technology. OmniVision developed OmniBSI architecture with the support of its long-time foundry and process technology partner, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation (TSMC).
BSI methodology involves turning the CameraChip™ sensor upside down so that it collects light through what was previously the backside of the sensor, the silicon substrate. This approach differs from conventional front side illumination (FSI) image sensors, where the amount of light reaching the photosensitive area is limited, in part, by the multiple metal and dielectric layers required to enable the sensor to convert photons into electrons. The FSI approach can block or deflect light from reaching the pixel, ultimately reducing the fill factor and causing additional problems, such as cross talk, between pixels. BSI reverses the arrangement of layers so that the metal and dielectric layers reside below the sensor array, providing the most direct path for light to travel into the pixel. This novel approach optimizes light absorption, enabling OmniVision to build a 1.4 micron BSI pixel that surpasses all the performance metrics of 1.4 micron, and even most 1.75 micron, FSI pixels.
For more information,visit www.dcviews.com 