Photo&Cameras

Click photo for more images of the Ricoh Caplio R7.

Ricoh has upgraded its Caplio R6 point-and-shoot with the Caplio R7. The new model uses an 8.2-megapixel sensor and Ricoh’s Smooth Imaging Engine III processing engine. Otherwise nearly identical to its predecessor, the R7 offers the same slim design, broad set of exposure and creative controls, and f/3.3-5.2, 28mm-200mm 7.1x zoom lens that distinguished the R6. It also retains the R6’s 230,000-pixel, 2.7-inch LCD; sensor-shift optical image stabilization; and face-detection technology.

Pricing and availability in the U.S. have not yet been announced.

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ThinkCamera has a review of the Nikon D40x and writes, “Nikon’s D40x takes great pictures, there are plenty of controls and it comes in at a terrific price. However, it’s essentially a D40 with more megapixels (one could say almost the same of the Canon 400D, too). More isn’t necessarily better; unless you print large or crop heavily, you may as well save yourself the ВЈ100 difference and go for the D40. That aside, if you pick up a D40x then you’ll be happy with the results.”

Source: www.livingroom.org.au

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Planar T* 1.4/50 ZK

Click photo to see more views of the Carl Zeiss Planar T* 1.4/50 ZK for Pentax K-mount compatible cameras.

Carl Zeiss has launched a series of lenses in the K-Bayonet mount which will be compatible with Pentax K-mount cameras.

The series is being introduced with six new manual-focus lenses. These all meet the SMC-A standard and allow for shutter priority, aperture priority and full program mode on recent K-mount DLSRs and SLRs.

The six initial ZK lenses are the Distagon T* 2.8/25 ZK, Distagon T* 2/35 ZK, Planar T* 1.4/50 ZK, Planar T* 1.4/85 ZK, Makro-Planar T* 2/50 ZK, Makro-Planar T* 2/100 ZK.

The lenses will be available in October, 2007 at the following suggested prices:

Distagon T* 2.8/25 ZK  $787.00  Distagon T* 2/35 ZK  $787.00  Planar T* 1.4/50 ZK   $492.00   Planar T* 1.4/85 ZK  $984.00  Makro-Planar T* 2/50 ZK  $984.00  Makro-Planar T* 2/100 ZK  $1,507.00 

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The Olympus Stylus 820 squeezes 8.0 Megapixels, a healthy 5x 36-180mm equivalent zoom lens and a 2.7" LCD into it’s sleek, weatherproof* frame. We have Face Detection with Smile Shot to trip the shutter only after your subject cracks a grin and Shadow Adjustment Technology to pull a little more detail from murky areas.

Press Release:

5x the excitement

The Olympus µ [mju:] 820: Zoom with a view

London, 23 August 2007 – This autumn, Olympus introduces a camera that boasts both elegance and power. The Olympus µ [mju:] 820 is a dream come true with an impressive 5x optical zoom and stylish, weatherproof* body in midnight black, starry silver, ruby red or crystal blue. Exciting colours and more magnification power are only the beginning: A giant 6.9cm HyperCrystal LCD makes this camera ideal for framing and reviewing shots with friends. The µ [mju:] 820 also lets you say goodbye to blurry or poorly-exposed faces in photos: The integrated Face Detection Technology scans compositions for faces and then optimally adjusts exposure and focus settings for the best results. And, 8.0 Megapixels ensure not a precious bit of image detail goes missing.

The Olympus µ [mju:] 820 will be available from September 2007 at around £180. For further information call 0800 0720070 or visit www.olympus.co.uk.

Beat the rain and overcome distances

With a slim, weatherproof* metal body in midnight black, starry silver, ruby red or crystal blue, the µ [mju:] 820 is the essential combination of form and function. From its attractive, slim-line exterior to its handy splash resistance – this camera is perfect for a hike in the rainforest or to simply have with you at all times, since you never know what life may bring. A 5x optical zoom (equivalent to 36-180mm) and 5.6x digital zoom combine to provide magnification power that takes you right into the heart of the action. And with a total of 8.0 Megapixels, every shot gets captured in the finest detail.

More power inside

Several innovations work together to ensure great results. For the most accurate and sharpest depiction of human faces possible, Face Detection Technology has been incorporated which sets optimum exposure and focus values for the faces in compositions. Shadow Adjustment Technology, meanwhile, ensures that shadowy areas in the background are packed with detail. BrightCapture Technology enhances images further by increasing sensitivity in low-light conditions. Additionally, the integration of the powerful TruePic III image processing engine improves colour and noise performance while also boosting camera speed. Matched with a giant 6.9cm HyperCrystal LCD, framing, shooting and reviewing pictures is both extremely comfortable and fun.

A picture of ease

20 scene modes including Portrait, Night Scene, and Sports let the user quickly adjust to a wide variety of different shooting situations. The Smile Shot scene mode can even detect when the subject smiles and automatically releases the shutter just at the right moment. On-board editing functions add extra practicality and fun to the mix: There’s Red-eye Fix which lets users correct unsightly red eyes; Expression Edit allows for the amusing distortion of faces; and Face Focus gradually blurs shots outward from the face in a starburst-formation. Furthermore, a total of 25 languages on board mean menu navigation is a piece of cake for virtually anyone. And internal memory plus an xD-Picture Card slot make it easy to expand storage space for additional photos at any time.

The Olympus µ [mju:] 820 – main features:

• 5x optical zoom (equivalent to 36-180mm on a 35mm camera), 1:3.3-5.0 – for capturing great scenes and exciting close-ups – plus 5.6x digital zoom
• Large 6.9cm/2.7” HyperCrystal LCD (230,000 pixel resolution) with bright display even in brilliant sunlight
• Face Detection Technology for perfectly focused and exposed faces
• Shadow Adjustment Technology to brighten shadowy areas in a composition
• Best companion rain or shine with weatherproof* metal body in midnight black, starry silver, ruby red or crystal blue
• 8.0 Megapixels to make poster-sized prints
• High ISO setting for less blur
• Better low-light shooting thanks to BrightCapture Technology
• 20 scene modes (e.g. Smile Shot, Night Scene, Sports) for the best results in different situations
• Liven up your memories with movie recording with sound
• TruePic III image processor for faster image handling and higher image quality
• Super Macro mode (as close a 3cm)
• Editing functions (e.g. Expression Edit or Face Focus)
• Perfect Fix function for correction of e.g. backlight and red-eye
• Internal memory plus xD-Picture Card and slot
• 25 languages on board
• Supplied with Olympus Master software 2.03 including Muvee Pack trial version and LI-42B battery

*Weatherproof equivalent to the IEC standard publication 529 IPX4

Olympus Stylus 820 specifications

By: www.dpreview.com

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This is the second of a four part review of the products that are included in the onOne Plug-In Suite 3. The first review covering Genuine Fractals 5.0 is also available on Blogcritics. This review is on the product Intellihance Pro 4.2

Intellihance Pro 4.2 is the latest version of the plugin from onOne Software that for quickly and dynamically enhancing images to make them look their best. It gives you the ability to compare and print up to 25 professional enhancement variations at once. Version 4.2 adds native support for Photoshop CS3 and Intel-based Macintosh computers as well.

Intellihance Pro 4.2 requires you to have Windows running XP SP2 or Vista or Mac OS X 10.4.8 or later. You will need Photoshop CS2 (v9.0.2), CS3, or Photoshop Elements 4 or later. Also you must have at least 512MB of RAM and 12 MB of hard-disk space. Installation is very easy and is all automatic.

Overall, Intellihance Pro 4.2 gives you control of your image enhancement. It provides you with a large range of options going from completely automated to completely manual. In auto mode, it analyzes your image and determines the best settings. As you can see from the image below, there are many preset items to choose from on the right image as well as plenty of options on the right panel bar.

Intellihance Pro 4.2 can be run as a standalone workspace from within Photoshop as well as just applying the presets alone. From within the Intellihance workspace you can also select layouts from a single pane to a 5×5 matrix. Then from within each pane you can change the effects so that you can compare the changes and adjustments. When you find something that you like, you can save it as a preset for future use. Each enhancement can contain up to 50 different Photoshop functions at once.

With the Quick Enhance option, your image can be quickly analyzed and automatically adjust the contrast, brightness, saturation, color cast and sharpness. From there you can tune your image just the way you want. By having the ability to lay your image out in a variety of panes, you can color-correct your images visually instead of using levels or curves.

From here you can go to the "Fine Tune" mode. In this mode you have the ability to get down and dirty and really work with brightness, contrast and noise reduction among other items. You can in a word, fine tune your image. While you might have more control for some of these corrections in Photoshop, you don't easily have the multi-view ability. That is what makes Intellihance Pro 4.2 so nice to work with.

There is also a new "Power Variations" mode which allows you to perform actions across all of the images displayed on the screen. That is if you want to adjust the brightness by 10% on your working image, it will automatically adjust the one above/next to it by another 10% the one below/next to by -10% to all of the panes. That way you can see where something works and does not.

Intellihance Pro 4.2 will enhance images from any source whether they are from scanner, digital camera, camera phone, or even still frames from digital video.

So what is new for version 4.2? Obviously Intellihance Pro 4.2 now supports Photoshop CS3. There is an updated Intelligent Adjustment Engine which improves the quality of automatic adjustments. They have now added "Show Me How" tutorial videos within the system so that if you are unsure about how to do something, you can watch the video. Finally they have added Automatic Update Checking that will alert you to new versions that are available and prompt you to download them.

To me Intellihance Pro 4.2 is a very powerful product that is also easy to use in the auto mode. Even more importantly is the fact that you can ease your way into the manual mode as you feel comfortable. Just as easily, you can jump in head first and just start pushing buttons and seeing what happens.

Whether you want to do a quick process with out a lot of trauma, or you want to have a lot of control of the output of your images, Intellihance Pro 4.2 provides the best of both worlds.

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Pentax Optio S10

Click photo for more images of the Pentax Optio S10 and Z10.

Pentax has announced two new ultracompact point-and-shoots. The 8-megapixel Optio Z10 and 10-megapixel S10 are both designed for automatic snapshot photography and couple extremely slim designs with numerous shooting modes and color options. The Z10 provides an f/3.5-5.4, 38mm-266mm (35mm camera equivalent) 7X internal zoom lens and a 230,000-pixel, 2.5-inch LCD with a 170-degree viewing angle. The S10 offers a more modest f/2.8-5.4, 38mm-114mm 3x lens and a 2.5-inch, 232,000-pixel screen with a 160-degree viewing angle.

Both cameras offer up-to-date features such as face detection autofocus and autoexposure, redeye correction, and Pentax’s Auto Picture mode, which determines the appropriate scene mode for a photograph automatically. Although the S10 and Z10 don’t offer manual exposure options, they give the photographer creative control via spot and center-weighted metering modes, spot and tracking autofocus, ISO settings up to 1600 (or 3200 at a reduced resolution), and adjustable flash output.

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Well here we go with the big pixel counts. The FE-300 packs 12 miliion of them and ISO settings up to 6400 – albeit with the assistance of pixel-binning so you won’t be gettng the sensor’s full resolution, ISO 1600 is the limit at 12 MP. The rest of the specs are pretty standard with a 2.5" LCD, 3x zoom starting at 35mm equivalent and the Face-Detection with added Smile Shot mode.

Press Release:

The feature-packed alternative with 12.0 Megapixels

The Olympus FE-300: High-spec at a low price

London, 23 August 2007 – Get all the ease, flexibility and performance you could ever want from an entry-class camera. The Olympus FE-300 is equipped with an astounding 12.0 Megapixels to let you capture every bit of detail while retaining the ability to crop and resize images later on a computer. Face Detection Technology works intelligently to ensure the accurate depiction of people, while high ISO settings help to prevent blur caused by camera shake.

The Olympus FE-300 will be available from September 2007 at around £200. For further information call 0800 0720070 or visit www.olympus.co.uk.

Want more for less? With a giant 12.0 Megapixels, the Olympus FE-300 is the solution. Encased in a slim, metal body, this model doesn’t compromise functionality for simplicity. A bright 3x optical zoom together with a large 6.4cm LCD make framing shots a breeze. Meanwhile, BrightCapture Technology works to improve results in low-light conditions. The integration of the powerful TruePic III image processor puts unprecedented power and image quality at your fingertips.

To keep things nice and easy, the FE-300 features the “One button, one function” design principle. Together with a built-in guide function, it ensures the greatest of photographic ease and flexibility. With 17 scene modes including Candle, Fireworks or Portrait, you may never have to manually adjust a setting again. And using the integrated Face Detection Technology, the inventive Smile Shot mode even recognises faces in a scene and then automatically releases the shutter when subjects smile. Meanwhile, an eight-step mode dial means you’re never more than a few clicks away from the appropriate camera mode and high ISO settings minimise the chance of blur caused by camera shake.

Equipped with both internal memory and an xD-Picture Card slot, the FE-300 is ready to capture both still shots and movies with sound up to memory capacity. And the Olympus Master software including the Muvee Pack trial version makes it a cinch to transfer, edit and archive images on a personal computer.

The Olympus FE-300 – main features:

• Maximum detail with 12.0 Megapixel resolution
• Bright 3x optical zoom (equiv. to 35-105mm on a 35mm camera) 1:2.8-4.7
• High ISO setting for less blur (ISO 1600, or up to 6400 in reduced pixel mode)
• See and share more on the 6.4cm/2.5” LCD (230,000 pixel resolution)
• Face Detection Technology for perfectly focused and exposed faces plus correct exposure of other image areas
• 17 scene modes for best results in different situations (e.g. Candle, Fireworks and Smile Shot)
• “One button, one function” design principle plus Guide Function for easy operation
• Better low light shooting thanks to BrightCapture Technology
• Liven up memories with movie recording with sound
• TruePic III image processor for faster image handling and higher image quality
• Perfect Shot Preview
• Super Macro mode (as close as 10cm)
• Stylish metal body
• Internal memory plus xD-Picture Card slot
• Supplied with Olympus Master software 2.03 including Muvee Pack trial version plus LI-42B lithium ion battery

Olympus FE-300 specifications

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The Nokia N95 multimedia computer has been voted the European Media Phone of the Year 2007-2008 by EISA. “It’s no mere mobile phone and no mere status symbol. Pick up a Nokia N95 and you hold in your hands a state-of-the-art communication tool” the EISA jury commented.

Nokia Press Release

Espoo, Finland – Nokia today announced the Nokia N95 multimedia computer has been voted ‘the European Media Phone of the Year 2007-2008’ by the European Imaging and Sound Association (EISA), Europe’s leading association for consumer electronics.

Commenting on the award, EISA praised the Nokia N95 as containing “practically every feature one could imagine in a mobile device.” Additionally, the award citation of the EISA jury goes on to say: “It’s no mere mobile phone and no mere status symbol. Pick up a Nokia N95 and you hold in your hands a state-of-the-art communication tool – the ideal way to remain permanently in touch and on track with the world that surrounds you.”

The judging panel cited Nokia N95 features such as GPS, 5 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics and MPEG4 video capture of up to 30 fps. EISA also highlighted the device’s data access of up to 3.5 Mb/s, advanced web browser, Wi-Fi, microSD slot, and audio reproduction of multiple audio formats.

“The Nokia N95 has evidently raised the bar for mobile devices and we are thrilled to receive this accolade from consumer electronics magazines across Europe,” said Jonas Geust, head of Nokia Nseries Players Category, Multimedia, Nokia. “This award is an endorsement of the strategy behind Nokia Nseries – to bring to people’s hands high performance multimedia computers which make digital convergence a reality.”

EISA is a consumer technology awards association, and comprises of nearly 50 prominent Photo, Video, Audio, Home Theater and Mobile Electronics magazines from 18 European countries.

A full list of Nokia N95 features is available at http://www.nseries.com/n95

Photos in print quality can be found at http://www.nokia.com/press >photos

About Nokia Nseries
Nokia Nseries is a range of high performance multimedia computers that delivers unparalleled mobile multimedia experiences by combining the latest technologies with stylish design and ease of use. With Nokia Nseries products, consumers can use a single device to enjoy entertainment, access information and to capture and share pictures and videos, on the go at any time. http://www.nseries.com

About Nokia
Nokia is the world leader in mobility, driving the transformation and growth of the converging Internet and communications industries. Nokia makes a wide range of mobile devices and provides people with experiences in music, navigation, video, television, imaging, games and business mobility through these devices. Nokia also provides equipment, solutions and services for communications networks. http://www.nokia.com

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Olympus FE-300

Click photo for more images of the Olympus FE-270, FE-280, FE-290 and FE-300 in various colors.

Olympus has added three new models to its FE line of affordable, ultracompact point-and-shoots. The 8-megapixel FE-280 and 12-megapixel FE-300 update the line with some of Olympus’s recently introduced features and its latest processor, TruePic III.

The 7.1-megapixel FE-290 doesn’t offer any of the new features or the processor upgrade, but does provide an f/2.7-5.4, 28mm-112mm (35mm camera equivalent) 4x zoom lens and a 234,000-pixel, 3-inch LCD. The camera offers 17 automatic shooting modes.

Both the FE-280 and the FE-300 have a 3x optical zoom lens and a 230,000-pixel, 2.5-inch LCD. The FE-280 offers an f/3.1-5.9, 36mm-108mm lens (35mm camera equivalent), while the FE-300 provides a slightly wider and faster f/2.8-4.7, 35mm-105mm. The FE-280 provides 21 shooting modes and the FE-300 18 modes. The FE-280’s options include three underwater modes, and the camera is compatible with Olympus’s PT-038 underwater housing.

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Vnunet has a review of the Olympus E-410 and writes, “lenses used by the Olympus system – known as Four Thirds – offer twice the focal length of their 35mm equivalents, meaning the bundled 14-42mm zoom lens is equal to a 28-84mm lens on another manufacturer’s SLR. So you get a bigger range from a physically smaller lens, even if it is just the standard 3x zoom (dividing the 42mm longest focal length by the 14mm shortest). There’s some barrel distortion – the edges of the picture curve very slightly – at maximum wide angle, but for the most part images are crisp and colour is naturalistic. To sum up, the E-410 has so many boxes ticked it’s hard to see where Olympus has made any oversights, and it represents a great camera for the first-time digital SLR user.”

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