Photo&Cameras

Yehliu Geo-Park, Taiwan. Taken by Carrie

Source: planetearthdailyphoto.blogspot.com

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Toshiba helps damaged forests : Toshiba America announced a donation to the Arbor Day Foundation to plant 80,000 trees in Southern California national forest areas damaged by wildfires last October. A check will be presented Friday by Toru Uchiike, TAI’s chairman and CEO, to John Rosenow, founder and chief executive of the Arbor Day Foundation, at the National Press Club in Washington D.C. Next spring, Toshiba volunteers will assist the Arbor Day Foundation in planting the new trees to help replace those lost to the fires. The tree planting will help prevent soil runoff and the growth of invasive plant species, while better protecting local watersheds and restoring indigenous forest habitats for wildlife.

Damaged forests
Toshiba Corporation of Japan announced in June 2006 its group-wide initiative to plant 1.5 million trees worldwide by 2025, a year chosen to celebrate Toshiba’s 150th anniversary, and to demonstrate its long-term commitment to help saving the global environment. The reforestation effort in Southern California is an important part of this initiative. “Four of our Toshiba America companies are located in Southern California and we studied what we could do as a corporate citizen to contribute to the recovery of the area,” said Mr. Uchiike. “Last year, more than 500,000 acres of national forest were burned in California alone. That’s why we believe it’s important to support the Arbor Day Foundation and plant trees in the area damaged by the fires.”

Southern California national forests
“We applaud Toshiba for its commitment to help plant trees in the Southern California national forests,” said John Rosenow, founder and chief executive of the Arbor Day Foundation. “Toshiba’s commitment will help restore native wildlife habitat, clean the air, protect soils and waterways, and renew these beautiful and valuable natural resources for the benefit of generations to come.”

1.5 Million Tree Planting
Toshiba Group’s “1.5 Million Tree Planting” global initiative is built around three pillars: the Afforestation Program, which plants trees through financial contributions and the efforts of employee volunteers; the Education Program, which raises environmental awareness through lectures and hands-on learning events; and the Financial Program, which marshals funds and other resources to help the forest. Currently, global tree-planting projects in Japan, China, Thailand, Kenya, Philippines, India, and Paraguay are planned or underway.

Souce: www.letsgodigital.org

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Camera thieves have been apprehended after an Eye-Fi card uploaded pictures of them. Owner Alison DeLauzon looged onto her Eye-Fi account after her camera had disappeared while on vacation, only to find her holiday snaps uploaded along with photos of the two men who had stolen her camera kit. The wireless Eye-Fi SD card inside her Canon compact had automatically logged onto an available unsecured network and uploaded the images without the thieves even realising!

Via: feeds.feedburner.com

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Ricoh has today announced the GX200 digital compact camera. The new model is replacing the GX100 and inherits the old model’s 24 to 72 mm (equiv.) lens, manual controls and a removable (optional) tilting electronic viewfinder. Resolution has been increased to 12 megapixels, the screen now measures 2.7 inches and the camera is controlled by the latest version of Ricoh’s imaging processor – the Smooth Imaging Engine III. The GX200 will be available in the UK from the beginning of July.

Press release:

A high-end, 24 mm super-wide-angle, optical zoom, digital compact featuring high resolution 12 megapixel CCD coupled with the latest imaging engine SIE III

Tokyo, Japan June, 24, 2008 Ricoh Co., Ltd. (president and CEO: Shiro Kondo) has announced today the development and release of the GX200. The GX200 is able to reproduce high quality images from edge-to-edge with low noise and natural gradation. This camera succeeds the award winning Caplio GX100 compact digital camera introduced in April 2007.

The GX200 inherits the popular features of the GX100 such as a 24 to 72 mm (35 mm film equivalent focal length) high-performance wide-angle optical zoom lens on a 25 mm thin pocketable compact body, a wide variety of manual shooting functions, and a removable tilting electronic viewfinder. The new GX200 achieves increased resolution via its 12 megapixel CCD and dramatic noise reduction with the addition of the new image processing engine Smooth Imaging Engine III.

Already a popular part of the Caplio GX100, the high-resolution wide-angle lens unit has been further configured to enable picture taking at an even higher resolution.

With a large wide-viewing angle 2.7-inch 460,000 dots HVGA LCD and an electronic level function, for horizontal and vertical shooting, the GX200 contains extensive shooting functions to enable camera lovers to enjoy and create stunning photographs.

This model comes in two package types with different accessories. The GX200 package contains: rechargeable lithium ion battery, battery charger, AV cable, USB cable, CD-ROM, strap, and lens cap. The GX200 VF KIT package contains all the above accessories plus the electronic viewfinder.

*The lens focal lengths used in this document are the equivalent focal length for a 35 mm camera.

Main features of the new Ricoh GX200

1. Greater image quality through use of a 12 megapixel CCD, a new image processing engine and continuous RAW mode capture.

• An effective 12 megapixel high-performance 1/1.7-inch CCD has been newly installed, with each pixel comes increased resolution.
• The adoption of a new image processing engine Smooth Imaging Engine III allows for greater control over the noise reduction process by the photographer without sacrificing resolution or saturation.
• High image quality combined with a lens with greater backlight capability*.
• *This is the 24 to 72 mm equivalent wide-angle zoom lens mounted on the previous model (Caplio GX100). It features a generous configuration of 11 elements in 7 groups, including superior aspheric surface lenses and high-refractive-index, low-dispersion lenses. This optimal configuration restricts distortion, chromatic aberration, and light falloff at edges for wide-angle operation while delivering aperture light settings from F2.5 (wide) to F4.4 (tele-photo). In addition, ghosting has been further reduced through the improvements made to the lens unit.

2. Large, high-resolution 2.7-inch, 460,000-dots HVGA LCD.

• The new 2.7-inch, 460,000-dots high-resolution LCD has a wide viewing angle and high contrast for distinct, easy viewing even outdoors. When thumbnail images are displayed, even the small 1/20 size images are clearly reproduced.

3. Electronic level utilizing an acceleration sensor to help keep the camera body horizontally or vertically level.

• If the level setting is set on, when the camera is level, the level indicator becomes green in the picture display. Being able to check whether the image is level while looking at the display can be useful for keeping the camera level when composing pictures of landscapes, buildings, and other scenes where the horizon is visible.
• It is possible to check whether the camera is level using the level sound setting.
• The electronic level can also be utilized while using the viewfinder.

4. Extensive shooting functions and high operability.

• Expanding buffer memory has made continuous shooting of up to five images possible in RAW mode, and it is also now possible to use the bracketing function to automatically change exposure settings when shooting in RAW mode. Other expanded RAW shooting capabilities include the ability to shoot 1:1 aspect ratio (vertical/horizontal ratio) format photography in RAW mode.
• The number of mode dial “My Settings” options for defining your own shooting settings has increased to three. (There were two on the Caplio GX100.)
• There are now one-push mode change function buttons both on the top surface and as one of the rear-surface cross keys. These buttons can be used for customized settings to, for example, to switch from JPEG to RAW or from colour to B&W. You can switch quickly to your preferred shooting mode when confronted with a sudden photo opportunity.
• The AF target shift function, which before could only be used in macro shooting, is now also available in normal shooting. Without moving the camera, it is possible to shift the target for AF or AE or both.
• The flash is manually raised by sliding the open switch. Flash functions on the GX200 have been further expanded with a light intensity adjustment function (-2.0 EV to +2.0 EV), a manual flash function in which intensity can be set, and a flash synchro setting where flash timing can be set as „1st Curtain“ or „2nd Curtain.“
• An auto rotate function makes it easier to view images on the picture display.
• Even when shooting in high-contrast situations, the camera can use an auto level correction function to achieve an appropriate level of brightness while reducing areas that are overly bright or dark.
• There is a distortion correction function (on/off selection possible) to automatically correct image distortion during shooting also usable with 19 mm conversion lens.
• When in aperture priority mode, an auto aperture shift function will automatically adjust the aperture setting to prevent overexposure.

5. Enhanced image editing functions enable images to be manipulated in the camera.
(1) Image colour tone correction (white balance compensation).

• By adjusting green, magenta, blue, and amber tones, still image colour tone can be corrected, with the corrected image being recorded in the camera.

(2) Image brightness and contrast correction (level compensation).

• Still image brightness and contrast can be corrected with either auto or manual modes, with the corrected image being recorded in the camera. With manual correction, the image is corrected by adjusting the histogram.

(3) Wide range of creative monochrome possibilities.

• Colour, colour density, contrast, and sharpness can each be defined on a five-level scale.
• Sepia, red, green, blue, and purple colour selections are possible.

6. Additional options further expand possibilities for camera use.

• Lens cap (LC-1) opens and closes automatically in sync with lens movement.
• 135 mm equivalent tele conversion lens (TC-1) with built-in hood. Filter attachment possible.

When the tele conversion lens is attached, vignetting will occur when the zoom is not set to full telephoto. *The above two options can also be used on the Caplio GX100.

7. Removable electronic viewfinder can be attached.

• A removable and tiltable electronic viewfinder can be attached (included in GX200 VF KIT).
• The field of view provides 100% coverage without parallax and can display the same information as on the LCD picture display.
• It is convenient for shooting in bright outdoor environments and enables shooting to be done in a conventional film camera style.

List of GX200 Options:

*1 The VF-1 LCD view finder is included in „GX200 VF KIT“.
*2 The HA-2 hood and adapter is required when using the wide conversion lens or the tele conversion lens. When the wide conversion lens or the tele conversion lens is attached; the internal flash cannot be used because vignetting may occur.
*3 The ST-1 neck strap for the GX/GX8 cannot be used.

Ricoh Caplio GX200 Specifications

List price (EU)	• GX200 £349.99 • GX200 with electronic viewfinder £399.99
Sensor	• 12.1 million effective pixels • 12.4 million total pixels • 1/1.7-inch primary-colour CCD
Image stabilization	CCD-shift
Image sizes	• 4000×3000 [4:3] • 3264×2448 [4:3] • 2592×1944 [4:3] • 2048×1536 [4:3] • 1280×960 [4:3] • 640×480 [4:3] • 3984×2656 [3:2] • 2992×2992 [1:1]
	Movie: 640×480 Movie: AVI (Open DML Motion JPEG Format Compliant)
Output formats	• JPEG (Exif Ver. 2.21) • RAW (DNG)
Image processor	Smooth Imaging Engine III
Lens	• 3x zoom • Focal length: f=5.1 to 15.3 mm (24 to 72 mm equiv.) • Step Zoom: 24 mm, 28 mm, 35 mm, 50 mm, 72 mm) • Aperture: F2.5 (wide) to F4.4 (telephoto) • 11 glass elements in 7 groups
Focus modes	• Multi AF (CCD method) • Spot AF (CCD method) • Manual Focus • Snap • Infinity (with focus lock and AF aux. light)
AF assist lamp	Yes
Shooting modes	• Auto • Program Shift Mode • Aperture Priority Mode • Manual Exposure Mode • Scene Mode • My Settings Mode
Scene modes	• Movie • Portrait • Sports • Landscape • Nightscape • Zoom Macro • Skew Correct Mode • Text Mode
Metering	• Multi Light Metering (256 segments) • Centre-weighted • Spot (TTL-CCD metering, AE lock available)
AE Lock	Yes
AE Bracketing	+/- 0.3/0.5 EV
Exposure compen.	• +/- 2.0 EV • 0.3 EV increments
Sensitivity	• AUTO • AUTO-HI • ISO64 • 100 • 200 • 400 • 800 • 1600
Shutter speed	180, 120, 60, 30, 15, 8, 4, 2, 1 to 1/2000 sec
Aperture values	• F2.5 (wide) to F4.4 (telephoto)
White balance	• Auto  • Outdoors  • Cloudy  • Incandescent Lamp  • Fluorescent Lamp  • Manual Settings  • Detail White balance bracket function
Drive modes	• Single • CONT • S-CONT • M-CONT • Interval Shooting (shooting interval: 5 sec. to 3 hr., in increments of 5 sec.)
Self-timer	Operation time: approx. 10 sec. / 2 sec.
LCD monitor	• 2.7 inch Transparent Amorphous Silicon TFT LCD • approx. 460,000 dots
Flash	• Auto • Red-eye Flash • Flash On • Flash Synchro • Manual Flash • Flash Off • Range (wide): Approx. 20 cm to 5.0 m (ISO AUTO) • Range (tele): Approx. 15 cm to 3.0 m (ISO AUTO) • Flash Compensation: ±2.0 EV (1/3 EV steps)
Connectivity	• USB 2.0 High-Speed (mini B cable) • Mass Storage • Audio Output 1.0Vp-p (75Ω) • Video OUT
Storage	• SD memory card • SDHC memory card (up to 16 GB) • Internal Memory (approx. 54 MB)
Power	• Rechargeable Battery (DB60) ×1 • AAA Dry Alkaline Battery ×2 • AAA Nickel-Metal Hydride Battery ×2 • AC Adapter (Optional)
Dimensions	111.6 mm (W) × 58.0 mm (H) × 25.0 mm (D) excluding protruding parts
Weight (with battery)	Approx. 238 g

By: www.dpreview.com

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