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-- News Articles Index -- CES 2009 Report Canon Celebrates 50 Years of SLR Sales Samsung Unleashes Four New HD Digital Camcorders Pentax Announces New Optio Digital Cameras Fuji ENVIROMAX Batteries Released Canon U.S.A. Announces 2009 Digtial Camcorder line-up Symwave and Seagate Demonstrate World’s First USB 3.0 Storage Solution at CES 2009 Lensbabies Changes Company Name to Lensbaby Digital Foci Announces the Picture Porter 35 January Tech Corner Posted Genius Premieres New “Touch” Products at CES 2009 Stroboframe U-Pro - The Universal Professional Flash Bracket Introduced By Tiffen NEXTO DI Makes Backing Up Video and Photos Fast and Easy Season's Greetings from the Staff at Steve's HP Introduces Free Photo Printing Application on Apple App Store Apple Releases Digital Camera Raw Compatibility Update 2.4 GIROPTIC Introduces the World's First One-Shot 360° Panoramic Digital Camera Pentax Announces Limited Edition White K2000 Double Zoom Digital SLR System Ritz Camera Introduces PowerGenix’s AA Nickel-Zinc Technology Panasonic DMC-G1 Firmware Update Steve's "Best Cameras" Picks Mike Chaney's Tech Corner Photokina 2008 Report CES 2009 Report

1/6/2009 10:46:00 AM

CES 2009 Report This year's Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is running in Las Vegas, Nevada from January 8th - 11th. Coverage can be found on our CES 2009 Report page, which we will be updating frequently as announcements are made. Announcements have already started, so be sure to check back often for the latest updates. The Photo Marketing Association (PMA) 2009 Show will also be held in Las Vegas from March 3rd - 5th. Look for our coverage of that show to begin around the 1st of March.

1/6/2009 9:03:00 AM

Canon Celebrates 50 Years of SLR Sales LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y., January 6, 2009 - Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging, is honoring 50 years of SLR camera sales, beginning with the sale of Canon's first SLR camera in 1959. 2009 is a milestone year, commemorating the passing of 50 years since Canon sold its first single-lens reflex camera. Canon's single-lens reflex cameras have evolved with the times, incorporating advanced and groundbreaking technology. Exceeding a cumulative total of 53 million units, they have garnered extensive support from photographers around the world. Looking to the future, Canon will continue its efforts to develop its single-lens reflex cameras and lead image culture for the next fifty years. Canon's history with 35mm single-lens reflex cameras began in May 1959, when Canon Inc. launched the Canonflex. Thereafter, the Company continued to introduce cameras that embodied solid technology and innovation, including the F-1, its first professional model (1971); the AE-1, the world's first single-lens reflex camera with built-in CPU (1976); and the T90, a state-of-the-art T Series model (1986). Additionally, in March 1987, Canon adopted the world's first electronic mount and launched the EOS650, a new-generation AF single-lens reflex camera with electronic control that was originally between the lens and the body and then encompassed the entire system. The EOS Series, which has continued to the present day, has rapidly expanded users in both the professional segment, with the top-of-the-line EOS-1 (1989), and in the entry segment, with the EOS Rebel (1993), for which size and weight reductions were accomplished. Since the year 2000, an era of full-fledged digitalization has been dawning, beginning with the EOS D30 (2000). With speed, ease and high image quality as its key concepts, the EOS Digital Series has constantly been a leader in the evolution of single-lens reflex cameras with Canon-developed CMOS sensors, the high-performance image processor DIGIC and an EF lens group that boasts outstanding optical performance and an abundant line-up. Last year, in 2008, Canon released four models, including the EOS Rebel XSi, which has acquired the top market share in numerous countries around the world, and the EOS 5D Mark II, which is equipped with the first full high-definition movie recording functions for a single-lens reflex camera. With the introduction of these camera models, the Company has successfully created an even more powerful line-up. As we review this half a century of history, Canon is truly grateful to all of its photographers for their support and seeks to continue the challenge of creating single-lens reflex cameras that provide the best image quality and reliability for the next generation. Please visit Canon U.S.A for more information on their products and services.

1/5/2009 8:01:00 PM

Samsung Unleashes Four New HD Digital Camcorders LAS VEGAS, N.V., January 5, 2009 - Samsung Electronics America, Inc. today extended its family of full-HD digital camcorders with four new models - the HMX-H106, HMX-H105, HMX-H104, and HMX-H100. Samsung's new H-Series offer users high-performance, full-HD video, a renowned Schneider Kreuznach Varioplan HD lens with Optical Image Stabilization, and industry leading design; however, most notable is the use of internal Solid State Drives to provide onboard memory. Be sure to read the full press release.

1/5/2009 5:01:00 PM

Pentax Announces New Optio Digital Cameras GOLDEN, CO (January 5, 2009) - PENTAX Imaging Company has announced two stylish, colorful, compact digital cameras: the Optio P70 and Optio E70. The ultra-slim PENTAX Optio P70 digital compact camera is a high-performance model featuring fast, advanced functions to make high-quality digital photography simple and effortless. With 12 megapixels for large, detailed images, a 4x optical zoom (equivalent to 27.5-110mm), plus a wide angle 28mm lens that is ideal for landscape indoor and group photos, the fashionable Optio P70 metal body is available in multiple stylish colors. Additional features include a 2.7 inch high-resolution, wide-angle view LCD panel, and new Pixel Track Shake Reduction technology to assure sharp images with low noise even in poor lighting. The Optio P70 also offers Advanced Face Recognition that tracks up to 32 faces in 0.03 seconds, and both Smile Capture that automatically releases the shutter when subjects smile, and Blink Detection to alert you if your subject's eyes are closed. Digital Shake Reduction sets the sensitivity up to ISO 6400 to prevent subject blur, HD movie captures vivid video in widescreen 720p at 15 FPS, and a Vertical Snap mode allows image capture with the ease of a cell phone camera. Please read the entire Pentax Press Release.

1/5/2009 1:53:00 PM

Fuji ENVIROMAX Batteries Released MAHWAH, NJ (January 5, 2009) – Fuji EnviroMAX™, a new line of eco-friendly, high performance consumer batteries, will be introduced to the North American market at Consumer Electronics Expo in January. They are made by Fuji Batteries FDK of Japan, one of the country’s largest battery manufacturers. The Fuji EnviroMAX battery brings long-awaited peace-of-mind to consumers who “live green” when choosing consumable products for use in their homes. Aptly named Fuji EnviroMAX, this line of batteries embrace ecological awareness as they: do not contain poisonous cadmium or mercury are packaged with recycled paper and fully recyclable PET plastic can be disposed of through normal waste systems do not contain ingredients harmful to the environment as they degrade are landfill safe equal or exceed performance/longevity of major equivalent brands offer outstanding performance at affordable cost These extraordinary batteries are manufactured under some of the world’s strictest standards of environmental responsibility, and no ozone-depleting compounds are emitted during manufacture. Fuji EnviroMAX batteries are made with recycled materials, and are also packaged in recycled or recyclable materials -- including recycled paper and PET plastic. Even the battery cylinders are made from recyclable PET plastic, not steel. In fact, most of the resources used in the Fuji EnviroMAX manufacturing process are reused and recycled! Fuji EnviroMAX batteries are currently being introduced in Super Alkaline and Digital Alkaline varieties. Pricing: Super Alkaline ($3.99 per pack), available in AA, AAA, C, and D, offer unexcelled power for the most common applications such as toys, radios, or flashlights. Digital Alkaline ($5.99 per pack), available in AA and AAA, are especially engineered to provide superior performance in high-drain electronic devices such as digital cameras, remotes, and video games. Competitively priced, Fuji EnviroMAX batteries equal or exceed the performance and longevity of major equivalent brands. They will initially be available in April 2009 at ACO, ACE and Do It Best hardware stores, plus Big Y stores in Massachusetts and Shop’ n Save in the St. Louis/Missouri, areas. Fuji EnviroMAX batteries can also be ordered directly by consumers and businesses from its website. For more information about Fuji EnviroMAX batteries, please visit www.greenfuji.com.

1/5/2009 9:15:00 AM

Canon U.S.A. Announces 2009 Digtial Camcorder line-up LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y., January 5, 2009 – Canon U.S.A., Inc, a leader in digital imaging technology, announces an exciting new line of five VIXIA high definition and six standard definition camcorders, which are available in a variety of different recording formats, including Flash Memory. The camcorders retain Canon's core imaging technologies, but add a wide selection of new features for enhanced image quality and added flexibility for sharing and storing memories. Highlighting the list of new features is Canon's newest and most sophisticated image processor, DIGIC DV III. The new HD processor is featured in select VIXIA models and delivers stunning color reproduction, clarity and enhanced noise reduction. The newly upgraded processor's high-speed engine powers a variety of other new camcorder features including: 8.0 Megapixel photo capture, Genuine Canon Face Detection Technology, and an advanced Auto Exposure system. Also new to Canon's video line-up is Video Snapshot Mode, which enables users to capture the highlights of a once in a lifetime trip, or a family milestone, with the same ease as taking photos. Consumers can now record a series of four-second video clips, and along with supplied software which includes various background music compositions, blend in background music to create an exciting movie that will hold everyone's attention. For more information, and to view product images, please read Canon's Press Release.

1/5/2009 8:40:00 AM

Symwave and Seagate Demonstrate World’s First USB 3.0 Storage Solution at CES 2009 LAS VEGAS, Nevada, January 5, 2009 – Symwave, Inc., a semiconductor supplier of high-performance analog/mixed-signal connectivity solutions for the PC, consumer and mobile devices, today announced collaboration with Seagate to demonstrate Symwave’s USB 3.0 storage controller device designed to comply with the Superspeed (USB 3.0) specification revision 1.0. The technology demonstration is the world’s first consumer product application of USB 3.0 and will take place at the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Nevada from January 8-11, 2009. The demonstration will showcase streaming data to and from a commercially available external storage device at speeds previously unattainable with legacy USB technology. Seagate’s award-winning FreeAgent® family of external storage solutions will be used to demonstrate the read-and-write transfer speeds of USB 3.0. Seagate was selected for this display of technology due to the company’s industry leadership position and reputation for maintaining a high-level of technological innovation. The USB 3.0 specification is a rapidly emerging technology that enables high-speed connectivity between consumer devices at up to 10 times faster than current solutions. It is backwards compatible with the more than 10 billion USB devices shipped to date. Only seven weeks ago, Symwave announced the world’s first USB 3.0 physical layer device (PHY) at the same time as the first public release of the Revision 1.0 Specification at the SuperSpeed USB Developers Conference. “Symwave is honored to be working with Seagate in this show of the first USB 3.0 solution in a real world application of data backup, storage and media streaming,” said Yossi Cohen, president and CEO of Symwave. “Customer reaction to our new PHY device for USB 3.0 has been extremely positive and we will continue to focus on delivering leading-edge products that will allow them to address the growing demand for high-speed storage solutions.” The industry’s SuperSpeed USB organization encompasses over 200 companies including the leading brands in consumer electronics, mobile devices, storage, and PCs. With such broad industry momentum and support, SuperSpeed USB is poised to become the most pervasive high-speed connectivity technology over the coming years.

1/3/2009 11:11:00 AM

Lensbabies Changes Company Name to Lensbaby Portland, OR (January 2, 2009) – Lensbabies, LLC, a manufacturer and marketer of unique selective focus camera lenses, announces that the company has changed its name to Lensbaby, effective immediately. “The goal in changing our company name was purely to simplify and synchronize our corporate identity with our line of products,” said Craig Strong, Lensbaby president and co-founder. “What began as a single Lensbaby product four years ago has now blossomed into a complete line of related products that satisfy the needs of creative photographers at all levels. Our products are known to the world as Lensbaby products and now our company name is simply Lensbaby.” Founded by professional photographer and inventor Craig Strong, Lensbabies was publicly launched on February 23, 2004 in Las Vegas, NV, at the Wedding and Portrait Photographers International (WPPI) trade show. Craig Strong invented the Lensbaby lens in an effort to create a digital equivalent to his Holga film camera. Professional photographers responded enthusiastically to his early prototypes, and with encouragement from photographic superstar Kevin Kubota and other photographers, Craig decided to bring the Lensbaby lens to the market Lensbaby maintains its home office and manufactures Lensbaby products including the Lensbaby 3G, Lensbaby 2.0, The Original Lensbaby and the Lensbaby 3G PL (for motion picture cameras), as well as compatible lens accessories, in Portland, Oregon, USA. The Lensbaby line of SLR lenses bring one area of a photographer’s photo into sharp focus with that Sweet Spot™ surrounded by gradually increasing blur. Users can move the Sweet Spot to any part of their photo by bending the lens. Lensbaby lenses are a simple way to add a completely new and creative dimension to anyone’s photography. For more information on Lensbaby products, please visit their Website.

1/2/2009 1:10:00 PM

Digital Foci Announces the Picture Porter 35 January 2, 2009, Las Vegas, NV – Digital Foci (www.digitalfoci.com) announced today that it is introducing the new Picture Porter 35 at next week’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Booth #31846 (LVCC, South Hall). Picture Porter 35 (model PPR-350) is a new high-capacity portable photo manager with a 3.5-inch color screen for easy viewing; built-in hard drive with capacity starting at 160GB; and a multi-format memory card reader. The next-generation of the Picture Porter family, Picture Porter 35 provides super fast copy speeds of 1GB of data in about 2 minutes. Picture Porter 35 lets you instantly and securely save and view digital photos and video on its hard drive wherever you go. Not only does the Picture Porter 35 relieve you from worrying about limited memory card space for your digital camera, it’s also the best device to help you keep all your photos in one, easy-to-manage location. DSLR & IPTC Support for Pro and Travel Photography Perfect for professional photographers and travelers, Picture Porter 35 lets you instantly and securely back up photos from digital camera memory cards while on photo shoots or vacation. Picture Porter 35 supports RAW images with zoom, EXIF, and histogram data to let you examine photos in great detail from a wide selection of DSLRs. In addition, with the new IPTC support, users can also view IPTC metadata, such as headline, copyright owner, and comments embedded in the photos. For non-professional use, the IPTC support allows you to see the comments added to photos downloaded from popular photo sites (like Google’s Picasa Web Albums) as they are displayed on Picture Porter 35.... Click here to read the entire Press Release.

1/1/2009 1:39:00 AM

January Tech Corner Posted Labeled dSLR Video, this month's column talks about the latest trend in the dSLR world, video capture. Be sure to give it a read.

12/30/2008 12:41:00 PM

Genius Premieres New “Touch” Products at CES 2009 LAS VEGAS--Genius (www.geniusnet.com), a division of KYE Systems Corp., announced today that it will be showing the company’s latest fun and innovative family of products at the upcoming CES 2009 Consumer Electronics Show. Highlights include the Touch Photo Frames, DPF-T805 and DPF-T1000, and the Touch Speaker Systems, all of which feature Genius’ touch technology. The DPF-T805 and DPF-T1000 Touch Digital Photo Frames allows users to create a moving photo album. What makes ours special is the touch keypad design, allowing users to upload and play their photos with ease. With a single press of a finger, users can browse through their photos. The DPF series also feature a multi-picture slide show and playback of up to four pictures on one screen in different slide show speeds. The automatic schedule (on/off) allows users to program a time of day/night for the frame to turn on and off. The multifunctional frames let users play JPEG/BMP photos, MP3 music and AVI (Motion-JPEG) video, and each has USB 2.0 high-speed USB storage for convenient file/image transfers. Both Touch Digital Photo Frames can store up to 700 pictures using the “Auto Photo Resizing technology” via its copy function. The DPF-T805 Touch Digital Photo Frame has an 8.4” frame, 4:3 panel ratio, and 800x600 pixel screen. The DPF-T1000 Touch Digital Frame has a 10.2” frame, 4:3 panel ratio, 800x600 pixel screen.

12/30/2008 12:26:00 PM

Stroboframe U-Pro - The Universal Professional Flash Bracket Introduced By Tiffen Las Vegas, NV -- December 30, 2008 - Stroboframe, a division of The Tiffen Company, a Hauppauge, New York camera accessory company, announced the introduction of the U-Pro, the universal professional flash bracket for Digital SLR and 35mm cameras. The U-Pro offers new Stroboframe design features with the same quality and engineering as its predecessors. Stroboframe U-Pro is available at photo specialty dealers nationwide. Suggested retail price is $269.95. The Stroboframe U-Pro professional flash bracket is a fully-functioning bracket right out of the box. No need for additional accessories. The U-Pro has been specifically engineered to fit almost every digital SLR camera on the market today and in the future. The U-Pro is constructed of T6061 and T7075 aircraft aluminum and is both lightweight and durable. The U-Pro includes a QR Plate, removable kickstand, cork pad and ¼”-20 mounting knobs for camera and flash. As with all of Stroboframe brackets, the U-Pro is backed by a 5-year warranty - your assurance of quality. For more information visit www.tiffen.com.

12/30/2008 12:01:00 PM

NEXTO DI Makes Backing Up Video and Photos Fast and Easy Inglewood, CA — When you’re on the road taking video or photos for work or pleasure, the last thing you want to do is pull out your laptop so you can back it up. But, with NEXTO DI’s latest product, you can finally ditch the laptop. At the 2009 Consumer Electronics Show, International Supplies, a leading distributor of imaging supplies chosen by NEXTO DI to launch its product here in the U.S., will unveil a new portable storage device that allows you to backup on-the-go. It is called NEXTO eXtreme. NEXTO eXtreme enables users to backup any camcorder or camera without a laptop—by using the built-in memory card reader or direct connect USB-OTG (On-The-Go) feature. The NEXTO eXtreme is perfect when you are in the field, shooting on location, or traveling. All you have to do is insert the memory card or connect the USB port to the eXtreme, and at the touch of a single button, you can copy, delete, browse, and backup your video or photos. The innovative eXtreme not only confirms that the backup was complete, but it also checks the integrity of your video clips and photos so if for any reason, it did not backup properly, you would know immediately. It also detects faults and possible future hard drive errors. Using Nexto’s patented technology, X-Copy, to enhance backup speed, eXtreme is eight times faster than most comparable products on the market. Not only can it back up 1 GB of data within 40 seconds, but users can back up to 60 GB of images with a single battery charge, or up to 140 GB with an auxiliary battery. Plus, it only backs up any files that have changed since the previous backup, thus saving you even more time. The hard drive is available in 160 GB, 250 GB, 320 GB, 500 GB, and can be expanded all the way up to 2 TB (terabytes) of storage so buyers can choose the capacity that best fits their specific storage needs. NEXTO eXtreme supports all standard memory cards. Because it can store all types of files (video footage, photos, data, music, movies and games), eXtreme, with its eSATA interface, can easily serve as a fast, reliable external hard drive for backup at home or work. It is compatible with PC, MAC and UNIX. NEXTO eXtreme is also so compact and lightweight that it fits in the palm of your hand so you can conveniently take your video and photos with you wherever you go. The suggested retail price for a 160 GB NEXTO eXtreme is $429.99 and it comes with a one year warranty, a carrying case, long and short USB cords, a USB extension cord, and an AC adaptor. Auxiliary batteries and car chargers are sold separately. For more information on NEXTO eXtreme, please visit www.internationalsupplies.com or call (800) 999-1984.

12/23/2008 11:51:00 AM

Season's Greetings from the Staff at Steve's Season's greetings and best holiday wishes to you and your family from the staff at Steve's. Economic times are difficult and many families are dealing with a husband, wife, brother or sister that is away from home serving in our military forces. Our prayers go out to all those special people that are securing our freedom and way of life, we wish you all a safe tour and a speedy return. And don't forget to take lots and lots of digital pictures - you only have to print the good ones and you never know what amazing moments you'll capture by mistake.

12/23/2008 11:37:00 AM

HP Introduces Free Photo Printing Application on Apple App Store PALO ALTO, Calif. -- Dec 22, 2008 HP today announced HP iPrint Photo, a free application available on the Apple App store that gives iPhone and iPod touch customers the ability to easily print photos anytime, anywhere. HP iPrint Photo is the first photo printing application of its kind and allows for quick and easy wireless printing of 4 x 6-inch photos from an iPhone or iPod touch to most HP inkjet printers connected to a local Wi-Fi network. The application is fully compatible with Apple’s Bonjour technology and uses the innovative Multi-Touch interface for the easiest and fastest wireless iPhone or iPod touch print experience. “Today’s news demonstrates how HP is enabling customers to turn special moments captured on the go into high-quality photos,” said Vyomesh Joshi, executive vice president, Imaging and Printing Group, HP. “More than any other company in the world, HP has re-imagined, re-engineered and re-invented the power of printing with exciting new technologies that address real customer needs.” The HP iPrint Photo application provides customers the freedom and flexibility to wirelessly print the millions of photos that have been captured on iPhone or iPod touch devices. It will be showcased for the first time at the 2009 Macworld Conference & Expo and the 2009 Consumer Electronics Show (CES). “There’s a major shift happening in the mobile domain today,” said Rob Enderle, president and principal analyst, Enderle Group. “Annual camera phone device shipments are exploding on a worldwide basis, and mobile photo printing is quickly growing. Until now, customers had no easy way to print the special moments captured on their iPhone or stored on their iPod touch.” HP iPrint Photo is available at no charge from Apple’s App Store on iPhone and iPod touch or at www.itunes.com/appstore.

12/19/2008 12:12:00 PM

Apple Releases Digital Camera Raw Compatibility Update 2.4 Apple has just released Digital Camera Raw Compatibility Update 2.4. According to the Apple website this update extends RAW file compatibility for Aperture 2 and iPhoto 08 for the following cameras: Canon EOS 5D Mark II Canon PowerShot G10 Pentax K2000/K-m Leaf AFi-II 6 Leaf AFi-II 7 Leaf Aptus-II 6 Leaf Aptus-II 7 Leica M8.2 It also addresses issues related to specific cameras and overall stability. Download the 3.79MB update from the Apple Support site.

12/18/2008 10:51:00 AM

GIROPTIC Introduces the World's First One-Shot 360° Panoramic Digital Camera High-end digital cameras have always made it possible to take panoramic shots through the means of point and shoot, point and shoot, point and shoot again and then work to stitch a dozen or so shots together. The results, however, have always been disappointing. With the steadiest hand in the world pictures have always varied and it has always required exemplary digital photo-editing skills just to create something that was half-way good. Giroptic has single-handedly changed all this. The company has created what they say to be the world’s first truly automated 360° digital camera which takes high-quality panoramic shots with just one click and sells for $999.00. According to the company, the operation could not have been simpler. You place the camera on its special tripod set the timer and that’s it. The picture is ready to use instantly, it can be uploaded to the Giroptic servers to help create interactive virtual tours of the area that’s been photographed (in itself an operation requiring not more than a couple of clicks) or it can be e-mailed, used in Flash presentations and promotional material. An instant solution for anyone involved in real estate, promotional activities and the creation of digital presentations, the Giroptic 360° panoramic digital camera is a world first on many levels including the way it works and the simplicity and ease of its use. The revolutionary approach to panoramic digital photography employed by the Giroptic team ensures that however complex the technology might be it’s so safely packed under the bonnet that all you need to do in order to keep on taking consistently high-quality panoramic digital pictures is simply press a button. It was Canon that released the first digital camera in 1991 and we now live in a world where digital photography is the norm. Giroptic has created an equally Earth-shaking first leap by making one of the most complicated, challenging and persistently difficult aspects of digital photography as easy as clicking a button. For more information, visit www.giroptic.com.

12/17/2008 1:07:00 AM

Pentax Announces Limited Edition White K2000 Double Zoom Digital SLR System GOLDEN, CO - PENTAX Imaging Company has announced a limited edition, white PENTAX K2000 DSLR system with a double zoom kit. This new model replicates the original K2000 design that launched in September 2008 for consumers who are ready to make the transition from a point-and-shoot digital camera to digital SLR photography. The new camera body and both lenses* feature a brilliant white color with black trim. The white PENTAX K2000 is an entry-level system consisting of the new PENTAX K2000 body, a white smc PENTAX DA L 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 AL lens, and a white smc PENTAX DA L 50-200mm F4-5.6 AL lens. Bundled as a complete kit for the convenience of the customer, the PENTAX K2000 system offers uncomplicated operation for new digital SLR users and family photographers seeking high-quality digital SLR photography for the first time. The lenses included with this PENTAX K2000 system are the white versions of a newer series introduced with the DA L designation. This DA L series offers the same optical performance and compatibility as the current smc PENTAX DA 18-55mm II and smc PENTAX DA 50-200mm lenses. This stylish, limited edition white PENTAX K2000 kit will be available on a very limited basis in February 2009 at a price to be announced. *Note: The white smc PENTAX DA L 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 AL and smc PENTAX DA L 50-200mm F4-5.6 lenses will only be available in the US as part of the white PENTAX K2000 Double Zoom Kit. This new PENTAX digital SLR body will only be available under the white PENTAX K2000 product name in the US. The same body will be available under the PENTAX K-m product name outside of the US.

12/17/2008 12:57:00 AM

Ritz Camera Introduces PowerGenix’s AA Nickel-Zinc Technology IRVINE, Calif. -- Ritz Camera today announced the introduction of Quantaray Super Z, a Nickel-Zinc (NiZn) AA rechargeable battery and charger set. Ritz’s Super Z batteries provide greater power for today’s high drain consumer electronics, enabling superior camera performance compared to existing rechargeable batteries. San Diego-based PowerGenix, developer and manufacturer of nontoxic, high performance NiZn rechargeable technology, will supply the batteries to Ritz. Despite rapid innovation in the capabilities of portable electronics, until recently, progress has been slow to develop batteries able to meet the demand of these power-hungry devices. With advanced NiZn performance, the Super Z has been introduced by Ritz Camera to fulfill the growing needs of high drain digital cameras and accessories. By delivering a higher voltage than existing rechargeable cells, cameras equipped with NiZn cells benefit from brighter flash, shorter flash recovery time, and more shots per charge. Committed to protecting the environment, Ritz Camera is an active member in the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation’s (RBRC) Call2Recycle program for the collection and proper disposal of rechargeable batteries. Earlier this year, PowerGenix’s NiZn technology was certified by the RBRC for collection and recycling, becoming only the fifth rechargeable chemistry recognized by the program. Further amplifying Ritz’s environmental efforts, PowerGenix’s NiZn batteries contain no toxic heavy metals such as lead, cadmium or mercury and are the most recyclable rechargeable chemistry on the market. Quantaray Super Z will be available both in Ritz retail locations and through their online store at www.ritzcamera.com.

12/16/2008 11:47:00 AM

Panasonic DMC-G1 Firmware Update Panasonic has posted a v1.1 firmware update for the new DMC-G1 camera body that offers the following additions, fixes or improvements: Makes it possible to check the exposure with Live View during the AE lock. Makes it possible to continuously display the enlarged screen of the MF assist. Added "color adjustment function" for the LCD monitor/View finder. Added "Red-eye reduction forced flash on" to the flash setting for the [PARTY]. Improved the performance of AE(Auto Exposure) and AWB(Auto White Balance). Improved the accuracy of flash control. Improved the noise reduction during high sensitivity photo shooting. Visit the Panasonic support page for more info and installation instructions.

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