News

X-Rite Photo Marketing announces a special upgrade for photographers that purchase
a MonacoOPTIXXR between October 1 and December 31, 2005. A free upgrade to MonacoOPTIX
Pro will be sent directly from X-Rite Photo Marketing, a $169 value.

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Alien Skin Software has announced updates to several of their popular Adobe Photoshop-compatible
plug-ins. These updates address Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger compatibility as well as a
few, minor bugs. Updated products include the following:



· Eye Candy 5: Nature, both Macintosh and Windows versions

· Eye Candy 5: Textures, both Macintosh and Windows versions

· Eye Candy 4000, Macintosh version only

· Xenofex 2, Macintosh version only

· Image Doctor, Macintosh version only

· Splat!, Macintosh version only



These updates are available to registered users as free, downloadable patches
on the Alien Skin website:

http://www.alienskin.com/support/patches/index.html



Users with problems updating their software or questions regarding the updates
are encouraged to contact Alien Skin for technical support.



· Toll-free phone: 1-888-921-SKIN

· Non-U.S. customers: 1-919-832-4124

· Email: support@alienskin.com
...

SanDisk Corporation (NASDAQ:SNDK) has introduced its first USB smart drive using
U3 technology, a powerful new platform that enables users to store and manage
their "personal workspace" -- including files, programs, passwords
and settings -- on a tiny device the size of a pack of gum.

...

Willard (Bill) Clark, a photo industry icon and the former executive director
of Photoimaging Manufacturers & Distributors Association (PMDA), died on Sept.
24. He was 77 years old. Cause of death was cancer.



Mr. Clark was associated with the photo industry for more than 40 years primarily
in consumer and trade journalism, both as a writer and photographer, and more
recently with PMDA. He worked with the senior executives of virtually every firm
in the photo industry, serving as confidant and advisor to many and earning the
respect of all.



Mr. Clark came to New York as a photographer for United Press after working for
a small Ohio newspaper as a reporter and photographer. His equipment in those
days was a 4x5 Speed Graphic, standard issue for a news journalist at that time
but now seen only in photo museums and period movies. In 1954 he became associate
editor of U.S. Camera magazine and then founding editor of Camera 35 magazine.
"I was a staff of one," he once said. He subsequently was appointed
editor.



After a variety of other magazine publishing positions, Mr. Clark came back to
the photo industry in 1981 as editor and associate publisher of Photo Weekly Magazine,
which evolved into Photo Business Magazine. His final publishing stint was a short
one as editor of PTN.



Mr. Clark retired from his position as PMDA executive director earlier this year.



At the time of his retirement, some industry associates paid tribute to him. Stacie
Errera, chief marketing officer for Tamron USA, Inc., and current president of
PMDA, said, "Bill always acted as a professional and was liked by everyone.
Everything Bill did was in the best interest of the organization."



Dan Unger, Agfa's director of marketing and PMDA board member, said of Bill:
"He was an easy-going guy who did everything right."



Mr. Clark is succeeded by two sons, Paul, Ashland, OR, and Bruce, Hopewell, NJ,
both attorneys, and two granddaughters, Fiona, 3 ½ and Emmeline, 1. He
was pre-deceased by his wife, Olga.



Editor's Note: The notes on Bill's life were kindly
provided by Jerry Lansky. I knew Bill for almost twenty years and he was always
a class act, with a kind word and encouragement for all. His "How are you
doin', man!" greeting will always echo in my ears. Those fortunate
enough to have known and worked with him understand that he was a great contributor
to photography and the photo industry and a genuinely good soul. I will miss him
greatly.

--George Schaub ...

Microtek USA is shipping the ScanMaker i800, a high-resolution scanner that
is said to combine professional features, versatility, power and convenience
at a great price. At $399, the unit can handle multiple film sizes including
24 frames of 35mm filmstrips , 12 mounted 35mm slides, two 4" x 5"
transparencies, and medium format up to 6 x 17 cm panoramic. With a maximum
film scanning area of 8" x 12" the i800 accepts large format film
and contact sheets as well. The scanner, which features 4800 x 9600 dpi optical
resolution and a 4.0 Dmax, allows users to create poster-size images from photos
and film. The ScanMaker i800 also features a large 8.5" x 14" reflective
scanning area to accommodate legal-size documents and batch scanning of photos.

...

Epson America Inc. has announced the the Epson PowerLite 76c. Featuring up to
2,000 ANSI lumens of brightness with XGA native resolution (1,024 x 768) in a
5.7-pound design, the PowerLite 76c is slated to sell for $1,099 (estimated street
price.) Driven by Epson's 3LCD technology, a three-chip engine design that
projects continuous color and vibrant images, the PowerLite 76c is said to display
a wide color gamut with excellent brightness and edge-to-edge consistency. In
addition, the PowerLite 76c comes with a new Instant OffTM feature for immediate
shutdown of the projector. Epson has also equipped the PowerLite 76c with new
lamp technology, E-TORL (Epson Twin Optimized Reflection Lamp), to deliver what
is said to be a superior level of brightness in a compact form factor. E-TORL
efficiently gathers and projects light to reduce light leakage and diffraction.



To get presentations up and running quickly and smoothly, the PowerLite 76c takes
only four seconds between pressing the power button and projection of the start-up
screen. And, with Epson's exclusive Instant Off feature, no cool down time
is necessary. Users can simply press the power button and unplug the power cable
immediately at the end of their presentation.



For added control, the PowerLite 76c features a "Source Search" button
which automatically identifies and displays the connected inputs and changes instantly
between sources. A 1.2x optical zoom lens enables users to easily adjust the display
size to project large images from relatively short throw distances, resulting
in a wide range of set-up possibilities. The unit's 30-degree keystone correction
ensures a high-quality display, even in less-than-ideal environments. Depending
on the presenting environment, the PowerLite 76c allows users to choose a 1,500
ANSI lumens "Low Brightness" mode to increase lamp life.



The included remote control enables PowerPoint and Keynote presentation slides
to be advanced and manipulated without using a PC. The projector also offers several
useful features for ceiling-mount projection, including top-side access for easy
lamp replacement, front-side access for air-filter replacement, easy switch to
ceiling-mount mode (inverted picture) via the remote control, and direct power-on
that is activated automatically when a room's power source is switched on.




The Epson PowerLite 76c will be available through authorized pro audio/visual,
national distribution, catalog, and direct PC dealers in October 2005. Epson's
PowerLite projectors come with a two-year limited warranty that includes three
elite technical support services -- two-year Epson PrivateLine™ availability,
two-year Road Service Program and two-year International Warranty. Through the
PrivateLine, projector owners can directly access an expedited support telephone
line (typically in about one minute) by using a phone card that is included with
the product.

In response to the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina, members of the
professional photography trade have established a relief effort to help industry
colleagues get back on their feet. The P.H.O.T.O. Foundation (Photographic Industry
Helping Others To Overcome) aims to rally industry support in the form of financial
contributions, loaned equipment, extended billing and payment arrangements,
and in-kind services to help photographers rebuild their businesses. Donations
may be mailed to: P.H.O.TO. Foundation, PO Box 611, Deerfield, IL 60015.

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