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Shutter Lag



Or, Why We Don't Review Digicams

by George Schaub

We have gotten some letters from readers asking why we don't normally
review integral lens digital cameras, or what we call digicams. One reason is
that they come and go so quickly. It's not unusual for a digicam to be
on them...

Nikon has introduced two new additions to its COOLPIX Performance Series of
digital cameras: the COOLPIX P5100 and the COOLPIX P50. The P5100 and the P50
incorporate Nikon's new EXPEEDT advanced image processing system and high
sensitivity capabilities that will help create incredible pictures in nearly
any setting.

...

Epson America, Inc. has unveiled its latest scanner for the advanced amateur
and creative consumer markets. The Epson Perfection V500 Photo color scanner
is said to provide professional results with 6400 dpi optical resolution. Also
featuring Epson's new ReadyScan LED technology, which delivers fast scans
and no warm-up time, the Epson V500 Photo is only $249.99.



With 6400 dpi optical resolution, users can create 17" x 22" or
bigger enlargements from film. Additionally, with 48-bit color depth and a 3.4
dynamic range, the Epson V500 Photo produces scans with brilliant, true-to-life
colors.



The energy-efficient ReadyScan LED technology completely eliminates warm-up
time both when turning on the scanner and when switching back-and-forth between
reflective and film scanning, as well as automatically turns off in standby
mode, using less power while offering greater productivity. Because the LED
is more efficient than cold cathode fluorescent lamps, users get fast scan speeds.
The ReadyScan LED also adjusts color of the light source based on the type of
original being scanned, using white light for positive film and blue light for
negative film, to produce precise and efficient scans. Additionally, the mercury-free
LEDs are friendly to the environment.



The Epson V500 Photo includes two powerful, yet easy-to-use complete photo restoration
solutions for advanced amateur photographers and creative consumers, including
Digital ICE and Epson Easy Photo Fix technology. Digital ICE is an innovative
technology that easily removes the appearance of dust and scratches from film,
eliminating the need for costly photo retouching services to get the best results.
Epson Easy Photo Fix restores faded color photos, slides and negatives back
to their original brilliance with one click.



Adding to the productivity of the EpsonV500 Photo scanner is a built-in transparency
unit (TPU) with a moving carriage and lamp optimized for scanning multiple 35mm
negatives, slides and medium-format film. The scanner can handle up to four
mounted slides or two film strips up to 12 total frames, or medium-format film
of 2-1/4", 120/220 and 6 x 12 cm. Additional features include an optional
Automatic Document Feeder (ADF) that enables users to quickly scan multiple
documents.



The Epson V500 Photo also comes with Epson Creativity Suite, which includes
Scan to E-Mail, Copy Utility and Scan to PDF; Adobe Photoshop Elements; and
ABBYY Fine Reader 6 Sprint Plus OCR (ABBYY Fine Reader®5 Sprint Plus OCR
for Mac). The scanner is compatible with Microsoft Windows 2000, Windows Me,
Windows XP, Windows Vista, Macintosh OS X 10.2.8 and later, and is also TWAIN
compliant.



The Epson V500 Photo can be purchased for an estimated street price of $249.99
from Epson authorized dealers, consumer electronic stores, mail order, distribution,
and on the Epson Store Web site (www.epsonstore.com).
The optional ADF will be available for an estimated street price of $199.99
on the Epson Store Web site. The Epson V500 Photo comes with a one-year limited
warranty. More information about the Epson V500 Photo and other Epson scanners
is available at www.epson.com
or 1-800-GO-EPSON (1-800-463-7766).

...

Phase One has announced the beta
release of Capture One 4 -- the next generation of Capture One 3 LE
-- RAW workflow software that helps professional photographers to
achieve superior image quality.

...