News

Microsoft Corp., together with leading companies in the digital imaging industry,
today announced enhancements to the family of Windows operating systems that will
enable consumers to easily work with RAW files in current and future versions
of Windows. Working closely with digital imaging industry leaders including Adobe
Systems Inc., Canon Inc., Fuji Photo Film Co. Ltd. and Nikon Corp., Microsoft
plans to deliver native support for digital camera RAW images in the next major
version of Windows, code-named "Longhorn."



In addition, Microsoft is enhancing the digital imaging experience for Windows
XP with the upcoming availability of the Microsoft RAW Image Thumbnailer and Viewer
for Windows XP, allowing consumers to view thumbnails and preview and print Canon
and Nikon RAW files from Windows Explorer in Windows XP. These features, as well
as the ability to organize and edit Canon and Nikon RAW files, will also be available
in a future version of Digital Image Suite.



Microsoft also announced it is developing a certification program for third-party
RAW image codecs that will ensure their solutions provide a consistent experience
for consumers who are using RAW image files. With this new RAW support across
the Windows platform and products, Microsoft is enabling a seamless experience
for consumers working with RAW digital images and delivering an extensible architecture
for hardware and software industry partners.



Microsoft worked with imaging leaders to develop the digital camera RAW architecture
in "Longhorn" and to provide the best digital photography experience
for Windows consumers. "Longhorn" will deliver dramatic innovation
in RAW support for independent software developers, camera manufacturers and consumers.
Hardware and software partners will benefit from the standardized architecture
for image codecs, which allows them to contribute their own codecs to be certified
and implemented in Windows.



Microsoft's platform approach provides built-in support for RAW files, enabling
Windows-based applications to use all supported image types, including RAW. This
architecture enables software applications to seamlessly support new image types
upon codec certification by Microsoft. In addition, "Longhorn" will
provide an application programming interface (API) that enables software vendors
to exercise a higher degree of control over the RAW conversion in their applications,
while enabling market opportunities for professional-level conversion tools.



In addition to announcing the imaging enhancements planned for the next version
of Windows, Microsoft is helping Windows XP consumers realize the potential of
RAW files. The Microsoft RAW Image Thumbnailer and Viewer for Windows XP will
soon be available for free download* at http://www.microsoft.com.
...

The
new KODAK EASYSHARE V550 and V530 zoom digital cameras blend video and still photography.
The V550 and V530 cameras are equipped with 5-megapixel (MP) resolution sensors
and the packages include the KODAK EASYSHARE Photo Frame Dock 2 -- which provides
one-touch picture transfer to a connected computer while keeping the cameras'
high-capacity battery charged and ready to go. Users can play video and photo
`slideshows' on the cameras' high-resolution LCD screens. The
V Model V550 has a SCHNEIDER-KREUZNACH C-VARIOGON 3X optical zoom lens and nineteen
scene modes such as beach, snow, sunset and party. The EASYSHARE V550 camera will
be available worldwide beginning this June for US$399 (MSRP). The EASYSHARE V530
camera will be available worldwide beginning in July 2005 for US$349 (MSRP).



V-series cameras include KODAK EASYSHARE software for WINDOWS and MACINTOSH systems,
providing effortless digital picture organization, editing, sharing and printing
-- and even CD and DVD burning. The exclusive One Touch to Better Pictures feature
takes advantage of proprietary color technologies developed by Kodak to help users
get prints from inkjet printers. Version 5.0 -- available as a free download from
www.kodak.com beginning this
summer -- will feature new video editing tools that allow users to quickly and
simply trim, splice, rotate and add music to videos.
...

AgfaPhoto, the independent company which has emerged from the Consumer Imaging
division of the Agfa-Gevaert Group, has announced it has created a unified website
to give consumers a single destination for a wide range of photo processing services.
The new site -- www.agfaphoto.com -- merges two of the company's earlier
web portals, www.agfanet.com
and www.agfaphoto.com.



AgfaPhoto's new website features an improved design and user interface as
well as a selection of new Photo Service pages tailored to the needs of users.
Visitors to the site will find useful facilities such as the AgfaPhoto Print Service
for ordering prints from digital photos, as well as services for creating personalized
postcards and designing original photo gifts. With the AgfaPhoto Web Album, users
can show their digital photos online to family and friends and enable them to
order prints. This service is available free of charge for the first ten days
after a consumer's initial visit to the site.



www.agfaphoto.com
...

...

Tenba has launched the latest generation of its popular ProDigital carrying
case and accessory collection. The new "ProDigital 2.0" lineup includes
two all-new products, as well as comprehensive updates to existing ProDigital
products.

...

The
Samsung Digimax V700 is a 7-megapixel digicam that sells for $409.99. The pocketable
camera features a 4 cm super-macro mode, a 2-inch color LCD display and a Schneider
7.8-23.4mm zom lens, equivalent to 38-114mm in 35mm format. Menu navigation
is aided by a bold, graphic user interface, which includes scene modes, text
modes and Program, aperture- and shutter-priority modes. There's also
a "live", real-time histogram to aid in getting good exposures.

...

Shutterbug
contributor and Digital Outback Photo web site creator Uwe Steinmuller has just
released his newest e-book: "The Art of RAW Conversion, Optimal image quality
from Photoshop CS2 and leading RAW converters". This e-book covers all angles
of RAW conversion based on a real-world experience. Also, topics like color management,
DNG and B&W are covered. The RAW converters featured are Camera Raw 3.x, RawShooter,
Canon DPP, Capture One, Nikon Capture and Bibble 4.x. The e-book helps explain
all aspects of the RAW workflow and features an introduction to DNG, color management
and black and white conversions using RAW conversion. In it you will find how
to perfect images by removing image artifacts like: Noise, Chromatic Aberrations,
Lens Distortions, dust and sharpening, as well as upsizing, dark/light halo and
edge mask sharpening. The workflow of RAW is also thoroughly explained. All techniques
are based on the author's real world experiences as a fine art photographer.

The e-book contains 290 pages and is available as a downloadable PDF for $39.95.



For more information visit: http://www.outbackphoto.com/booklets/booklets.html...