News

Eastman Kodak Company (NYSE:EK) has introduced a new image sensor technology
that is said to provides a significant increase in sensitivity to light when
compared to current sensor designs. With this new technology, users will realize
a 2x to 4x increase in sensitivity (from one to two photographic stops), which
will improve performance when taking pictures under low light and reduce motion
blur when imaging moving subjects. In addition, this technology enables the
design of smaller pixels (leading to higher resolutions in a given optical format)
while retaining imaging performance.



This breakthrough advances an existing Kodak technology that has become a standard
in digital imaging. Today, the design of almost all color image sensors is based
on the "Bayer Pattern," an arrangement of red, green, and blue pixels
that was first developed by Kodak Scientist Dr. Bryce Bayer in 1976. In this
design, half of the pixels on the sensor are used to collect green light, with
the remaining pixels split evenly between sensitivity to red and blue light.
After exposure, software reconstructs a full color signal for each pixel in
the final image.



Kodak's new proprietary technology builds on the existing Bayer Pattern
by adding panchromatic, or "clear" pixels to the red, green, and
blue pixels already on the sensor. Since these pixels are sensitive to all wavelengths
of visible light, they collect a significantly higher proportion of the light
striking the sensor. The remaining red, green, and blue pixels are then used
to record the color information of the scene.



To reconstruct a full color image, Kodak has also developed new software algorithms
specifically designed to work with the raw data generated from these new image
sensors. These sophisticated algorithms use the more sensitive panchromatic
pixels to act as the luminance channel of the final image, and derive chrominance
information from the color pixels on the sensor. Leveraging over 30 years of
Kodak image science, these new algorithms support the increased sensitivity
provided by these new pixel patterns, while retaining the overall image quality
and color fidelity required by customers.



Kodak is beginning to work with a number of leading companies to implement this
new technology in system-wide solutions and to streamline the design-in process.



Kodak is developing CMOS sensors using this technology for consumer markets
such as digital still cameras and camera phones. As the technology is appropriate
for use with both CCD and CMOS image sensors, however, its use can be expanded
across Kodak's full portfolio of image sensors, including products targeted
to applied imaging markets such as industrial and scientific imaging. The first
Kodak sensor to use this technology is expected to be available for sampling
in the first quarter of 2008.



For more information on Kodak's entire image sensor product line, please
visit www.kodak.com/go/imagers.

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Online video and photo sharing service Phanfare (www.phanfare.com) has announced
a special offer for current customers of Yahoo! Photos. Yahoo! Photos recently
informed their customers that their photos stored at Yahoo! Photos will be deleted
at the end of the summer. In response, Phanfare is offering Yahoo! Photos customers
the opportunity to move and save their photos from Yahoo! Photos to their own
Phanfare Web sites, known for family-friendly, private, secure, advertising-free
albums. As an added bonus, current Yahoo! Photos customers will get six months
free service when they move their photos to Phanfare.

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Kingston Technology Company, Inc. has announced that world-class nature and
wildlife photographer John Hyde will be the next participant to share how he
uses Kingston Flash memory on the company's `Look Who's Using
Kingston' microsite. Hyde discusses how he captures the majestic beauty
of Alaska's national parks and the wildlife, including native Alaskan
wolves, birds and orcas. Hyde also offers insightful tips on how consumers can
take their own beautiful photos during visits to national parks and other outdoor
venues.

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ReaSoft Development has announced the release of ReaConverter 5.0, which allows
users to convert images, as well as edit them, creating the high quality photos
and drafts.

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From the beaches of the eastern seaboard to the Great Plains, and from the wetlands
of the south, to the towering sequoias of the west, America and its pristine parks
have always been hailed as top destination sites for photography enthusiasts and
their families. Canon U.S.A., Inc. and the American Park Network continue to help
define the relationship between photography and the great outdoors with the introduction
of a free photography workshop program on select dates throughout the summer in
Yosemite, Grand Canyon and Yellowstone National Parks. These programs will be
artfully hosted and instructed by a select few of the world renowned Canon Explorer
of Light photographers including Adam Jones and Lewis Kemper, along with other
Canon-selected photographers such as Rob and Ann Simpson. What's more, the
Canon Photography in the Parks Photo Contest returns this year to offer photographers
the chance to display their work and win prizes in the categories of landscape
and wildlife photography in the parks.



From June 1st to September 29th, photographic enthusiasts are encouraged to submit
their favorite photographs from an American park to the Canon Digital Learning
Center. Winning photographs in the categories of landscape and wildlife will win
a trip to the participating parks of their choice, along with a full suite of
Canon photographic equipment. By logging onto the Canon Digital Learning Center
at www.usa.canon.com/dlc,
potential winners will not only have the opportunity to submit their photos, but
can also peruse the Web site to explore the various educational resources that
Canon has to offer for novices and advanced photographers alike.



With the help of the Canon Explorer of Light program, park visitors will have
the opportunity to participate in free daily guided visual photographic journeys.
Additionally, Canon will loan participants top-tier digital camera equipment to
capture those awe-inspiring sights at no additional cost. Aspiring photographers
will learn the tips and tricks to taking great outdoor photos and experience hands-on
training using some of the same equipment that professional photographers use.
Evening programs are also offered, providing visitors the rare opportunity to
spend time with the Explorers of Light, view stunning imagery, ask questions,
and receive prints and a CD of their own photos.

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Olympus has announced its new super-telephoto Zuiko Digital ED 70-300mm (f4.0-f5.6)
lens. The lens' allows users to get up-close (38 inches / 0.96 meters)
to subjects when taking macro shots. It is compatible with all E-System and
Four-Thirds system cameras. Zuiko Digital Specific Lenses each house their own
CPU and offer the user the ability to upgrade the firmware as new technology
becomes available. The ability to upgrade firmware is said to establish optimal
communication between the lens and the camera body, enabling better compensation
for common distortions such as "shading" (darkening of the edges
of an image that may sometimes occur in photographs) or "barrel distortion"
(the bowing of vertical lines).

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