News

In line with the market transition from the darkroom to the digital arena, Ilford
set itself the benchmark of producing the equivalent of a classic air-dried, gloss,
black and white fiber based silver image print using current inkjet digital technology.
The product that meets this benchmark is now available in the Galerie Brand Inkjet
Line from Ilford and it is formally tagged as Galerie Gold Fibre Silk.



Galerie Gold Fibre Silk is a 310gsm inkjet media featuring a traditional barium
sulfate (baryta) base. The baryta base enhances the media surface producing the
creamy whites and velvety blacks that form part of the unique look and feel of
a traditional fiber based print; the standard amongst art photographers worldwide.
The media also produces real high definition images with an extended tonal range,
making it a must for exhibition quality images, ranging from vivid color to dramatic
black and whites.



The assembly is completed by a backing layer, which ensures that the final printed
image has minimal curl. Galerie Gold has been specifically designed with no unnecessary
additives in the media to guarantee the image lasts and lasts just like a traditional
photo print.



Just as traditional silver halide photographs demonstrate, extreme emotions can
be captured in an image through warm or cold tones. These same results can be
produced digitally, and Ilford has created specific recommendations on using filter
factors to create 'digital toning'. Ranging from standard black and white, warm
tone, cool tone and sepia to gold, selenium and blue, the only limit is the photographer's
imagination. These filter factors together with custom ICC profiles are available
for free on the website: www.ilford.com.




Availability

Ilford Galerie Gold Fibre Silk will be available from October 2007, in the following
sizes:

8.5"x11", 13"x19", 17"x22" in 10 and 50 sheet packs


17", 24" and 44" wide (40' long) rolls

For more information on Ilford, please visit www.ilford.com...

Legion Paper has launched a comprehensive eco-friendly paper classification system
as part of their website, www.legionpaper.com. This new tool is the first of its
kind within the paper industry to provide a powerful `green' search
engine.

Wacom Technology Corp. has introduced Bamboo, an all new family of pen tablets.
Bamboo and Bamboo Fun are two distinct pen tablets that provide a natural, personal
and creative digital input experience in any home or work environment. See Bamboo
and Bamboo highlights at the www.wacom.com/wacombamboo
microsite.



Both Bamboo and Bamboo Fun sport elegant designs with increased functionality
and ease of use in mind. Four programmable ExpressKeys are situated on the tablet
surface to customize commonly used commands, such as "undo" or "copy."
A finger-sensitive Touch Ring has been positioned to allow for quick and easy
zooming and scrolling. The textured work surface of the tablet provides an intuitive
pen-on-paper feel, while the stylish and ergonomically designed pens allow users
to experience seemingly unlimited levels of pressure sensitivity, to create variations
of pen strokes, from fine lines to bold brush marks. Additionally, Bamboo and
Bamboo Fun work elegantly in both Mac and PC (including Windows 2000, Windows
XP and Windows Vista) environments.



Available to consumers immediately in two sleek sizes and four cool colors, Bamboo
Fun provides all the tools needed to have fun exploring digital creativity. Ideal
for digital photo enthusiasts or those just wanting to satiate their creative
hunger, Bamboo Fun makes it easy to enhance photos and create artwork for scrapbooks,
craft projects and slide shows.



Bamboo Fun includes valuable software applications that embrace pen support and
deliver greater control when editing photos or creating works of art. These applications
include Adobe Photoshop Elements 5 (Elements 4 for Mac users), which make it possible
to quickly and easily edit and organize digital photos. Many of the retouching
and brush strokes required in Photoshop are accomplished more accurately and rapidly
with the use of a pen. Additionally, Nik''s Color Efex Pro 2 GE filtering
software allows one to simply select and apply high-quality photographic enhancements
with the stroke of a pen. For those with an artistic flair, the natural feel of
the Bamboo Fun pen combined with the capabilities of Corel Painter Essentials
3, also included, makes creating great looking artwork easy and fun. When used
with a Bamboo Fun pen, Painter Essentials 3 can take on the look and feel of just
about any natural art tool and is perfect for creating original digital artwork
from photos.



In addition to Wacom's patented cordless, battery-free pen, the Bamboo Fun
mouse, uses the same electro-magnetic resonance technology as the pen, offering
quick response times and accuracy. Because the mouse has no ball, wires or batteries,
users discover a virtually maintenance free experience. When used alternately
with a mouse, the Bamboo pen can effectively reduce repetitive motion and increase
comfort and control.



Bamboo Fun is offered in two sizes (small and medium) each in black, silver, white
or blue.



Bamboo is a rugged and elegant pen tablet designed specifically for the mainstream
home or office computer user. Building on Wacom's extensive experience developing
pen-based input devices, the small pen tablet, in black only, provides the same
hardware features as Bamboo Fun, except for the pressure-sensitive pen eraser
and mouse.



Mac OS and Microsoft Windows Vista operating systems introduce significant pen
input features to Bamboo users for a faster, easier and more efficient computing
experience. For those on a Mac, Inkwell offers a variety of pen input features,
allowing one to enter handwritten text anywhere typed text is accepted. Bamboo
pen users working on a PC will covet the new Windows Vista-enabled note taking
resources, handwriting recognition and time-saving gesture controls. All versions
of Windows Vista (except Home Basic) provide complete pen functionality with Bamboo.
Select aspects of the Bamboo and Windows Vista pen experience include:



· Note Taking -- Microsoft Journal is an application
exclusively for the benefit of Bamboo or those working with another pen tablet,
interactive pen display or Tablet PC. Journal simulates a physical notebook, but
with all the advantages of a digital medium. The Bamboo pen can be used in Journal
to jot notes and capture quick sketches, providing valuable collaboration options
for use at home, school and work. Journal also incorporates a powerful search
engine that can even locate handwritten content.



· Handwriting Recognition -- Windows Vista introduces
intelligent handwriting recognition as a natural supplement to keyboard input.
This new recognition technology efficiently and accurately converts a wide variety
of handwriting styles into typed text. For example, during a brainstorming session,
Bamboo users can scribble down ideas and sketch concepts for collaboration with
colleagues. The user has the option to share the information in handwritten form
or convert it to typed text.



· Gestures -- There are a variety of pen gestures
available within Windows Vista that enable Bamboo users to navigate faster and
enhance the overall computing experience. Flicks offers eight customizable gestures
with actions determined by the user and Scratch Out allows pen users to delete
text automatically with a scratching motion of the pen over the targeted text.
...

BenVista has announced the release of PhotoArtist 2, software for creating
picturesque artwork based on digital photos. Fine sketches, wonderful watercolors,
and oil paintings on canvas backgrounds: these are just a few examples of what
an ordinary photo can be transformed into.

...

The new ClearWhite white balance filter is used to obtain an accurate white
balance in your digital camera, regardless of the type of light conditions.
The colors obtained from customizing your color balance with this filter are
clean and neutral. Regardless of the file format you're shooting (including
JPG TIF or RAW), this filter will help maintain good clean colors from the moment
the image is captured on your camera's sensor, minimizing the need for destructive
color corrections.

...

Ink2Image, a Glenview, IL-based distributor of digital inks, media, bulk-feed
systems and related products to the photography and fine arts industries, has
added Cave Paint R24 to its line of Lyson pigmented inks. Developed as a replacement
for the newest OEM pigment inksets like Epson Ultrachrome K3, Cave Paint R24
uses advanced resin technology to provide eye-popping color and supremely rich
blacks with superior fade resistance and no bronzing. The R24 inkset includes
both Photo Black and Matte Black inks.

...

New York photographer and author Lou Manna will conduct an all-day digital
food photography workshop at his studio in New York City. The program, presented
in association with Workshops@Adorama, takes a hands-on approach for all attendees
and explores how effective lighting, composition and tricks-of-the-trade all
work together for creating the perfect recipe for success.

...