Shutterbug Staff

SanDisk Corporation has introduced the 12- and 16-gigabyte (GB) SanDisk Extreme
III CompactFlash cards to its Extreme III performance line, making these the
highest capacity cards in the world. The new high-performance, large-capacity
cards are ideal for professional photographers who shoot RAW or high-resolution
JPG files and need the performance, reliability and capacity to capture these
large files.



The new cards will have minimum write and read speeds of 20 megabytes per second
(MB/sec.) and will ship to photo retailers by the end of the year. While the
speed of the card is important for in-camera performance, card-to-computer transfer
rates are becoming an increasingly important workflow consideration. The time
it takes to transfer images to a computer can be a bigger bottleneck now that
card capacities have expanded into the multi-gigabyte range. The SanDisk Extreme
USB 2.0 reader is designed to transfer images as quickly as possible.



SanDisk Extreme III cards use SanDisk-developed ESP (Enhanced Super-Parallel
Processing) technology that combines advanced NAND flash memory chips and controller
designs, 32-bit RISC processing and leading edge algorithms for an architecture
that streamlines every aspect of read and write data transfer operations. In
addition, SanDisk works closely with major camera manufacturers to ensure speed
and compatibility. The ESP architecture effectively removes the card as the
bottleneck in data storage applications.



SanDisk Extreme III cards have the industry's widest guaranteed operating
temperature range from a minus 13F (minus 25C) to a 185F (plus 85C). The cards
also include RescuePRO software that allows photographers to easily recover
accidentally deleted images, lost digital images or data.



Pricing and Availability

SanDisk Extreme III cards are available in CompactFlash, Memory Stick PRO Duo
and SD card formats. Suggested retail prices for the two new capacities are:




Capacities US$

SanDisk Extreme III 12GB $779.99

16GB $1,049.99

SanDisk Extreme USB 2.0 Reader $24.99



SanDisk Extreme III cards carry a 10-year limited warranty in Europe, the Middle
East and Africa but will have a lifetime limited warranty in the rest of the
world. Photographers who purchase the cards also will have access to a dedicated
toll-free number for technical support questions. The RescuePRO image recovery
software on the cards is compatible with both Windows and Mac and requires no
driver download or special card reader.



www.sandisk.com

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Mpix.com is now offering personal greeting cards, business cards, playing
cards, and calendars -- through a new service called MpixPRESS.



Mpix.com is a division of Miller's Professional Imaging. Miller's
president, Todd Coleman, said, "Ordering professional
quality press products at affordable prices has never been easier and faster.
It's as simple as going to Mpix.com, downloading the MpixPRESS software,
selecting a product, and submitting an order. As with all the orders that arrive
at Mpix.com, quality control and turnaround is what we feel is our strength."



To learn more about MpixPRESS, log on to www.Mpix.com. While you are there,
click on "Take the Tour.".

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Epson has introduced its latest multimedia storage viewers, the Epson P-3000 and
Epson P-5000. With Epson's exclusive Photo Fine Ultra technology, the P-3000
and P-5000 feature the world's first four-color filter system displaying
16.7 million colors to deliver Adobe RGB color support.[i] The new P-3000 and
P-5000 provide a fast, convenient way to download, store and view photos in superior
resolution and detail on-the-spot.



The P-3000 and P-5000 offer 40GB and 80GB hard drive capacities (respectively)
for storing and sharing thousands of digital photos, videos and music files. The
P-3000 and P-5000 are designed to be the ultimate companions to any digital camera,
featuring a high-quality, four-inch LCD for industry-leading precision, clarity
and color, wider file support (including RAW), faster download and processing
speeds, built-in memory card slots, and longer battery life than previous Epson
models.


The Epson P-3000 and P-5000 Multimedia Storage Viewers offer many new and innovative
features that give both professionals and enthusiasts a fast, convenient way to
download, view and store photos and videos, and store and listen to music on-the-spot.
Product highlights include:



· Large Four-inch LCD: View and share images and videos
with precise clarity and detail in 640 x 480 high-resolution

· World's First Four-Color LCD: New Photo Fine Ultra
technology offers the world's first four-color filter system of red, blue,
emerald green and yellow green, rather than the standard three-color LCD technology;
capable of displaying over 16.7 million colors, enabling images to be reproduced
more accurately than ever before

· High Capacity Hard Drive: Download, view and store thousands
of JPEG and RAW photos, or videos and music with either a 40GB (P-3000) or 80GB
(P-5000) hard disk drive

· Adobe RGB Color Space Support: Supports images taken
in Adobe RGB and a wide color gamut reproduces 88 percent of Adobe RGB color space

· Expanded File Support: Supports image files (JPEG, EXIF
and select RAW files), video files (MPEG4, Motion JPEG and DivX) and audio files
(MP3 and AAC)

· Faster Download Speeds: New processor provides speeds
up to 250 percent faster than previous models

· New Interface: An improved interface and three viewing
modes enable users to quickly organize files, create albums and slideshows and
assign file ratings for easy access

· Long Battery Life: Rechargeable lithium ion battery delivers
up to three hours worth of power to run in continuous slide show or video modes

· Built-in Memory Card Slots: Two built-in slots for Compact
Flash I/II and Secure Digital memory cards; many other cards supported via third-party
adapter

· Direct Printing: Print photos directly to select Epson
printers via USB 2.0 connection



Pricing and Availability

The Epson P-3000 and P-5000 are currently available for a price of $499 and $699,
respectively. The product carries a one-year limited warranty and is supported
by the EPSON Connection, a customer support and technical assistance line. For
more information on Epson and its products, call 1-800-GO-EPSON (1-800-463-7766)
or visit the company's Web site at www.epson.com.

Epson has introduced the Epson Stylus Pro 3800. Incorporating a compact, 17-inch
wide printer design, a new breakthrough screening algorithm and Epson UltraChrome
K3 Ink technology, this printer is said to deliver print quality and longevity
unsurpassed by any other inkjet printer. For added productivity, a new auto-sharing
black ink technology allows for automatic switching between photo and matte
black ink modes to maximize image quality on a wide variety of media types.
Available for $1,295 (estimated street price), it incorporates several new technologies
and performance advancements for the most discerning professionals, which include:



New Auto-Sharing Black Ink Technology: Breakthrough print head
allows the printer to automatically switch between photo and matte black inks,
providing virtually seamless transition times and greater conservation of black
inks.



Epson UltraChrome K3 Ink Technology: Using only eight individual
cartridges at a time, Epson UltraChrome K3 inks incorporate high-density color
pigments that produce the highest overall color gamut and fidelity among virtually
any pigment-based inkjet printer in the industry. A high-gloss Microcrystal
Encapsulation resin chemistry is also used to create prints with greater scratch
resistance and reduced gloss differential.



Three-Level Black Ink System: In addition to cyan, magenta,
yellow, light cyan, and light magenta, Epson UltraChrome K3 features a unique
three-level black ink system that simultaneously uses black, light black and
light-light black inks to produce professional quality black-and-white prints
that rival traditional silver halide. This technology is designed to create
professional neutral and toned black and white prints without color crossover,
metamerism or bronzing.



New Screening Technology: Debuting a mathematical breakthrough
from Epson, the printer features an entirely new, radical screening algorithm
that consistently places droplets precisely, producing smoother tonal transitions
and greater detail from highlights to shadows.



High-Performance Engine Speeds: The extreme precision of the
Epson Stylus Pro print engine delivers a 16"x 20" photo lab-quality
print (using 1,440 x 720 dpi -- High Speed mode) in as fast as five minutes,
32 seconds -- more than 20 percent faster than the Epson Stylus Pro 4800.



High-Precision Print Head Technology: The high-performance
one-inch wide, eight-channel print head can achieve resolution levels up to
2880 x 1440 dpi with variable-sized ink droplets as small as 3.5 picoliters.



Flexible Media Handling: Accommodating a variety of media in
cut-sheet form between 4"x6" and 17"x22", including
BorderFree printing up to 16"x20", the printer offers three different
ways to load media -- a high-capacity paper tray (120 sheets), top-loading
manual tray optimized for fine art media and a front-loading, straight-through
path capable of handling media up to 1.5 mm thick.



Print Longevity: Prints created with the Epson Stylus Pro 3800 are
predicted to resist fading up to 108 years for color prints and more than 200
years for black and white prints on specific Epson papers.



New Sleek and Compact Design: Weighing in at only 43 pounds, the Epson
Stylus Pro 3800 features a new compact design and narrow depth. Compared to
the Epson Stylus Pro 4800, the dimensions and weight are reduced by 30 and 51
percent, respectively.



The Epson Stylus Pro 3800 will begin shipping in December 2006 and is priced
at $1,295 (estimated street price). A Professional Edition will also be available
which includes a high-end PostScript Language Level 3 compatible RIP by ColorBurst
and is priced at $1,495 (estimated street price). The Epson Stylus Pro 3800
is supported by the standard Epson Preferred Limited Warranty. This one-year
program includes toll-free advanced telephone access Monday through Friday and
usually next-business-day full unit exchange service in the unlikely event of
any hardware failure. Optional Epson Preferred Plus Service Plans are also available,
offering one or two additional years of protection. For more information on
Epson warranties, service programs and products, call 1-800-GO-EPSON (1-800-463-7766)
or visit our Web site at www.epson.com.

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