Canon has expanded their line of multimedia projectors with three new models--
the REALiS SX6, REALiS SX60, and REALiS X600--designed to meet the needs
of professional photographers, business presenters and home cinema enthusiasts.
These new projectors feature Canon's proprietary Aspectual Illumination
System optical system for crisp, color-rich, intricately detailed images.

...

As America struggles to cope with the devastation and loss caused by Hurricane
Katrina, Professional Photographers of America (PPA) has taken unprecedented steps
to assist photographers in the affected areas. Yesterday the PPA Board of Directors
guaranteed up to $200,000 for the recently established PPA Disaster Relief Fund,
as the Association continues its fundraising efforts.



"With more than 250 PPA members in the stricken areas of Alabama, Mississippi
and Louisiana, PPA knows firsthand of the destruction caused by this hurricane,"
said Ann Monteith, PPA President. "We all watched in shock and sadness as
the scope of the damage unfolded, and we felt compelled to find a way to directly
help PPA members affected by this disaster as soon as possible. We will continue
fundraising in hopes that we can surpass the $200,000 mark."



PPA's relief fund was established last week through PPA Charities, a 501(c)(3)
organization. The original intent was to disburse the money collected to disaster
relief agencies. PPA's Board of Directors, in response to requests from
PPA members, voted this week to shift the focus of the relief fund so that it
will now be used to provide direct aid to PPA member photographers. The fund will
distribute $1,000 to each PPA member studio directly affected by Hurricane Katrina.



"PPA's members have a long history of pulling together to help each
other in times of crisis," said PPA CEO, David Trust. "PPA's
Disaster Relief Fund is another example of our members' commitment to one
another and their spirit of generosity and compassion."



In addition to directly assisting its members, PPA is contributing $10,000 ($5,000
each) to its two state Affiliates in the hard-hit areas, Professional Photographers
of Louisiana and Professional Photographers of Mississippi-Alabama. These Affiliates
will use the contributions to directly assist their members.



To request a studio grant, PPA members in the disaster areas should call PPA at
1-800-786-6277 and ask to speak with a Disaster Relief assistant. They will be
asked to provide information and details including name, studio name and address,
temporary location information, brief description of damage/loss, where the grant
money can be sent or wired, and how they can currently be reached.



How Others Can Help

PPA is challenging its other members, along with vendors and suppliers in the
industry, to join forces with PPA by contributing to the relief fund. Contributions
can be made by sending a check payable to PPA Charities to Disaster Relief, c/o
Professional Photographers of America, 229 Peachtree Street, Suite 2200, Atlanta,
GA, 30303. Please note "Disaster Relief" on the check.


PPA also needs your help getting the word out about the Disaster Relief Fund.
If you know of anyone who has been directly affected by the hurricane, please
do whatever you can to get information to them about the relief fund so they can
receive assistance right away. Please also encourage photographers with useful
information to share it on the Hurricane Katrina Forum on OurPPA.com.



PPA Charities is a charitable, non-profit, 501(c) (3) organization that allows
imaging professionals to combine their individual efforts to make an impact on
the lives of children and families everywhere. It also allows PPA to become a
force for positive change in our society and to make a difference in the lives
of others. For more information about PPA Charities, visit charities.ppa.com.



Professional Photographers of America (PPA), the world's largest and most
influential photographic and imaging trade organization, exists to assist its
more than 14,000 members in achieving their professional, artistic, and fraternal
goals; to promote public awareness of the profession; and to advance the making
of images in all of its disciplines as an art, a science and a visual recorder
of history. For more information about PPA, visit www.ppa.com.
...

Kingston Technology Company, Inc. has announced a new "Ultimate"
line of 1GB, 2GB and 4GB CompactFlash cards that feature sustained write speed
ratings of 100x, enabling high-end digital cameras to perform at peak levels.
Designed for professional photographers and serious enthusiasts who require
optimum speed and capacity, Kingston's Ultimate series CompactFlash cards
are designed to write images as they are captured by the camera, allowing a
seamless flow of imaging information from camera to memory card, thereby maximizing
the overall speed and functionality of the camera system.

...

Nikon Inc. has announced pricing and availability for its D2X professional
digital SLR camera introduced at Photokina last year (see Jan, 2005 Shutterbug,
or visit at www.shutterbug
.com). The camera will begin shipping on February 25, 2005 with a suggested
street price of $4999.95 (MSRP $6299.95). Designed as a truly versatile workhorse
camera for many professional disciplines, the 12.4 million-pixel D2X blends
high levels of resolution and class-leading speed. The D2X can comfortably shoot
full resolution 12.4 million pixel images at 5 frames per second (up to 21 consecutive
JPEGS and 15 NEFs), and when the situation demands yet faster frame rates, the
D2X has a unique 6.8 megapixel 'High Speed Cropped Image' mode that boosts the
shooting rate to 8 frames per second (up to 35 consecutive JPEGs or 26 NEFs)
by cropping the number of pixels used on the sensor to create the image.

...