DigitaLife

Last Updated: Review & Sample Photos @ Steve’sDigicams (added on 23.12.06)

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX50 is a compact point-and-shoot 7.2 megapixel digital camera featuring 3.6x optical zoom (equivalent to 28mm to 102mm on a 35mm film camera), MEGA O.I.S.(Optical Image Stabilizer), Intelligent ISO control, and a huge 3-inch large LCD for FX50 and 2.5″ LCD for FX07.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX50 Latest Price Info

>> REVIEWS (last update: 23.12.06)

Steve’sDigicams have reviewed the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX50 and write;
“While the FX07 does offer good image quality when you look at the price, it is only average for a 7-megapxiel model. While exposure is accurate and colors are richly saturated, I noticed a bit more noise than many other cameras in this class, even at ISO 100..Bottom line - the Lumix MDC-FX07 is a worthy competitor in the entry-level 7-megapixel class. While offering loads of user friendly exposure options, speedy shooting performance, and a quality Movie mode, I was a bit surprised at the noise levels in our photos. However, I still feel this holds a good value with the price tag of US$279, just be sure to compare some similar models before making the final decision.”

CameraLabs have reviewed the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX50 where they rate the camera 86/100 and write;
“Another shot I like is the outdoor portrait. It has a natural look to it. In this picture the colours are just about right and the camera handles any light falling on the face well. This avoids any areas of the face being too light and blown out. …I really like the Panasonic DMC FX50. It has some useful features (image stabilisation, extra large LCD screen, wide angle lens). Even more importantly it takes excellent photos and is easy to use. Recommended.”

Megapixel have reviewed the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX50 where they rate 9 for functionality and 8.8 for photo quality;
“Positives: Good image quality when the RAW format is used, Stabilized 12X zoom, Smooth zoom adjustment ring, Excellent zoom, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9 aspect ratios, Complete range of capture modes, Long exposures up to 60 seconds, Sturdily built, Exceptional SilkyPix software. Negatives: JPEG compression too destructive, Noise as of 100 ISO, As expensive as an entry level digital SLR. “

CNET have reviewed the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX50 and write;
“Panasonic hits the wall on photo quality. It fares reasonably well when it comes to exposure, color, and white balance, and the lens is surprisingly good, with no distortion at telephoto and little at the wide angle. But if image noise had a sound, the FX50 would make my ears bleed. Its photos start out with significant amounts of noise at the lowest sensitivity setting of ISO 100, then just get worse…The bottom line: A decent camera, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX50 is held back by less-than-decent photo quality. “

DigitalCameraInfo have reviewed the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX50 where they write;
“The Panasonic Lumix FX50 is an average digital camera with a few above average features and below average image quality. The camera itself has a 3.6x lens, optical image stabilization, and 3-inch LCD screen packaged in a bland design. Still, the chunk of plastic and metal is less than an inch thick and slides into pockets and purses for easy transportation. In that way, it is a very convenient camera. Better still, it is easy to use. It has 18 scene modes, a Simple mode that automates just about everything, and a simple direct printing interface. Everything about the FX50 isn’t this good though. Its images are so noisy that they look like painted pictures with messy brush strokes. The auto focus system doesn’t handle low light well at all, so pictures are bound to be blurry despite the image stabilization and wide manual ISO range. If the FX50 were reasonably priced, all of this might be okay. However, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX50 has a retail price tag of $399 which is much too high for a point-and-shoot that doesn’t take gorgeous pictures. “

LuminousLandscape have a preview of Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX50 where they write;
“But, looking at the FZ-50 as a whole, what we have is a medium sized digicam of the super-zoom variety. In exchange for its almost DSLR size one gets a very nice 12X zoom lens and a whole raft of contemporary features. The trade off of size is made against the benefit of manual zoom control. The jump from 8MP to 10MP over its predecessor is compensated by its new image processing engine. The quality difference is therefore pretty much a toss, though to my eye leaving something behind when compared with similar featured cameras having lower pixel count chips.I was pleased to note that the FZ-50 does raw files, which the Canon S3 does not. I was unable to do any testing of these as the copy of SilkyPix which came with the camera for testing did not support the FZ-50, though I’m sure that it will once cameras are in consumer’s hands”

>> SAMPLE PHOTOS (last update: 23.12.06)

- Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX50 Sample Photos posted @ Steve’sDigicams
- Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX50 Sample Photos posted @ CamerasUK
- Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX50 Sample Photos posted @ Megapixel

>> PRESS RELEASE

Featuring Intelligent Image Stabilizer by MEGA O.I.S. and World’s First Intelligent ISO Control

Panasonic today introduced the new LUMIX 7.2-megapixel, 28mm wide angle f/2.8 LEICA DC lens with 3.6x optical zoom (equivalent to 28mm to 102mm on a 35mm film camera) DMC-FX50 and DMC-FX07 cameras, both featuring an Intelligent Image Stabilizer by MEGA O.I.S.(Optical Image Stabilizer) and Intelligent ISO control. The DMC-FX50 also newly incorporates a 3-inch large LCD whereas the DMC-FX07 pursues further compactness with a 2.5-inch LCD.

Image Genius Professional can edit images in batch which means that it can be a real time-saver for those people that need to perform the same tasks on many images. It has built-in support for Flickr and can upload images directly to a users account.

Main Features:

- You can create a graphical flowchart (pipeline) of operations which describes how your images should be edited.
- There are over 100 operations available to build your pipeline including resizing, cropping, watermarks, FTP, emailing, database integration, upload to Flickr and more.
- Image Genius Professional can monitor a folder on your computer and automatically process new image files as they appear with a specified pipeline.
- Parallel processing means that multiple output images can be created from each image processed.

>> PRESS RELEASE

PIXEL DRAGONS LTD ANNOUNCES NEW RELEASE OF IMAGE GENIUS PROFESSIONALT
VERSION 3.0.6

Woking, Surrey, 23-11-2006 - Software Company Pixel Dragons Ltd, specialists in batch digital image processing announces their latest update of Image Genius Professional 3.0.6.

This latest release of Image Genius Professional not only incorporates some minor bug fixes but also includes some additional functionality based on customer feedback.

Image Genius Professional is a powerful, easy to use and versatile batch image processor useful to any individual or organisation that spends an inordinate amount of time and money performing repetitive editing tasks to large numbers of digital images.

Image Genius Professional allows users to build a graphical workflow of image editing operations, referred to as a ‘pipeline’. Each pipeline consists of a number of operations linked together in the order in which they should occur. The user is able to build a pipeline by either using one of the built in wizards or by manually creating one from the start. A user simply selects and drags the required operation selected from a list consisting of over a hundred such operations, and adding them them to the pipeline being created. Available operations include basic features such as image resizing, cropping, or adding a text watermark to more advanced operations such FTP upload, parallel processing, emailing and database integration. Other useful operations include logical flow control decisions enabling users to create pipelines that perform specific edits to images depending on certain variables such as orientation, file size or image dimensions.

Additionally, Image Genius Professional can monitor a folder for new image files. If one is detected it can be processed automatically using a predetermined pipeline and hence removing the need to open the application when new images need processing, the user just needs to drop them into a monitored folder.

Further information and news on Image Genius Professional is available at ww.pixeldragons.com . A trial version of the product is immediately available for download. The purchase price for one user licence is ВЈ79.99.

About Pixel Dragons Ltd - Family owned Pixel Dragons Ltd was founded in
March 2006 by two brother-in-laws with an aim to provide high quality batch
image processing software applications.

“Mind Over Matter” В© 2006 Aaron Johnson

Still remember the polaroid days where you can shoot and have your photos ready in couple of minutes? Now with The Fuji Film Pivi MP-300 you can bring this mobile printer along with your digital camera anywhere you go and get your digital photos printed out in approximately 38 seconds.

This palm-sized portable printer is featuring USB and Infrared (PictBridge compatible), date and sharpening button function, and is measuring in at 146Г—102Г—29mm, weighing at 225g, running on 2x CR2 lithium electric batteries.

Source: Fujifilm Japan (japanese) translated by google

Santa Barbara, CA, November 28, 2006–”Mastering Landscape Photography: The Luminous Landscape Essays” consists of thirteen essays on landscape photography by master photographer Alain Briot.

Click to view

Topics include practical, technical, and aesthetic aspects of photography to help photographers build and refine their skills. This book starts with the technical aspects of photography; how to see, compose, find the right light, and select the best lens for a specific shot. It continues by focusing on the artistic aspects of photography with chapters on how to select your best work, how to create a portfolio, and finally concludes with two chapters on how to be an artist in business.

Author, Alain Briot is one of today’s leading contemporary landscape photographers. Originally from Paris, France, he attended the Academie Nationale des Beaux Arts in Paris where he studied drawing and oil painting. Briot began studying photography in 1980. Currently living in Arizona with his wife Natalie, his favorite photographic locations are in the southwestern United States. Briot’s goal is to create the most exciting photographs possible. His equipment, be it cameras, software, etc., is chosen for the ability to make this possible.

Alain Briot is a columnist on the highly respected Luminous Landscape Website.

Additional Resources
For more information about the book and about Rocky Nook, see:
http://www.rockynook.com

Mastering Landscape Photography: The Luminous Landscape Essays Alain Briot ISBN 1-933952-06-7, 256 pages, $39.95 US, $51.95 CA order@oreilly.com
1-800-998-9938 (to order books)
http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/1933952067/

About Rocky Nook
Rocky Nook was founded in early 2006 in Santa Barbara, California, and we are closely associated with dpunkt.verlag, a leading publisher of books on technology based in Heidelberg, Germany. The focus of Rocky Nook’s publications is on digital photography. However, other areas related to modern photography, such as imaging and computer technology, are also important to us. Our mission is to demystify the cutting-edge developments in digital photography, providing practical instruction to enhance the skills of amateur and professional photographers. Our books offer in-depth information on technological advances in the digital photography workflow.
We strive to support the efficiency and creativity of our readers with the ultimate goal of fostering outstanding image quality.

Source: Rocky Nook Press Release

DxO Labs today announces the immediate availability of DxO Analyzer version 3, adding groundbreaking innovations to the product’s image quality evaluation and analysis capabilities:

1. DxO Analyzer now encompasses a comprehensive measurement set in a turn-key solution to qualify the image quality of any image capture device. Available measurements include color, resolution (MTF) and sharpness, dynamic range, exposure, noise, flash uniformity, distortion, chromatic aberrations, vignetting - and more;

2. DxO Analyzer now works directly on RAW images, allowing measurements at the component level. It is now possible to assess the image quality of the optics and the sensor separately from the image processing pipe;

3. DxO Analyzer is completely operator-independent: the proven measurement protocol ensures repeatable and highly accurate measurements independently of the user, whatever the level of qualification;

4. DxO Analyzer now complies with all major ISO and industry standards – such as SMIA, MIPC or I3A.

“DxO Analyzer provides the most complete characterization of camera phones and digital cameras available on the market,” explains Nicolas Touchard, VP, Marketing of DxO Labs’ Image Quality Evaluation business line. “Most major vendors, such as Nikon, Samsung and Kodak, already use DxO Analyzer. And leading photography publications, web sites and consumer testing labs around the world also rely on DxO Analyzer for their device reviews.”

For additional information and pricing, please visit: www.dxo.com

Source: DxO Press Release

Last Update: Review & Sample Photos @ DCRP (added on 30.11.06)

Olympus FE-190 is a 6.0 effective Megapixel point-and-shoot digital camera featuring 2x optical zoom lens (36-114mm equivalent), 10 scenes mode, and 2.5″ LCD Screen. The camera is measuring in at 2.3″x3.6″x0.7″ and weighing only at 3.9oz. You can buy the camera for around US$200.

Olympus FE-190 Latest Price Info

>> REVIEWS (last updated: 30.11.06)

DCRP reviewed the Olympus FE-190 and wrote;
“Photo quality on the FE-190 was not great. The good news is that photos were well-exposed, with minimal purple fringing. If you’re in “normal light” that the camera’s auto white balance system can figure out, then colors should be very nice as well. However, I took quite a few shots in what I’d call standard indoor lighting and ended up with a strong color cast. Since there’s no way to adjust white balance on the camera, you’re out of luck when this happens. You can’t control the ISO either, and noise levels can be pretty high when the camera cranks it up automatically. The FE-190’s lens creates quite a bit of blurring around the corners of the frame, as well. Last but not least, redeye appears to be a significant (but unsurprising) problem on this ultra-compact camera.”

CNET reviewed the Olympus FE-190 where they rated the camera 7.2/10 and wrote;
“Colors were rich and saturated and stayed accurate even in indoor lighting. Some automatic white balances yielded severely yellow photos under incandescent light, but the FE-190 managed to produce a very neutral and even image in our tungsten-lit lab. We noticed some lens distortion at the widest end of the zoom lens, but nothing that would seriously damage an image….The bottom line: If you don’t mind the lack of features, Olympus’s FE-190 offers pretty pictures and a slim body at a low price.”

Olympus FE-190 User Reviews

>> SAMPLE PHOTOS (last updated: 30.11.06)

- Olympus FE-190 Sample Photos posted @ DCRP

>> PRESS RELEASE

Hamburg, 23 August 2006 – Lovers of minimalist design will adore the slender new FE-190 digital camera from Olympus. Measuring just 18.5mm deep, this slim, metal bodied camera can be slipped into a shirt pocket to be taken anywhere. It also features a large 6.4cm LCD screen that makes framing subjects, and viewing shots already taken, a delight. More good news is that the FE-190 has an equally tiny price tag, so it’s easy on the purse as well as the eye! The ultra-compact FE-190 will draw envious glances wherever it is taken and brings a welcome injection of style to the affordable, entry-level class of digital cameras. Hobby photographers will have everything they need to start shooting and, as the FE-190 has a simple “one button, one function” design, they won’t be hampered by a complicated series of menus to work through to find the functions they desire. Equipped with a high quality 3x zoom lens and a 6.0 million pixel CCD, this tiny Olympus possesses enough clout to deliver outstanding photos – even in large formats.

Last Updated: Review & Sample Photos @ TrustedReviews (added on 10.12.06)

Olympus Stylus 1000 is a point-and-shoot digital camera (announced 23.08.06) featuring 10.4 effective megapixels, a 3x optical zoom (equivalent to 35 mm - 105 mm), 20 scene modes (incl. Sports, Beach&Snow, Candle), BrightCapture Technology for better low light photography, ISO 64-1600 with full 10MP, ISO 6400 in 3MP mode and a 2.5″ LCD Screen. The camera is measuring 97 x 56 x 23 mm (3.8 x 2.2 x 0.9 in), weighing around 195 g (6.9 oz) and is running on Lithium-Ion rechargeable battery.

Olympus Stylus 1000 Hottest Deals

>> REVIEWS (last updated: 10.12.06)

TrustedReviews have reviewed the Olympus Stylus 1000 where they rate the camera 6/10 and write;
“Image quality is generally good, but with a few minor flaws. As I mentioned, exposure control is very good, and the camera coped with a number of high contrast subjects without difficulty, although it seemed to favour shadow detail at the expense of burned-out highlights. Colour rendition was very good, accurately reproducing even very bright colours without a problem…The Olympus mju 1000 is a camera with some very good points offset by some rather bad ones. It is about average for 10MP compacts in terms of picture quality, with good colour and exposure but poor noise control and some optical problems. Build quality, weatherproof durability, performance and ease of use are all good, but let down by poor low light focusing. The 6400 ISO setting is pretty much useless, but the Perfect Fix feature is very handy. It’s worth looking at if you need splash resistance, but there are better high-end compacts on the market. “

CamerasUK have reviewed the Olympus Stylus 1000 where they rate the camera 75/100 and write;
“Oh Olympus! I have reviewed so many of the MJU range now and I nearly always reach the same conclusions. A weatherproof camera is a great idea, but surely better lowlight focusing and the ability to avoid the tendency towards turning blue lines to purple could be overcome. As much as I would like to be able to recommend the MJU 1000 when it comes to picture quality there are many better cameras around…The Olympus MJU 1000 is another camera in the MJU range that comes up short when it comes to picture quality. This is such a shame as this is one of the few weatherproof digital cameras around. With ten megapixels and being small enough to slip into a pocket the specification is a winner. “

DigitalCameraReview have reviewed the Olympus Stylus 1000 and write;
“Image quality on the Stylus 1000 was good, and in my opinion, slightly better than the Stylus 750. The images were sharper and didn’t have the corner softness that I noticed with the Stylus 750’s images. However, colors and exposure were generally good…If you’re looking for a weatherproof (water resistant and dustproof) camera for taking snapshots at the beach or on a camping trip, and you don’t need any manual exposure modes, an Olympus Stylus is always a good choice. Even with a 10 megapixel “overkill” resolution with this camera – it still takes good pictures (and leaves plenty of room for cropping).”

CNET have reviewed the Olympus Stylus 1000 where they rate the camera 6.8/10 and write;
“The Olympus Stylus 1000 offers high-resolution images and a water-resistant metal body. Unfortunately, noise issues and slow performance mean poor photos in low light. Unless splashability is a major factor in your purchase, you might want to look at other 10-megapixel cameras. The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX2 offers a great lens and tons of manual controls, while the Canon PowerShot SD900 stuffs its 10-megapixel sensor into a frame even smaller and sleeker than the Stylus 1000’s. The bottom line: This small 10-megapixel shooter can produce great shots if the scene is well lit, but watch out for noise at about ISO 200.”

DigitalCameraInfo have reviewed the Olympus Stylus 1000 and write;
“As the new king of the Stylus hill, the Olympus Stylus 1000 will get lots of attention. The compact digital camera does have 10 megapixels, a 3x optical zoom lens, and a Bright Capture 2.5-inch LCD screen. The LCD has great resolution, the lens has a standard range, and the resolution sounds better than it really is. This model may have 10 megapixels, but it can really only be accessed in optimal lighting and without using many other features. If you want the high resolution, you can’t boost the ISO, use some of the scene modes, or activate the burst mode. Olympus released this model at a retail price of $399, which is too much for a camera that can’t access its full resolution much of the time.”

Olympus Stylus 1000 User Reviews

>> SAMPLE PHOTOS (last updated: 10.12.06)

- Olympus Stylus 1000 Sample Photos posted @ TrustedReviews
- Olympus Stylus 1000 Sample Photos posted @ CamerasUK
- Olympus Stylus 1000 Sample Photos 1 & 2 posted @ DigitalCameraReview

>> PRESS RELEASE

London, 23 August 2006 – With the introduction of the Olympus µ (mju) 1000, even the most demanding of photographers will be delighted to take pictures packed with 10.0 million pixels worth of detail, using a camera they can simply slip into their pocket. The Olympus µ (mju) range is well known for cameras that push the very boundaries of technical achievement, without skimping on the style. The µ (mju) 1000 retains the hallmark weatherproof* metal body of its predecessors, bringing it bang up to date with a sophisticated silver finish, beneath which lies a 10.0 million pixel CCD and a 3x zoom lens, that together deliver bitingly-sharp results. The µ (mju) 1000 is ideally suited to low light photography thanks to BrightCapture Technology, which boosts its maximum ISO to an amazing 6400**. This brightens pictures, without the need to use flash thereby retaining the atmosphere of the ambient light.

Found under: Devices, Pocket PC, Mobile News,

FCC have given their blessings to the ETEN Glofiish X500 and they have renamed it to OX500. The GSM handset will support 850 and 1900MHz bands which means you can use this baby in the States regardless of if any US carrier is going to pick it up.

The handset has some decent specs on it including SiRF Star III GPS Bluetooth 2.0 802.11bg WiFi EDGE radio 2 megapixel camera 2.8-inch QVGA screen 400MHz Samsung processor 128MB ROM 64MB RAM and a microSD slot.

Definetely a go

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Found under: Wallpapers, Themes, Pocket PC, Utilities,

Spb Software House unveils Spb UniThemes 2.0 - the improved technology for changing Pocket PC look-and-feel. Every UniTheme is a complete set of skins for all skinnable standard applications like Calculator Dialer and Windows Media Player as well as Spbs own Pocket PC applications all designed in one style.

With new 2.0 version Spb Software House proposes 6 new and updated UniThemes with smart installers and improved Windows Mobile 5 support.

One of the biggest Pocket PC di

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