Kodak discontinues SLR/n, SLR/c
15:33 EDT - Though slated for announcement on June 3, news of Kodak's intent to discontinue both of their current Pro SLRs leaked onto the Web today. The company will cease manufacture of the SLR/c and SLR/n as of June 30, 2005. Warranties, support, and software upgrades will be continued until 2008.
The announcement was made to dealers to give them time to plan for demand fluctuations as necessary. Current list price for both bodies is $4,195, though many retailers are already selling both models...
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Scanner Review: Konica Minolta DiMAGE Scan Elite 5400 II
14:37 EDT - Thinking outside the box, Konica Minolta didn't just update their popular 5400 slide scanner. They redesigned it.
On the plus side, it's faster and wider (so it doesn't need a stand to stay upright). But the FireWire port is gone and there's no way to profile it in the supplied software. Take a look at our review...
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Canon SLR Firmware Updates Released
14:08 EDT - Per our earlier news story of May 19, firmware updates have now been released for the EOS-1D Mark II, 1Ds Mark II, and EOS 350D Digital Rebel XT
Back on the 19th of this month, we reported on issues with camera lockups and lost buffered images in the Canon EOS-1D Mark II and the EOS-1Ds Mark II. Canon Japan has now released firmware updates for...
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Leica Digital-Modul-R two weeks away
22:22 EDT - Leica Camera AG has now announced a date for its long-anticipated Digital-Modul-R to begin shipping.
Developed in cooperation with Kodak and Imacon, the device is a ten megapixel digital back for the Leica R8 and R9 digital cameras. First announced back on June 26th, 2003, the Digital-Modul-R will finally...
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Snapfish cuts online printing prices
01:48 EDT - A press release from Snapfish, the online photo printing service that was acquired by Hewlett-Packard Co. last March, announces a fairly impressive cut in pricing for prints in sizes ranging from wallet size to 8" x 10".
Snapfish was formerly charging 19 cents per 4" x 6" print (before shipping and tax), comparing favorably to its major competitors Shutterfly (29 cents) and Kodak EasyShare Gallery (formerly known as Ofoto,...
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Samsung Digimax Pro: More details
12:40 EDT - We told readers a month ago today about a rather interesting-sounding camera on the way from Korean consumer electronics giant Samsung.
The Digimax Pro 815 was shown by subsidiary Samsung Opto-Electronics Co. Ltd. at the 2005 Shanghai Imaging Expo, where it attracted quite some interest for the fact that it features a whopping 15x optical...
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Nikon Coolpix 5600 review posted
01:18 EDT - Nikon's Coolpix line of consumer digicams has always been well-received, appreciated for their image quality and ease of use.
The Coolpix 5600 continues that trend, offering a 5.1-megapixel CCD and nice range of preset scene modes. The Nikon Coolpix 5600 would be a good choice for anyone who wants an easy to use camera that delivers...
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Nikon Coolpix 5900 review posted
01:14 EDT - The Nikon Coolpix 5900 is a near-twin to the Nikon 7900 model that we reviewed just a few days back.
About the only feature difference (other than the 5 megapixel sensor chip) is its lack of the vibration-reduction option in its movie mode. I did find some differences in image quality and performance...
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PRESS RELEASE: PhotoMesa 3: A Zoomable Photo Manager
22:46 EDT - UNIVERSITY PARK, MD, May 26, 2005 - Zoomable User Interfaces have met Digital Photo Managers and the result is PhotoMesa. PhotoMesa 3, a completely new application has been written from the ground up to support today's digital photography users. This new release (available at www.photomesa.com http://www.photomesa.com/ ) uses a novel interface that makes it very easy to browse hundreds of photos in... (More) |
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PRESS RELEASE: Nikon Corporation Sponsors First-Ever Nikon Photo Safari Workshop At Mac Design Conference & Digital Photograpy Expo
21:17 EDT - Mac Design Conference - Tampa Convention Center, Tampa - June 21-23, 2005 Tampa, FL - May 25, 2005 - Organizers of Mac Design Conference & Digital Photography Expo (www.macdesignconference.com) today announced that Nikon Corporation is sponsoring a half-day "Nikon Photo Safari" digital photography pre-conference workshop on June 20th, one day prior to the full conference kick-off in Tampa. Nikon will... (More) |
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Neat Image v5.0 released
19:39 EDT - ABSoft, the Netherlands-based company behind the Neat Image application for reducing noise in digital images, has released a new version of the software.
Neat Image v5.0 for Windows offers a rather large list of changes, including (from a list provided by ABSoft): Improved noise profiling and noise reduction algorithms resulting in higher quality of noise...
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PRESS RELEASE: Pixort 1.4 is released
05:27 EDT - Are you tired of using inefficient tools to review large quantities of photos? Pixort is an affordable/free tool for reviewing, comparing, sorting and culling photographic image files. It is not yet another photo archiving and organizing tool: it is dedicated to the initiation of a digital photography workflow where a photographer reviews his or her 2000 photos from the vacation or latest wedding... (More) |
Samsung Digimax i5 nears market
02:23 EDT - Regular readers may remember we told you of the upcoming Samsung Digimax i5 a month ago when it was first unveiled by the company's Chinese subsidiary, Tianjin Samsung Opto-Electronics Co. Ltd., at the 2005 Shanghai Imaging Expo.
An interesting-looking ultracompact model with an all-metal body, five megapixel imager, prism-folded 3x optical zoom SHD lens, and a 2.5" LCD with a fairly high 230,000 pixel resolution, the Digimax...
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First Look Preview posted for Nikon D50
14:36 EDT - Nikon and Canon have been fierce rivals in the photo business for decades now, and the advent of the digital era has only intensified the competition.
Of course, this is nothing but good news for the consumer, as the battle between these two rivals (not to mention the rest of the growing pack of manufacturers), has resulted in a continuing stream of...
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PRESS RELEASE: ExpoDisc Announces ExpoAperture Depth-of-Field Guide -- Simple, Fast and Accurate.
12:32 EDT - Company Also Changes Name to “ExpoImaging” MORGAN HILL, CA, (May 24, 2005) – ExpoDisc Inc., the pioneer in diffusion filters that allow photographers to balance color at capture, today announced the ExpoAperture Depth-of-Field Guide, a small circular pocket guide that enables photographers to quickly determine the maximum and minimum depth of field for a given focal length and aperture... (More) |
PRESS RELEASE: Kodak Names Sandra Morris as Vice President and General Manager, Digital Imaging Services Group
12:04 EDT - Widely Respected Intel Executive to Drive Kodak's Online and Mobile Services Business ROCHESTER, N.Y., May 23 -- Eastman Kodak Company announced that Sandra Morris has been hired as vice president and general manager, Digital Imaging Services Group, within the company's Digital & Film Imaging Systems business unit. She will report to Bernard Masson, president of D&FIS and a senior vice president... (More) |
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PRESS RELEASE: New KODAK EASYSHARE Picture Viewer an Ideal Gift for Dads, Grads or Yourself; Share Digital Pictures from the Palm of Your Hand
11:37 EDT - Available for the First Time: A Credit Card-Size Viewer with Big, Bright LCD Display ROCHESTER, N.Y., May 24 -- Are you searching for a trendy yet affordable gift for dads and new graduates, one that they'll actually use instead of tossing in a drawer after a week? Look no further than the new KODAK EASYSHARE Picture Viewer, which is available at retail stores worldwide beginning this week (US$149).... (More) |
Kodak delays EasyShare One
10:58 EDT - Eastman Kodak Co. has postponed the launch of its EasyShare One digital camera - initially planned for next month - until this October, the Wall Street Journal has reported.
The CNN Money website, referring to the WSJ article (which can only be accessed by paid subscribers), notes that a Kodak representative declined to give any reason for the delay, stating simply: "This...
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Minox announces DM 1 multi-function digicam
10:41 EDT - German camera brand Minox, which just recently split from partner Leica Camera AG to become an independent company once more, has announced a new digital camera that looks to be closely linked to a model we saw at PMA.
The "Minox DM 1 Mobi DV" is said to be a nine-in-one device that offers digital still and video capture, as well as a tethered USB web camera mode, plus audio recording, MP3 audio and MPEG4...
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Outback Photo: RAW Conversion e-book
07:53 EDT - Our good friend Uwe Steinmueller from the Digital Outback Photo website has released a new e-book entitled "The Art of RAW Conversion, Optimal image quality from Photoshop CS2 and leading RAW converters".
Available for $39.95 as a downloadable Adobe Acrobat (PDF) file, the 290 page e-book covers RAW conversion for color or black and white workflows, using Photoshop CS2 Camera Raw 3.x, Pixmantec RawShooter,...
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Olympus announces Camedia D-435
09:00 EDT - Olympus America has today announced an update to its fixed-focal length Camedia D-425 digital camera, in the form of the new Camedia D-435.
The camera looks to be almost identical to its predecessor, other than an increased sensor resolution of 5.1 megapixels, rather than the D-425's 4.0 megapixel resolution. The Camedia D-435 offers a 36.7mm...
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Canon SLRs: new firmware coming
18:36 EDT - A service notice posted on the website of Canon USA advises customers of potential problems with the EOS-1D Mark II and EOS-1Ds Mark II digital SLRs, as well as unrelated problems with the company's latest DSLRs when used in cooperation with Lexar CompactFlash cards.
The problems - all apparently due for correction courtesy of firmware updates by the end of the month - are as follows: Camera lockups and lost buffered images in the EOS-1D Mark II and EOS-1Ds Mark II...
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PRESS RELEASE: Mac Design Conference & Digital Photography Expo Early Bird Registration Deadline Approaching
06:37 EDT - June 21-23, 2005 - Tampa Convention Center TAMPA, FL - May 17, 2005 - The early bird discount for the third annual Mac Design Conference & Digital Photography Expo in Tampa is ending May 20, 2005. Attendees still have time to save $100 off of the regular admission price of $499. To sign up for the conference, which features the likes of Scott Kelby, David Pogue, and Bob LeVitus providing world-class... (More) |
PRESS RELEASE: Fujifilm boosts its memory
06:35 EDT - Expanded media card range now offers formats for every device Fujifilm, the market leader in memory cards for digital devices, has announced the introduction of new media card formats aimed at both the professional photographer and the consumer. The professional and consumer ranges will feature separate and distinctive packaging, and the extended portfolio means that almost every media card on the... (More) |
PRESS RELEASE: Sandisk Introduces 2-Gigabyte Memory Stick PRO Duo Gaming Cards To Meet Needs Of Sony Playstation Portable Owners
06:22 EDT - SanDisk Also Begins Shipping Other Memory Stick PRO Duo Card Capacities to Consumer Electronics Retailers, Video/Games Stores and Discount Department Stores LOS ANGELES, CA, MAY 18, 2005 - Responding to stronger-than-expected consumer demand for high-capacity flash memory cards that are needed for music and video-playing in Sony's fast-selling PlayStation Portable (PSP), SanDisk® Corporation (NASDAQ:... (More) |
PRESS RELEASE: MINOX GmbH is independent again
06:14 EDT - The company MINOX GmbH, based in Wetzlar, has broken free from its co-partner, Leica Camera AG, and has made itself fully independent. General manager Thorsten Kortemeier already took over the traditional brand when he acquired 51 percent of the MINOX partnership capital in 2001 - at that time 49 percent were left in the possession of Leica. Small and adaptable, defying the difficult market environment... (More) |
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Nikon announces Coolpix S2
02:00 EDT - Nikon USA has today announced its new Coolpix S2 digital camera.
Planned for availability "this spring" at a price of $449.95, the S2 has an all-weather ultracompact body with a Zoom-Nikkor ED 3x optical zoom lens, coupled with a 5.1 megapixel imager. Other...
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Kodak announces EasyShare V-series (UPDATED)
07:21 EDT - Eastman Kodak Co. has today announced two new digital camera models that start a new series in the company's EasyShare brand.
The Kodak EasyShare V530 and V550 are quite closely related, sharing similar bodies and the same combination of lens and imager. Both cameras feature a five megapixel imager coupled with a Schneider-Kreuznach...
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Nikon D70: New firmware
06:39 EDT - Nikon USA has now released its new version of firmware for the D70 digital SLR, promised alongside the announcement of the D70s model late last month.
The v2.0 firmware incorporates a number of improvements from the D70s, including: Performance of the 5-area AF system has been improved (Dynamic area and Closest subject AF-area modes). Changes have been...
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Pentax announces Optio SVi
06:20 EDT - Pentax Europe and Japan have both announced a new digital camera model in the last few days, one that will apparently not be coming to the USA.
The Pentax Optio SVi is very closely based on the existing Optio SV model, announced last September, and the only noticeable difference between the two models is a slight redesign of the handgrip. As...
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Olympus announces Stylus 800 (UPDATED)
00:00 EDT - Olympus America has today announced a new flagship for its Stylus line of digital cameras, in the form of its new Stylus 800 model.
Featuring a whopping eight megapixel resolution coupled with a 3x optical zoom lens, the Stylus 800 features the familiar Olympus styling, with a gently curved all-weather metal body. ISO sensitivity...
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Engadget posts interview with Nikon US
17:05 EDT - Consumer electronics website Engadget has posted an interview with Steve Heiner, general manager of Digital SLR Systems for Nikon Inc., that makes for fairly interesting reading.
The interview (with journalist J.D. Lasica asking questions on behalf of Engadget) covers a range of topics, starting out by looking at the company's transition to digital imaging, as well as how the...
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Olympus: job cuts, plant closures
15:50 EDT - A news article from Forbes.com today details further plans from Olympus Corp. aimed at returning the company to profitability.
According to Forbes, Olympus is planning to cut 4,000 jobs - 13% of its total workforce - to bring it down to 26,000 employees worldwide over the next 4-5 months. The majority of the job cuts will come...
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Full review posted for Panasonic FZ5
04:46 EDT - The five-megapixel Panasonic FZ5 is a very strong follow-on to last year's highly popular FZ3 model.
Like the FZ3 before it, the new DMC-FZ5 offers excellent value in a long-zoom camera with optical image stabilization such an impressive feature set. Aside from the boosted resolution in this year's model,...
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Review posted Sony DSC-W7
04:42 EDT - The Sony DSC-W7 is a nearly identical follow-on to the preceding (and extremely popular) DSC-W1 model, the main differences being a larger 7.2-megapixel CCD, 32 megabytes of internal memory, and a couple of extra exposure options.
Like the W1, the Sony W7 provides more manual exposure control than most compact models permit, yet is easy to use in full-auto mode, and its seven preprogrammed scene modes help with tricky subjects....
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Olympus plans SLRs, expects return to profit
00:03 EDT - A news article from financial website Forbes.com reports on the status of Japanese camera manufacturer Olympus Corp.
According to the article, Olympus reported operating profits 63% below the previous financial year, despite a 28% increase in revenues. The company's digital camera sales increased 28% to 8.9 million units,...
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PRESS RELEASE: SendPhotos to Allow Consumers to Print Photos through LifePics' Network of Photofinishers
22:52 EDT - Boulder, CO, May 10, 2005 -- LifePics and SendPhotos, Inc. today announced access to the LifePics Network through the SendPhotos, Inc. software program SendPhotos™ Gold 4.0. LifePics has the largest network of photofinishers online, giving consumers the ability to print digital photos to their favorite, local store. LifePics' photofinishers offer superior quality prints, the convenience of local... (More) |
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PRESS RELEASE: xD-Picture Card Available Now From PNY Technologies
18:54 EDT - PNY and Olympus Sign Distribution Agreement to Offer the Latest Flash Card Format PARSIPPANY, NJ May 10, 2005 PNY Technologies®, Inc. allows professional photographers and enthusiasts the freedom to entrust their most valuable photographs with the latest flash card format. As a leader in the flash card market, PNY Technologies has signed a distribution agreement with Olympus Imaging America... (More) |
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Pentax: three new Optio digicams (UPDATED)
18:00 EDT - A press release from Colorado-based Pentax Imaging Co. announces three new additions to the company's lineup of Optio digital camera models.
The Pentax Optio S5z, S55 and S45 will ship this June. All three share a number of features including a 3x smc Pentax zoom lens equivalent to 36.5 - 107mm on a 35mm camera, as well as SD card storage,...
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Panasonic announces DMC-FX8
05:07 EDT - Panasonic Japan has today announced an update to its existing DMC-FX7 digital camera.
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX8 features a similar five megapixel imager and Leica DC Vario-Elmarit-branded optically stabilised 3x zoom lens as the previous model. The FX8 uses the new Venus Engine PLUS...
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Konica Minolta DiMAGE X60 announced
04:24 EDT - Konica Minolta USA has today taken the wraps off its latest ultracompact digital camera, the DiMAGE X60.
Following in the footsteps of the DiMAGE X50, the new X60 model offers a larger LCD display and a redesigned body that looks rather more sophisticated to our eye - perhaps due to the coordination of brushed...
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PRESS RELEASE: Photoflex offers free lighting lessons at new, high-profile website serving all levels of digital imaging and traditional photography
13:39 EDT - Watsonville, Calif.-Photoflex Lighting School has been established as a new and immediately popular website offering free lighting lessons for digital imaging and traditional photography, it was announced today by Photoflex Inc. President Sharon Reeves. "Proper lighting stands out as a critically important part of good photography," Reeves states. "As a leading manufacturer of lighting equipment... (More) |
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Kodak announces EasyShare Z760
18:11 EDT - Eastman Kodak Co. has quietly slipped a new model into its lineup for the North American market, with the introduction of the EasyShare Z760.
The new camera is an extremely minor update, based on the existing DX7630 model. Other than the new name (which brings the camera into line with Kodak's recent naming schema), the only differences we...
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PRESS RELEASE: Kodak Receives Approval from European Union to Purchase Creo
15:25 EDT - ROCHESTER, N.Y., May 4 -- Eastman Kodak Company (NYSE:EK) announced that it has received the approval of the European Union to complete its proposed acquisition of Creo Inc. (NASDAQ: CREO, TSX: CRE). Kodak announced on January 31 that it had entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Creo, a premier supplier of prepress systems used by commercial printers worldwide. Based in Vancouver, Canada,... (More) |
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Adobe Camera Raw 3.1 available
11:31 EDT - News swiftly pointed out to us today by IR reader and regular correspondant Peter Burian notes that Adobe has now placed its new Camera Raw version 3.1 for download on the Adobe FTP server.
According to the original source, an article on Rob Galbraith's Digital Photography Insights website, Camera Raw 3.1 for Photoshop CS2 now supports both the Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT / 350D and Nikon...
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Kodak: Three new EasyShare digicams
23:24 EDT - A press release from Eastman Kodak Co. today announces three new models for the company's lineup of EasyShare digital cameras.
The new Kodak EasyShare C310 is closely related to the existing EasyShare C300 model, while the EasyShare C340 finds two new siblings in the EasyShare C330 and C360. The main differences between old and...
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PRESS RELEASE: Casio Appoints William H. Heuer Senior Vice President Of Digital Imaging Division
14:54 EDT - DOVER, NJ, May 2, 2005 - CASIO, Inc., has named William H. Heuer to the position of Senior Vice President of Casio Inc. and head of its Digital Imaging Division. An industry veteran, Heuer has extensive marketing, sales and business development experience in the digital imaging arena. In his new position, Heuer will be responsible for sales, marketing and the overall operations of Casio's digital... (More) |
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PRESS RELEASE: SendPhotos, Inc. Announces Upgrade to SendPhotos(TM) Gold
13:54 EDT - New Version 4.0 Delivers New Ways to Easily Share Digital Photos BOULDER, Colo., May 3 /PRNewswire/ -- SendPhotos, Inc., formerly Novatix Corporation, today announced the release of a new version of its award-winning photo utility, SendPhotos(TM) Gold. The new version 4.0 now delivers a comprehensive solution for sharing digital photos, allowing consumers to create exciting photo emails, publish... (More) |
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PRESS RELEASE: Hamrick Software Nominated for Best Imaging Software by MacWorld U.K.
13:43 EDT - VueScan is an award-winning program that enables users to more easily produce better looking digital images from color snapshots, microfiche and microfilm, negatives, slides, and paper documents. Phoenix, AZ (PRWEB) May 3, 2005 - Hamrick Software, the developer of VueScan, the world's most popular scanning software for consumers and professionals, today announced that it has been nominated for Best... (More) |
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April 2005 POTD winners announced!
12:26 EDT - Another month of great photos, another set of difficult choices for our Photo of the Day judges!
It was another great month for the IR Photo of the Day (POTD) contest. More tough decisions for the judges, but they were once again up to the task. Events once again intervened this month to make us a...
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PRESS RELEASE: Dxo Labs Announces Public Beta Release Of Dxo Optics Pro Version 3.0 Software Now Featuring Dxo Noise And Dxo Lighting Technologies
08:00 EDT - Demanding photographers worldwide invited to preview major upgrade of software providing Digital-SLR and lens automatic image quality enhancement Paris, May 3, 2005 - DxO Labs today made available a public beta version of its soon-to-be released DxO Optics Pro version 3.0 software. DxO Optics Pro V3.0 automatically enhances images produced by Digital Single-Lens Reflex (Digital-SLR) cameras and their... (More) |
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