Digital Camera News
Orphan Works Bill Waits until Next Year
December 1, 2006 – The U.S. Copyright Office and the photographer community are taking a temporary breather between battles over the Orphan Works Bill (HR 5439). Currently under the Copyright Modernization Act (HR 6052), the proposal would allow publishers to use copyrighted work without payment if the copyright owner is declared impossible to find.
Called a "disaster for photographers," according to American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP) website, the bill would declare copyrighted property as "orphan works" if their owners could not be identified. Such situations would include death, un-credited photos, or if the owner simply could not be located.
Spearheaded by the Copyright Office and sponsored by Representative Lamar Smith (R-TX), the Copyright Office raised the issue last year, arguing that in some cases tracking down copyright owners is "impossible," according to the bill.
Photographers and editors, including the Advertising Photographers of America, the National Press Photographers Association, the White House News Photographers Association, and the Stock Artists Alliance, argue the proposed bill would lead to copyright infringement.
Since Congress adjourned in October, the Orphan Works bill died this session. Thus, a temporary victory was declared for photographers.
"The battle has been won, and we can breathe easier for a while. But the war is not over," declared the ASMP in a Sept. 27 announcement.
Rep. Smith (R-TX), however, pledged to reintroduce the orphan works issue under the HR6052, the Copyright Modernization Act, before the 110th Congress (a House and Senate that turned around in the November elections). Democrats now control both the House and the Senate, which leaves many debating how the party adjustment will affect the outcome of the orphan works issue. Orphan Works Round 2 will have to wait until Congress reconvenes in January.
Latest News
& Reviews
-
09-Feb-2012
Pentax K-01 First Impressions Review
We’ve gone hands-on with the Marc Newson designed K-01 from Pentax. Read on for our full impressions of this unique mirrorless camera as well as a full gallery of photos of the camera. Read More...
-
09-Feb-2012
Panasonic Lumix ZS15 First Impressions Review
Even the lesser of the new Panasonic travel zooms, the ZS15 could be a great value. Even without hot-button extras, it has almost all of the elements we look for in a travel zoom. Read More...
Top Rated Digital Cameras
-
Digital SLRs
Point & Shoots
-
$1,049.951Canon EOS 60D
The Canon EOS 60D is a top-notch camera in terms of performance, handling and flexibility. However, the performance of the kit lens leaves something to be desired. Read full 7-part review
$1,049.95
$462.251Panasonic Lumix FZ150
Excellent image quality, speedy performance, and a great design add up to the best superzoom that has ever graced our labs. That distinction seems to change hands every week, but trust us when we say that the FZ150 is a truly great camera. Read full 16-part review
$462.25 -
$589.952Nikon D5100
The D5100 is the latest entry-level DSLR from Nikon, with full 1080/30p video, an articulated LCD, and the same image sensor as the D7000. It lacks an internal focus motor, but we found it produced some of the most accurate colors we've seen yet. Read full 7-part review
$589.95
$378.892Canon PowerShot SX40 HS
Canon's SX30 got a CMOS makeover that resulted in the SX40 HS, an impressive ultrazoom that captures beautiful shots in almost any scenario. Read full 16-part review
$378.89 -
$1,329.953Canon EOS 7D
The 18-megapixel Canon 7D delivers high resolution stills and full HD video in a well-built camera designed for serious photographers without the desire (or budget) for a full-frame model. Read full 7-part review
$1,329.95
$428.003Sony Cyber-shot HX100V
This professionally-geared ultrazoom offers some of the best color accuracy we've ever seen. It's a shame the other scores weren't quite so strong. Read full 16-part review
$428.00 -
$1,199.004Nikon D7000
The Nikon D7000 is a powerhouse camera at an excellent price. It offers a huge range of features that will make shooting quicker and easier for the experienced shooter, with lots of customizable options and quick control access. Read full 7-part review
$1,199.00
$362.594Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ47
Panasonic resists the urge to cram more megapixels and more focal length into their latest ultrazoom. The FZ47 instead focuses on image quality and features, resulting in an incredibly strong camera that we loved shooting with. Read full 16-part review
$362.59 -
$699.005Sony Alpha SLT-A55V
The SLT-A55 is a well performing SLR, with a wide ISO range, good color and relatively low noise. . Read full 7-part review
$699.00
$429.005Canon PowerShot S100
Canon's PowerShot S100 improves on the popular S95 and takes its place at the top of the point-and-shoot food chain. Read full 16-part review
$429.00
Find the right digital camera for you.
