Park Cameras have announced a dedicated event for professional photographers to showcase the Canon ‘Digital Solution’. The event will run on May 28th and will include seminars on the Canon EOS system by established names in the industry. Canon’s Steve Boness will also attend the event and he will showcase the Canon’s ‘Digital Workflow. You can email the organizers at sales@parkcameras.com to book a place.
Ascend Training are offering online training courses in various Adobe programs like Photoshop, InDesign, Flash and Dreamweaver. "We are thrilled to be able to reach a broader audience by offering our classes online. Our new offerings will have the same instructor attentiveness and small class sizes, but delivered remotely." Said Jori Curry, President of Ascend Training.
Canon is not the only one with a new rebate programme. Pentax has also announced one which is effective between May 1 to May 9, 2009. The instant savings consist of a $30.00 USD instant rebate on the PENTAX X70 Megazoom camera and a $ 50.00 USD savings on the PENTAX K2000 digital SLR single lens kit.
Adobe has launched its Photoshop Marketplace website that aims to be comprehensive collection of Photoshop related products, services, and communities. Photoshop Marketplace is an open community and one can also register to post their own creations. You can check it out here.
Animoto, which is a video creation platform, recently introduced a white label feature for Animoto for Photography (http://photography.animoto.com) commercial accounts. Hence now account holders can create high-quality videos free of Animoto branding to sell on DVD or as high-resolution digital files, or to share on websites, blogs, social networks and mobile devices.
Panasonic Corporation has announced their plans to develop a professional 3D Full HD production system. This path-breaking system would include a twin-lens P2 professional camera recorder and a 3D-compatible High Definition Plasma display. Panasonic will exhibit concept models at NAB 2009 to be held in Las Vegas, Nevada from April 20, 2009.
The 2009 International Image Festival has commenced and this year it includes include two competitions – the Official Prize and the People’s Choice Prize. The former includes 9,750.00 Euros in prize money, which will be distributed among the top five winners. Last date for entries is 14 May and the official contest rules are available at www.festimage.org.
Canon in a press release announced that the company’s has produced over 10 million consumer D-SLRs (digital single-lens-reflex) worldwide since the launch of the EOS 300D in 2003. Canon also recently celebrated the 50th anniversary of Canon SLR (single lens reflex) cameras which were first launched on May 1959.
“Canon remains at the forefront of this consumer market growth with a market share of 40 per cent in Europe (GfK WEU14 Jan~Dec 2008) which we account for our commitment to consumer demand and our passion for high-quality image,” said Rainer Fuehres, Head of Canon Consumer Imaging (CCI), Canon Europe. “We hope that the release of the EOS 500D will further strengthen our market position this year.”
Pentax Imaging has announced a new Instant Rebate Program on select digital cameras. Effective till April 11 instant savings range from $20.00 to $50.00 USD on three compact digital cameras and one digital SLR kit. More information about the program and these products is available at www.pentaximaging.com.
The professional finalists and amateur winners of the 2009 Sony World Photography Awards have been announced. The photographers will be honoured at the Sony World Photography Awards ceremony at the prestigious Palais des Festivals in Cannes, France, on Thursday 16 April. The winning amateur photographer, selected from the eight category finalists, will receive a $5,000 cash prize and Sony camera equipment.
The nightmare continues for businesses all over the world. Due to the global recession, Hoya which has merged with Pentax will cut the Japanese workforce in its digital camera operations to less than 400 employees from the current 800. According to the financial daily Nikkei:"It has yet to decide how many of the roughly 300 targeted employees will be let go,"
Tiny Pictures recently announced the Flickr integration for Radar (http://radar.net)-a service for real-time sharing of cameraphone pictures, videos and conversations between friends. The integration allows users to follow Flickr photos as they're shared and the service is available for all major cellphones including the iPhone. For more information, please visit: http://radar.net/flickr
The Copyright Registry is now available for free to the members of the American Society of Media Photographers. They can hence use The Copyright Registry at www.C-Registry.us to display their contact information, to link each image to its official registration at the U.S. Copyright Office, and to connect potential licensors to the e-commerce.
Getty Images and Flickr have unveiled the “Flickr Collection” which is an image collection available exclusively on gettyimages.com for commercial licensing. Images from the Flickr Collection are available in both royalty-free and rights-managed licensing models.
“The Flickr Collection is determined by the lives of those who contribute to it,” said Andy Saunders, vice president of creative imagery at Getty Images. “The collection changes the definition of ‘stock’ photography by making it even easier for our customers to find and license imagery that is unexpected, genuinely original, and created by an untapped imagery resource – people everywhere.”
Looks like its time to bid adieu to the Leica R9 camera as Leica has informed dealers that the camera and its accessories are out of stock. A spokesman from Leica hinted on a new camera and also said that “they are working hard on making a generation change possible for the current R-System”.
Canon has issued a service notice regarding the EOS-1D Mark III and EOS-1Ds Mark III digital SLR cameras. According to Canon, an abnormal mirror operation occurs in some of the models and the camera displays the following:
“Err 99 Shooting is not possible. Turn the power switch to and again or re-install the battery”.
Free repairs will be provided to affected products.
Contact Information for Inquiries
Customer Support Center
1-866-207-9570 (toll free)
8:00 a.m. - Midnight, EST (M-F)
10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m., EST (Sat.)
Email: carecenter@cits.canon.com
Kodak and Photobucket have teamed up to make photo sharing more intuitive and fun. Photobucket users can now use Kodak Gallery products to create personalized photo gifts and prints. Products range in price from $0.15 for prints to $22.99 for large posters and can be shipped around the globe. To sign up for a free Photobucket account, visit http://photobucket.com.
The Quik Pod Explorer and Precision are handheld extendable tripods that work with all camera types. The Quik Pod Explorer extends to 38.5” (98cm), and closes to 9” (23cm), which thus makes it the longest compact handheld extendable tripod. Where as the Quik Pod Pro+ converts from handheld use to tabletop in seconds thanks to its Universal Two Axis Leveling Adapter. The Quik Pod can be viewed at www.quikpod.com/home.asp
Sigma aficionados can check out a fully functional pre-production model of the Sigma DP2 at the Focus on Imaging Event in Birmingham. The camera borrows design cues from the DP1 however it does feature an improved menu system and, ISO settings up to 3200. Head over to Sigma User for more details.
Nikon UK has once again hiked up their prices and like before, blame the currency fluctuation and the weakening of the Sterling. The hike will affect Nikon’s Imaging and Optics products however the COOLPIX series and selected digital SLRs will not see an increase. An updated Recommended Retail Price (RRP) list will be available to view at http://www.nikon.co.uk from 1st March 2009.
SanDisk has developed the world’s first high performance 4-bits-per-cell (X4) flash memory which uses 43-nanometer (nm) process technology. This would enable the company to incorporate 64-gigabit (Gb) memory in a single die. SanDisk has also produced an advanced X4 controller, which is necessary to effectively manage the complexities and performance requirements of X4 memory.
Pentax has announced a significant price drop on their K Series. The PENTAX K20D digital SLR body alone and all other K20D body and lens configurations will have an in-store instant $100.00 Consumer Rebate. PENTAX is also extending the K20D FREE Three Year Warranty (one year standard, two years extended) on all K20Ds purchased by March 31, 2009.
The new prices:
* PENTAX K2000 two lens kit (PENTAX K2000 body, smc PENTAX DA L 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 AL lens, and an smc PENTAX DA L 50-200mm F4-5.6 AL lens) will be $649.95.
* PENTAX K2000 single lens kit (PENTAX K2000 body, smc PENTAX DA L 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 AL lens) will be $549.95.
* PENTAX K2000 body only is $499.95.
The Canon EOS Professional Network (EPN) has been launched across the UK & Ireland and will consist of EOS Professional Centres and EOS Professional Stockists. Made up of two categories, EOS Professional Centres and EOS Professional Stockists, the EPN will have specialist trained staff able to demonstrate Canon’s unique workflow solution. For more information and a current list of EOS Professional Centres please visit: http://www.canon.co.uk/eospro-network
Those who are interested in fashion photography should check out Flickrista at http://www.flickrista.com. The new website features “the most stunning and beautiful fashion photography uploaded to the photo sharing site Flickr.com”. All are chosen by editor, Andreas Climent who takes in consideration factors like composition, lighting, concept and beauty.
Expect a price hike on all Sigma UK products from 1st February onwards. Citing “currency fluctuations” and the devaluation of £ Sterling against the Yen by 40% as the main reasons, the company said it has no choice. Things may get back to normal when the UK pound makes a recovery against foreign currencies.
Camera & Imaging Products Association or the CIPA have released a very interesting camera shipment forecast for the period 2009-2011. The report can be read here (pdf) and below are some highlights:
Forecast for 2009:
“In terms of the breakdown in shipments by product type, the forecast anticipates shipments of interchangeable lens digital SLR cameras increasing by approximately 660,000 units to 10,349,000 units (a year-on-year increase of 6.8%) and shipments of digital cameras with built-in lens declining by approximately 1,450,000 units to 108,622,000 units (a year-on-year decrease of 1.3%).”
The Kenko Group, which includes companies like Kenko, Slik tripods and Hoya filters have announced an international filter competition . The competition is open to anyone who has taken a photograph using any type of filter as entries are not restricted to just Kenko or Hoya filter users. All entries must be sent by 31 December 2009 and for full details including rules and application form please visit the Intro 2020 website at:http://www.intro2020.co.uk
The imaging industry has also been hit by the global economic crisis. Japan's Canon Inc admitted that in the year 2009, the company’s target for digital camera sales is 23.9 million units, which is 7 percent down from 25.6 million units in 2008. Canon also admitted that the company is undecided on its dividend forecast for 2009.
Submissions for the “Leica Oskar Barnack Award” 2009 are now being accepted and one can send in their photographs till March 1, 2009. For more information head over to http://www.leica-oskar-barnack-award.com/. This year a “Newcomer Award” will be incorporated into the competition, which is open to photographer’s age 25 years and under. The winner of the “Leica Oskar Barnack Award” will receive 5,000 euros or, alternatively, Leica camera equipment to the same value.
According to a press released by Epson, their stand (C10) at will be 50% larger than 2008 and will also include a presentation theatre seating forty. The presentation programme will start by 10.15 every morning, with a presentation every hour. The last presentation will be on 17.15 on Sunday – Tuesday and at 16.15 on Wednesday. Each presentation will last 30 minutes with an additional 15 minutes for questions and answers.
Ascend Training are offering online training courses in various Adobe programs like Photoshop, InDesign, Flash and Dreamweaver. "We are thrilled to be able to reach a broader audience by offering our classes online. Our new offerings will have the same instructor attentiveness and small class sizes, but delivered remotely." Said Jori Curry, President of Ascend Training.
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Adobe has launched its Photoshop Marketplace website that aims to be comprehensive collection of Photoshop related products, services, and communities. Photoshop Marketplace is an open community and one can also register to post their own creations. You can check it out 
Animoto, which is a video creation platform, recently introduced a white label feature for Animoto for Photography (.png)
Panasonic Corporation
The 2009 International Image Festival has commenced and this year it includes include two competitions – the Official Prize and the People’s Choice Prize. The former includes 9,750.00 Euros in prize money, which will be distributed among the top five winners. Last date for entries is 14 May and the official contest rules are available at
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The professional finalists and amateur winners of the
The nightmare continues for businesses all over the world. Due to the global recession, Hoya which has merged with Pentax will cut the Japanese workforce in its digital camera operations to less than 400 employees from the current 800. According to the financial daily Nikkei:"It has yet to decide how many of the roughly 300 targeted employees will be let go,"
Tiny Pictures recently announced the Flickr integration for Radar (http://radar.net)-a service for real-time sharing of cameraphone pictures, videos and conversations between friends. The integration allows users to follow Flickr photos as they're shared and the service is available for all major cellphones including the iPhone. For more information, please visit: 
The Copyright Registry is now available for free to the members of the American Society of Media Photographers. They can hence use The Copyright Registry at 
Looks like its time to bid adieu to the Leica R9 camera as Leica has informed dealers that the camera and its accessories are out of stock. A spokesman from Leica hinted on a new camera and also said that “they are working hard on making a generation change possible for the current R-System”.
Canon has issued a service notice regarding the EOS-1D Mark III and EOS-1Ds Mark III digital SLR cameras. According to Canon, an abnormal mirror operation occurs in some of the models and the camera displays the following: 
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The Quik Pod Explorer and Precision are handheld extendable tripods that work with all camera types. The Quik Pod Explorer extends to 38.5” (98cm), and closes to 9” (23cm), which thus makes it the longest compact handheld extendable tripod. Where as the Quik Pod Pro+ converts from handheld use to tabletop in seconds thanks to its Universal Two Axis Leveling Adapter. The Quik Pod can be viewed at 
Sigma aficionados can check out a fully functional pre-production model of the Sigma DP2 at the Focus on Imaging Event in Birmingham. The camera borrows design cues from the DP1 however it does feature an improved menu system and, ISO settings up to 3200. Head over to 
Those who are interested in fashion photography should check out Flickrista at .gif)
The Kenko Group, which includes companies like Kenko, Slik tripods 
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