News Archive for August 2010

Adobe has introduced Photoshop Express as an application for Apple's iPad and iPhone. Previously known as Photoshop.com Mobile, the app has now been optimized for use with the iPad. It enables users to view, edit and apply effects to images via gesture-based functions. Photoshop Express is available as a free download from Apple's App Store for new users and as an update including the new name for existing users. It is also available in the Android Marketplace. (09:06 GMT)

Sony has announced its 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 OSS E-mount telephoto lens will be available from September 10, 2010 at an estimated retail price of $800 in the US and £699 in the UK. The image-stabilized zoom lens with an equivalent zoom range of 27-300mm is designed for the company's NEX series of interchangeable lens cameras and camcorder. It will join the existing line-up of E-mount lenses - the 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 zoom and 16mm F2.8 pancake wideangle. (10:06 GMT)

Nik Software has announced an updated version of its Viveza 2 selective color and brightness control plug-in for Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom and Apple Aperture. Version 2.003 fixes minor bugs and adds 64-bit compatibility for both Mac and Windows platforms. (13:12 GMT)

Pentax has updated its RAW codec for Windows extending support to files of the company's recently released 645D medium format camera. The latest version is compatible only with 32-bit Windows Vista and 7 operating systems. It is available for immediate download from the company's website. (11:03 GMT)

Five months after announcing its development, Tamron has said the SP 70-300mm F/4-5.6 Di VC USD zoom lens will be available from the end of this month in Nikon F mount. Priced at $449 and working both on full-frame and APS-C digital SLRs, it is the company's first lens to feature an Ultrasonic Silent Drive (USD) autofocus motor, giving full-time manual focus override. (13:03 GMT)

Adobe has released 'Release Candidates' of its Camera RAW 6.2 and Lightroom 3.2 raw processing software. The updates, available from the company's Adobe Labs site, bring support for 12 additional cameras ranging from the Casio FH-100 to the Pentax 645D and Leica S2. Sony's NEX models and Samsung's NX10 also make the list. Lightroom skips version 3.1 to bring its version numbering into sync with ACR, with 3.2 bringing a host of bug fixes along with the additional cameras. According to the company, the term 'Release Candidate' means the download is well tested but not yet final version. (08:58 GMT)

Just Posted: Our review of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G10. Panasonic's first attempt to tap into the entry-level system camera market, the G10 faces stiff competition from the likes of the Canon EOS 1000D and Nikon D3000, as well as newcomers like the Olympus E-PL1. The G10 has a lot in common with its big brother the DMC-G2 - is this enough to make it stand out in this competitive market? Read our review to find out. (12:15 GMT)

German manufacturer Intuitfocus has released what it calls the first hands-free follow-focus system system for DSLRs. The Intuitfocus HF-IF1 is built a motorized belt-drive system that attaches around the lens and is remotely controlled by scroll wheel. Aimed at videographers who shoot movies with HD enabled DSLRs, this system is designed to offer smooth and shake-free focus or zooming. The system can be used to control focus, zoom or aperture. According to the US distributor HP Marketing, the HF-IF1 will be available from September 2010 at a retail of $3,900 for the complete kit. (17:15 GMT)

Just posted! Our quick review of the Ricoh GXR P10 28-300mm F3.5-5.6 VC zoom lens module. With its 1/2.3" back-illuminated CMOS sensor and 28-300mm equivalent zoom range the third module in the system practically converts the GXR body into a 'Travel Zoom' compact camera. It also comes with features such as RAW capture and 5 fps continuous shooting. Find out how it performed in the dpreview tests after the link... (17:54 GMT)

Just posted! Our preview samples gallery from the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ100. We have just received a production sample of the FZ100 and put together a gallery of sample shots to give you an impression of the image quality from this new superzoom. The gallery includes a mix of shots using various ISOs and apertures, shot under a variety of lighting conditions. We have also shot our standard studio comparison scene and added them to our comparison tool so it can be easily compared to its competitors. (11:36 GMT)

Leica has released a firmware update for its M9 digital rangefinder. Version 1.138 improves auto white balance performance in certain lighting conditions and improves compatibility with SDHC memory cards. The latest firmware also fixes a few minor bugs. The firmware is available for immediate download from Leica's website. (14:21 GMT)

With the announcement of the Fujifilm F300 EXR and Z800 EXR coming on a day that also saw four other cameras being launched, it would be easy to overlook their most radical feature. Because, with the latest version of its EXR sensor, Fujifilm has achieved something that's been hoped for but not previously brought to market - through-the-lens phase detection autofocus on a compact camera. The company is claiming the system enables focus times as fast as 0.158 sec. We got some more details of the system from Hitoshi Yamashita, manager of the company's Technical Support Group. (16:31 GMT)

Ricoh has released firmware updates for its CX1, CX2 and CX3 digital compact cameras. Version 1.25 for CX1 and version 1.15 for CX2 fix bugs relating to distortion correction in certain situations and printing. CX3's firmware v1.11 also corrects minor bugs and improves flash accuracy when capturing images in the 16:9 aspect ratio. The updates are available for immediate download from the company's website. (11:27 GMT)

Samsung has released the PL90 digital compact with a built-in USB connector. Plugging in the connector to any computer charges the camera and can automatically install the Intelli-studio software for accessing and sharing camera data. The 12.2 MP image stabilized camera comes with a 2.7 inch LCD, 4x zoom lens (29-116mm equiv.) and includes features such as AF Tracking, Smart Auto and VGA video recording. Priced at $149.99 in the US and £129.99 in the UK, it will be available from September 2010. (14:33 GMT)

Casio has released the Exilim EX-S200 and EX-Z800 digital compacts. The 14MP image-stabilized cameras feature the company's latest Exilim Engine 5.0 processor with 'super-resolution' context-sensitive image processing technology. Both offer 4x zoom lenses starting a 27mm equivalent focal length and use the super resolution technology to improve the effect of the 1.5x digital zoom. They also share 2.7" LCDs and can record standard 720p HD videos. The identical specced cameras differ physically with the EX-S200 maintaining the S series' slim body while the EX-Z800 features a slightly larger Zoom series design. (00:03 GMT)

Topaz Labs has released the latest version of its DeNoise noise reduction plug-in for Adobe Photoshop. DeNoise 5 promises faster processing speeds and increases the maximum image size it can handle. It gains additional noise processing tools including horizontal and vertical debanding options. The plug-in is available as a free upgrade for existing users or $79.99 for first-time buyers. (12:21 GMT)

Apple has released a digital camera RAW compatibility update for Aperture 3 and iPhoto '09. Update 3.3 extends RAW support to eight additional cameras including the Sony Alpha NEX-5/3, Samsung NX10 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-G2.The update is available for immediate download from Apple's website. (09:09 GMT)

HDR software maker Unified Color Technologies has released what it says is the first 32-bit HDR plug-in for Adobe Photoshop. The 32 Float plug-in is based around the company's 'Beyond RGB' color space that attempts to separate brightness and color components of the image data to allow tonal adjustments without color shifts. The plug-in supports the CS5, CS4 and CS3 versions of Photoshop and will be available at an introductory price of $79 from September 2010. (09:09 GMT)

Just Posted: Our review of the Canon PowerShot SD4000 IS /IXUS 300 HS compact digital camera. Canon's latest style compact comes with a back-illuminated CMOS sensor and a new HS system that is promises both low-light performance and high-speed photography. Mixing point-and-shoot simplicity with a broad feature set and high degree of user control for those who want it isn't an easy balance to strike. So did the matte black version we tested shine or fade into the background? Read our review to find out. (17:01 GMT)

DxO Labs has updated its DxO Optics Pro raw converter software with 100 lens and cameras combinations for Canon, Nikon, Olympus and Sony users. These new lens correction modules join the existing list of combinations. The modules are available for immediate download from the company's website. (13:45 GMT)