PRESS RELEASE

 www.pentax.co.uk

PENTAX launches limited edition K-m White Kits

PENTAX U.K. is pleased to announce the launch of the limited edition PENTAX K-m White.  The camera is available to purchase as part of two unique kit combinations – The K-m White kit, which includes the 18-55mm lens, and the K-m White twin lens kit, which includes the 50-200mm lens as well. Each kit includes the popular PENTAX K-m digital SLR camera body in a brilliant white finish with lens to match.  Only 100 K-m Whites will come to the UK market.

Launched in October 2008 as an entry-class model aimed at new digital SLR photographers, the award winning PENTAX K-m offers simple, user-friendly operation and an easy-to-manoeuvre compact, lightweight body. The camera features an upgraded version of the PENTAX-original Auto Picture mode, which automatically detects the type of subject or scene, and sets the proper shooting mode for the photographer. It also features a host of advanced features and sophisticated functions — including the innovative in-camera Shake Reduction mechanism — to assist the photographer.

Main Features of the PENTAX K-m White

1. Sparkling, eye-catching White body and lenses
In these unique, limited-edition kits, both the PENTAX K-m camera body and the zoom lenses have a brilliant white finish. Offering a new colour choice, as well as the fun of digital SLR photography, these kits will appeal to many photographers.

2. Compact, lightweight body for enhanced portability and manoeuvrability
Despite having a large image sensor (23.5mm by 15.7mm), the PENTAX K-m White offers a compact, lightweight design for remarkable portability and manoeuvrability. This was made possible by the development of a lightweight and high-rigidity stainless-steel chassis, the downsizing of the Shake Reduction mechanism and circuit boards, employment of the latest high-density packaging technologies ensuring the most efficient positioning and layout of internal parts, and the repositioning of the battery compartment. The camera grip has also been redesigned to create a firm, comfortable hold of the camera body.

3. Simplified operation system for easy camera handling
The PENTAX K-m White features a newly designed control system, which positions most of buttons and controls on the camera’s grip side, making it easier for first-time digital SLR users stepping up from their compact models to operate the camera. What’s more, the functions of each button can be instantly displayed on the camera’s LCD monitor by pressing the help button, which is especially useful for those who are unfamiliar with digital SLR cameras or new to photography.

4. PENTAX-original Shake Reduction mechanism for sharp, blur-free images
The PENTAX K-m White comes equipped with the PENTAX-developed SR (Shake Reduction) mechanism, which effectively reduces camera shake for sharp, blur-free images even under demanding shooting conditions — such as when using a telephoto lens, shooting in the dark, or at night without supplementary flash illumination, or using extended exposures for sunset scenes. This innovative SR mechanism shifts the position of the image sensor vertically and horizontally at high speed using magnetic force, while adjusting the shifting speed in proportion to the amount of camera shake detected by a built-in sensor. It offers an outstanding compensation effect — up to the equivalent of approximately four shutter steps. As a result, it does not require special anti-shake lenses, and can be used with almost all existing PENTAX interchangeable lenses.
*** Lenses compatible with this mechanism are: the PENTAX K-, KA-, KAF-, KAF2-, and KAF3-mount lenses; screw-mount lenses (with an adapter); and 645- and 67-system lenses (with an adapter). Some functions may not be applicable with certain lenses.

5. Comprehensive Dust Removal system with prevention, removal and confirmation devices
The PENTAX K-m White features the user-friendly DR (Dust Removal) system to prevent dust from appearing on captured images. Applied to the CCD image sensor surface, the PENTAX-original SP (Super Protect) coating effectively removes dust and stains from the sensor’s surface. In the next step, dust that still remains on the surface will be shaken off when the SR system shifts the image sensor at high speed. Finally, the dust that is shaken off will fall onto an adhesive sheet positioned at the bottom of the SR unit, eliminating any possibility of it returning to the image sensor surface. This DR system even offers a Dust Alert function, which allows the user to confirm the dust-adhesion status of the CCD in advance.

6. Auto Picture mode for automatic selection of optimum shooting mode
The PENTAX-developed Auto Picture mode is programmed to automatically select the most appropriate shooting mode — from such choices as Portrait, Landscape and Macro — for any given subject. With the PENTAX K-m White, this user-friendly mode is further upgraded, with automatic detection for situations that might require the Night Scene Portrait mode. Since all camera settings, including aperture, shutter speed, white balance, contrast and sharpness, and saturation, are adjusted automatically by the camera for optimum results, the K-m White allows the user to concentrate on image composition and picture opportunities.

7. High-quality image
The PENTAX K-m White combines a large, high-performance CCD image sensor (23.5mm by 15.7mm) with the sophisticated PRIME (PENTAX Real Image Engine). With approximately 10.2 effective megapixels, it produces beautiful, fine-detailed images with subtle gradations and delicate textures. It also features a Custom Image function, which offers a choice of six finishing touches to help the user create intended images.

8. High-speed continuous shooting at approx. 3.5 frames per second
The PENTAX K-m White lets the user keep shooting images at approximately 3.5 frames per second (in the JPEG recording format), allowing the user to easily capture a sequence of fast-moving subject shots with greater detail.

9. High-precision 5-point AF system
The PENTAX K-m White incorporates a five-point wide-area AF system (SAFOX VIII with five cross-type sensors) to ensure dependable, high-precision auto focusing. Using the five sensors positioned in a cross pattern over the image field (one in the middle, two at the sides, and two at the top and bottom), this system automatically and unfailingly selects the optimum sensor for a given subject. It will also allow the user to fix the AF detection point at the middle sensor should they choose. Thanks to a thorough review of the AF algorithm, this AF system also offers improved auto focusing speed under poor-lighting conditions, which conventional AF systems often struggle with.

10. Auto sensitivity control up to ISO 3200
The PENTAX K-m White’s auto sensitivity control function automatically sets the optimum sensitivity between ISO 100 and ISO 3200, based on such data as the subject’s brightness level and the lens focal length. Since this function allows the user to take advantage of faster shutter speeds in poor lighting situations (such as indoor sports events and night-time scenes), it helps the photographer to effectively reduce camera and subject shake to prevent blurred images.

11. Effective gradation compensation
The PENTAX K-m White’s dynamic-range expansion function allows the user to expand a dynamic range (or a range of gradation reproduction) to minimize white-washed areas in the image. On the other hand, its shadow compensation function minimises pitch-black areas lacking in detail. Combined, they help the user to produce beautiful, rich-gradation images when shooting high-contrast subjects.

12. Large, easy-to-view 2.7-inch LCD monitor
The PENTAX K-m White features a large 2.7-inch colour LCD monitor with approximately 230,000 dots on its back panel. This monitor’s wide-view design allows the photographer to check the on-screen image from approximately 170 degrees both vertically and horizontally. It even offers digital zooming of playback images up to 16x to easily confirm the image’s focus and details.

13. Bright, clear viewfinder
Thanks to a combination of a lightweight penta-mirror prism, PENTAX-original finder optics, and the acclaimed Natural-Bright-Matte focusing screen, the PENTAX K-m White’s viewfinder delivers a large, bright subject image with approximate 96-percent field of view, and approximately 0.85-times magnification.

14. Digital filters for unique visual expressions
The PENTAX K-m White’s built-in digital filters let the user effortlessly add some creative and artistic touches to recorded images without the use of a PC. The user can select one of 14 different digital filters, including the new Toy Camera and Retro filters, to create a desired visual effect.

15. Other features
1) 10 Scene modes, switchable with simple and recognisable icon selection
2) Energy-efficient power supply, recording approximately 1,650 images
with four AA-size lithium batteries
3) Status screen, displaying camera settings on the LCD monitor on the
camera’s back panel for at-a-glance confirmation
4) Index function, for five different types of display and printing modes
5) Choice of 16-segment multi-pattern metering, centre-weighted metering
and spot metering to accommodate various photographic applications
6) Simultaneous recording of RAW and JPEG format images
7) Compatibility with SD and SDHC memory cards as external
data-recording media
In-camera development of RAW format images
9) Compatibility with SDM equipped lens for quiet, smooth auto focus operation
10) PENTAX PHOTO Laboratory 3 RAW data processing software and PENTAX PHOTO Browser 3 browser software included
Main Features of the smc PENTAX-DA L 18-55mm F3.5-5.6AL White Lens
1. A compact standard zoom lens with focal lengths from 27.5mm to 84.5mm (in the 35mm format) covering wide-angle to medium-telephoto ranges.
2. Latest optical design featuring high-performance aspherical lens element and super-low dispersion glass element for effective compensation of various aberrations.

Main Features of the smc PENTAX-DA L 50-200mm F4-5.6ED White Lens
1. A super-compact, ultra-lightweight telephoto zoom lens with focal lengths from 76.5mm to 307mm (in the 35mm format).
2. ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass optical element for effective compensation of chromatic aberrations over the entire zoom range and enhanced image-description performance.

Price
RRP £449.99 Pentax K-m White kit
RRP £549.99 Pentax K-m White Twin lens kit

Digital Design Tournament 2009 is starting her engines. The annual call for competitors is opens, with two deadlines: January 14 for cities in North America, and February 6 for the Europe and Asia/Pacific regions.

In 2009 Cut&Paste is producing three competitions for it’s tournament. 2D, 3D and Motion Design will all be applicable. Also initiated are the  first-ever GLOBAL CHAMPIONSHIP, which will pit together the winners from each of 16 cities. That’s 48 challengers all together.

You win your city, and Cut7Paste will fly you to New York to go up against the world. Whip out your portfolios, finish up what you’ve been making, and get involved with their on line entry form.

 http://www.cutandpaste.com/

PNY Technologies have just announced the availability of the brand new ultra high-end NVIDIA Quadro FX5800 and FX4800. These hardwares will undoubtedly push visualisation beyond traditional 3D.

Press release below:

Mérignac, France, 17th December 2008 – PNY Technologies announces the availability of two new graphics boards: NVIDIA Quadro FX 4800 and Quadro FX 5800.  These boards offer advanced features to allow massive datasets to be viewed beyond traditional 3D enabling professionals to make fast and accurate decisions.

Offering up to 240 CUDA™ programmable parallel cores (192 cores for the Quadro FX 4800) and the industries first 4GB of graphics memory (1,5GB for the Quadro FX 4800), the Quadro FX5800 graphics card is ideally suited for oil and gas exploration, medical imaging, styling and design, and scientific visualisation. Other advanced features of the Quadro FX5800 graphics card include:

• Real-time Visualisation of Large Data Sets – Equipped with 1.5 GB and 4GB graphics memory, the Quadro Fx4800 and Quadro FX5800  have the capacity to process large textures and frames in real time while providing fill rates of 38 billion texels per second and geometry performance of 300 million triangles per second.

• Increased Image Quality - A 128-bit precision graphic pipeline and 32x FSAA for better image clarity and quality.

• Ultra-high Colour Fidelity and Resolutions – Dual 10-bit display ports delivering a colour palette of over a billion colours, orders of magnitude greater than previous generations of graphics cards. Also included is a single dual-link digital display connector for ultra-high resolution panels of up to 3840 x 2400 at 24Hz.

• High-performance Visualisation - A CUDA parallel computing processor architecture exposed through a C language environment and tool suite. In combination with high-performance visualisation, CUDA unleashes new capabilities to solve highly complex challenges such as real-time ray tracing, video encoding and interactive volume rendering.

The new NVIDIA Quadro FX4800 and NVIDIA Quadro FX5800 are available through PNY channel partners:  integrators, distributors and VARs in EMEA at recommended selling price of:

• NVIDIA Quadro FX4800 by PNY: 1569€ VAT exc.
• NVIDIA Quadro FX5800 by PNY: 2859€ VAT exc.

PNY Technologies is the exclusive NVIDIA Quadro partner for Americas, Europe, Africa and Middle East. All products in the NVIDIA Quadro by PNY series come with a three-year warranty. For additional information, visit PNY Technologies web site at www.pny.eu/quadro.

With a record number of entries to choose from this year, the Travel Photographer Of The Year judges had their work cut-out. See the winning images here.

Press release

Our congratulations go to the Travel Photographer of the Year 2008, Darwin Wiggett of Canada, whose beautiful images make him a very deserving winner.

We would like to thank the photographers from 61 countries who entered this year, and to thank the shortlisted entrants from 33 countries, who provided their prints so speedily for the final judging round. This year’s competition saw our highest-yet level of entry, both in numbers of entrants and in standard of images received. To be shortlisted was, in itself, a great achievement.

Thank you also to our sponsors, without whom there would be no TPOTY. And thank you to our judges, who have dedicated so much time and effort to the event.

The winning images will, along with a selection of the best of the rest from TPOTY 2008, be exhibited at Focus on Imaging at the NEC, Birmingham, England, at the end of February 2009.

We wish you all a Happy Christmas and a peaceful New Year - and we hope to ’see’ you all for TPOTY 2009!

Latest release in modern mouse hardware. Read on for more info.

 Press release:

Dconnexion 3D mice bring increased control and design performance to graphics professionals using e-on software’s advanced Vue 7 solutions

3Dconnexion, a Logitech company, has announced that its line of award-winning 3D mice is supported by e-on software’s Vue 7 xStream and Vue 7 Infinite, advanced solutions for creating, animating, rendering and integrating natural 3D environments. 3Dconnexion 3D mice naturally complement the Vue 7 workflow, providing visual effects studios, animators, illustrators, architects, matte painters and computer graphics professionals with a high-end 3D scenery solution that enhances design performance and productivity.

“3Dconnexion’s 3D mice boost Vue 7’s design workflow by allowing graphics professionals to interact with the 3D environments they are creating more naturally and intuitively,” said Dieter Neujahr, president of 3Dconnexion. “The result is a design experience with more creative freedom that enables graphic artists to immerse themselves in the creation of incredibly detailed 3D environments.”

3Dconnexion 3D mice provide precise control of multiple camera views in a 3D scene, giving graphic professionals the freedom to explore different angles of a design to capture the ideal camera position. In addition, 3Dconnexion 3D mice offer Vue 7 users a fast and efficient way to control their 3D environment previews and incorporate design modifications into their final scenes.

“Our solutions for natural environments provide breakthrough technologies together with excellent usability,” said Nicholas Phelps, president of e-on software. “3Dconnexion’s 3D mice complement the Vue 7 workflow, providing a 3D scenery creation experience that is even more productive and enjoyable.”

Unlike mice confined to motion on one flat plane, 3Dconnexion’s 3D mice enable Vue 7 users to move in all three dimensions simultaneously, with the ability to pan, zoom and rotate camera views without stopping to select commands. By gently lifting, pressing and turning the controller cap, graphic professionals can intuitively control their 3D design environment, with automatically synchronised camera positions for various view projections to minimise unnecessary camera movement.

3Dconnexion’s advanced and affordable 3D mice are supported by more than 130 of today’s leading and powerful 3D applications. For a complete list of applications supported by 3Dconnexion, visit: www.3dconnexion.com/solutions/cad/all_sup_app.php

Pricing and availability
Vue 7 supports 3Dconnexion’s 3D mice on Windows® XP (32-bit and 64-bit) and Vista® (32-bit and 64-bit). SpaceNavigator Personal Edition (MSRP £39 inc VAT), SpaceNavigator Standard Edition (MSRP £69 ex VAT), SpaceNavigator for Notebooks (MSRP £90 ex VAT), SpaceExplorer (MSRP £199 ex VAT) and SpacePilot (MSRP £275 ex VAT) are available from major online resellers including Amazon, Ebuyer, Dabs, Scan, PC World Business, MacWarehouse, Microwarehouse and Equanet. For a full list of resellers visit: www.3Dconnexion.com

Don’t miss out on getting 15% discount on prints bought before Christmas eve with Heritage Images’ new online print shop.

 press release

Heritage Images today announces its new print on demand site www.heritage-print.com. With this new site, customers can buy prints for friends and family simply and cost effectively. Available in four different formats, users can buy prints framed in a custom mount; prints on professionally stretched canvas with a made to order wooden box frame; a professional photographic print on photographic paper; or a high quality natural rubber mouse mat. Prices range from £4.89 for a photographic print to £195.74 for a 55″ canvas print.

Images can be chosen from fine artworks by Van Gogh, Monet, Rembrandt and Da Vinci to portraits of classic Hollywood stars including Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, Humphrey Bogart and Frank Sinatra. Most of these superb images have not previously been available commercially.

Over 30,000 artworks, photographs, prints and posters selected from the Heritage Images collection are available and a keyword search helps users easily find the type of image they are looking for. There are a great range of galleries available with many themes including royal and political figures including Gandhi, Martin Luther King Junior and Winston Churchill; military conflicts including the First and Second World Wars, the Battle of Gettysburg, the American Civil War and Napoleonic Wars; historic events like the sinking of the Titanic and the first man on the moon. Sport is also well covered, including great Mohammad Ali moments, Jesse Owen winning at the Berlin Olympic Games and England winning the World Cup. Also available are great paintings and photographs of authors, poets and theatre productions - individuals include Oscar Wilde, Shakespeare and Walt Whitman.

Digital Anarchy release ToonIt! Photo, software to make your very own cartoons from ordinary images. Visit the website to purchase a copy for $129, and get tooning.

press release

Digital Anarchy, a leading provider of cost-effective software for Adobe and Apple products, today announced the release of ToonIt! Photo 2.0 for Photoshop. ToonIt! reliably and easily creates cartoon-like images from photographs, freeing artists from time consuming techniques such as hand painting and masking. The filters use advanced algorithms from Toonamation Inc to create cartoon shading and outlines in Adobe Photoshop and Photoshop Elements.

ToonIt! analyzes photographs and then creates flat regions of color and outlines that produce a cel-shaded cartoon look. Photoshop users have a great deal of control that makes customizing the ‘toon’ effect easy with different paint/toon styles, shading and outlines. The Effects Palette adds various special effects like outlines, enhanced shadows, color effects, and halftone effects. The Style Creator has 12 different algorithms that can be used to create the underlying cartoon or painterly style. A Preset Manager and Preview Window give further options to control the appearance and behavior of the cartoon.

One of the key features of ToonIt! is its ability to translate the details of the human face and form into a believable cartoon. People are typically most difficult to ‘toon’ because most people know what facial features and expressions should look like. ToonIt! is able to identify areas that should be shaded as one color and uses sophisticated edge detection to draw outlines. This creates very consistent, pleasing large features in the face and body while also retaining smaller details like hair and eyes. The filter allows photographers and designers to quickly create the effect on a wide variety of images without time consuming experimentation and masking.

Bang Bang T-shirts is offering a discount on all its T-shirts from now until 1 January.The discount is worth £3 or $6 and includes free worldwide delivery. So, if you’re stuck for a last-minute present idea, why not check out the latest designs?

See www.bangbangt-shirts.com for all the available designs.

Trafalgar Square’s  iconic lions will come to life tomorrow thanks to some very clever digital art techniques. This site-seeing mecca in central London is set to see the 141-year-old statues move and talk to the people of London at 5pm. The animation has been created by Jean-Paul Henry, who was responsible for blockbusters such as Babe, Pig in the City. The event is to help promote the Shop West End Weekend taking place on the 6th and 7th December, which will enable shoppers to enjoy traffic-free shopping, entertainment and in-store promotions.   

Mid December will see the winners of TPOTY 2008 announced, and they’ve now revealed who’s in the running to take home the winnings. The shortlist has been announced, so check out the link below to see who’s in it. There are numerous categories from Life to First Shot-Wish You Were Here.

If you’d entered this competition then now’s your chance to see if you’ve been chosen by their panel of experts.

With the awards launched next spring, the overall winners of the top categories can enjoy an Everest skydive and a Linhof Technorama large format camera, one of the best panoramic cameras in the world.

Visit www.tpoty.com to stay in the loop.