To search the Digital News content (plus any other content) on this site, enter the word(s) in the box below and click on the "Search" button. News Archive Q3 2006 Q2 2006 Q1 2006 Q4 2005 Q3 2005 Q2 2005 Q1 2005 Q4 2004 Q3 2004 Q2 2004 Q1 2004 Q4 2003 Q3 2003 Q2 2003 Q1 2003 Q4 2002 (NOTE: the following is a mixture of press releases and editorial comments. When ONLY a company-provided press release is used--either in full or excerpted--it will be identified as such.) PRESS RELEASE: COLORVISION BREAKTHROUGH TECHNOLOGY SETS THE STANDARD AGAIN Unveils Spyder2 and Spyder2Pro Studio 9/28/04 - (9/28/04) ColorVision Inc., the digital imaging unit of Datacolor today unveiled at the PHOTOKINA international tradeshow the all-new Spyder2� product line. Driven by award-winning ColorVision® technology, the completely re-engineered Spyder2TM colorimeter creates a new standard for affordable on-screen color accuracy. For the full press release, downloadable images and more information, http://www.cooleremail.net/users/ColorVision/library3.pdf Infomationen in deutsche sprache erhalten, http://www.colorvision.ch/de Colorvision® Spyder2� and Spyder2PRO� Studio are bundled with an infinitely sensitive all new colorimeter and monitor calibration software. Each bundle comes with a wide range of features offering flexibility found only in other high-end suites. The sleek dual-phase hardware design delivers precise calibration and highly accurate ICC profiles for CRT, LCD and laptop displays. The software and graphical user interface offers ease-of-use previously unavailable in professional-level monitor calibration products. Enhancements include new light detectors that deliver a five-fold increase in sensitivity as well as a new filter pack system and patent-protected light baffle further increase the accuracy of color measurement. The monitor calibration software utilizes sophisticated gray balance and tonal response algorithms, to produce superior color images-including exceptionally smooth gradient steps, more life-like flesh tones, and neutral grays. SOURCE: ColorVision Inc.www.colorvision.com/leaf ^ back to top PRESS RELEASE: CREO LAUNCHES LEAF DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHIC INNOVATIONS AT PHOTOKINA -- New Leaf Capture 10, New Leaf Aptus, Leaf Valeo Wireless; -- New iQsmart and EverSmart Scanners; -- Leaf Goes 'Beyond Your Expectations'. 9/28/04 - (9/28/04) Creo Inc. (NASDAQ: CREO; TSX: CRE) is launching the latest digital photography solutions at Photokinaa 2004, the industry's largest trade show underway in Cologne, Germany. Leaf is demonstrating color control technology and introducing the flagship of medium and large-format photography. Leaf is also demonstrating wireless displays and Creo quality scanners. New Leaf Capture 10... Leaf has consulted with the world's leading photographers to create the easiest, yet most robust workflow-oriented application for professional photographers. The user-friendly Leaf Capture 10 application enables image capture through final output, and features color profile creation and editing based on collaboration with GretagMacbeth. Demonstrations of the Leaf Capture 10 application are underway at Photokina. Leaf Aptus with Large Built-in Display... Creo is launching the Leaf Aptus digital camera backs--the Leaf Aptus 22 with 22 mega pixels and the Leaf Aptus 17 with 17 mega pixels. These new digital camera backs feature built-in, large (6 x 7 cm) displays enabling practical image evaluation, focus confirmation and editing. The Leaf Aptus is the fastest medium-format camera with an image every 1.2 seconds in a continuous non-stop burst of lossless raw HDR files. The Aptus digital camera back is portable and easy to use with the robustness, resolution and powerful workflow professional photographers require. Leaf Valeo Wireless Display... The Leaf Valeo Wireless digital camera backs features Bluetooth wireless technology for a wireless display that is flexible to use for the photographer or client. Leaf Valeo features the same fast capture rate of 1.2 frames per second as the Aptus back, and the unsurpassed photographic quality. Professional photography using the Leaf Valeo is on display at the Creo stand at Photokina. Photographers also describe their Leaf Valeo experiences at www.creo.com/leaf. Experience Leaf at Photokina... Live demonstrations of Leaf solutions are underway in the main studio of the Creo Leaf stand, featuring leading US photographer Brian Goodman. A special hands-on demonstration area allows photographers to experience Leaf products during the show. Sharp Scanning for Photographers... Creo is also demonstrating the newest flatbed scanner in the iQsmart family, the affordable iQsmart1. This easy-to-use scanner brings proven quality, high productivity, and advanced features to photo studios and photographic service agencies. The iQsmart1 scanner addresses the needs of the most demanding professional creatives with consistently sharp images, automation, and speed. Also displayed is the top-of-the-line EverSmart Supreme II scanner, which incorporates innovative scanning technologies, including XY Stitch, CCD Dynamic Cooling and MaxDR. Offering excellent quality and outstanding performance, the EverSmart Supreme delivers enhanced productivity and quality, coupled with an advanced archiving workflow for the most challenging needs of today's imaging professionals. The Creo scanners and the Leaf digital photographic tools are exhibited on the Creo Leaf stand (Hall 14.2 stand M040) at Photokina, September 28 through October 3, in Cologne, Germany. Register online for demonstrations at the Creo Leaf stand at www.creo.com/leaf. About Creo Leaf: A History of Innovation... Leaf introduced the world's first digital camera back, the Leaf DCB, at Photokina 1992. Leaf has continuously led the professional digital photography market with innovative solutions. At Photokina 2002, Leaf introduced Leaf Valeo portable power. Later, Leaf introduced the world's first portable 22 mega pixel and 17 mega pixel camera backs - Leaf Valeo 22Wi and Leaf Valeo 17Wi, with innovative wireless display technology. Other Leaf products include the Leaf® Capture V8 and Leaf® oXYgen color editing applications. For more information about Leaf, visit www.creo.com/leaf. About Creo... Creo Inc. is a global company with key strengths in imaging and software technology. The leading provider of prepress systems, Creo helps over 25,000 customers worldwide adopt digital production methods which reduce costs, increase print quality and allow them to serve their customers more efficiently. Based on a solid foundation of intellectual property, Creo has an unmatched range of technology solutions that address the needs of commercial, publication, on demand, packaging, and newspaper printers, and creative professionals. Creo product lines include software and hardware for computer-to-plate imaging, systems for digital photography, scanning, and proofing, as well as printing plates and proofing media. Creo also supplies on-press imaging technology, components for digital presses, color servers, and high-speed digital printers. Based in Vancouver, Canada, Creo employs more than 4,200 people and reported fiscal 2003 revenue of US$578 million. Creo trades on NASDAQ (CREO) and the TSX (CRE). www.creo.com SOURCE: Creo Inc.www.creo.com/leaf ^ back to top PRESS RELEASE: THE EPSON STYLUS PHOTO R320 OFFERS THE FLEXIBILITY TO PRINT INCREDIBLE PHOTOS AND PRINT DIRECTLY ONTO THE SURFACE OF CDS AND DVDS WITHOUT HAVING TO USE A COMPUTER New Direct Photo Printer Includes a Built-in Color Monitor for Added Convenience and Costs Less Than $200 9/18/04 - (9/13/04) Epson America Inc. has replaced its popular, award-winning EPSON Stylus R300M ink jet printer with the new EPSON Stylus Photo R320. This printer is ideal for digital camera owners who want a flexible and easy to use photo solution without having to spend a lot of money.  The EPSON Stylus Photo R320 offers convenient and innovative features such as PC-free printing, 13 supported memory card types, a built-in color monitor for viewing and selecting images before printing them and the ability to print long-lasting photos in a variety of popular borderless sizes. The printer also features Epson's unique ability to print directly onto the surface of ink jet printable CDs and DVDs. "The EPSON Stylus Photo R320 is one of our most versatile photo printers to date. It not only prints incredible looking photos with ease and gives customers choices as to the sizes and quantities they want to print without ever having to use a PC, but also prints directly onto CDs and DVDs," said Lowell Wolf, product manager, consumer ink jet printers, Epson. "Whether you want to print out a personalized CD or print out photos for preserving important memories, sharing photo memories with friends and family has never been so simple and fun." Printing Directly on Ink-Jet Printable CD-R and DVD-R Recordable Media With the EPSON Stylus Photo R320, customers can print directly onto the surface of ink-jet printable CD-R and DVD-R media thus eliminating the expense, inconvenience, and risk of using adhesive labels. Epson was the first and still is the only ink jet printer manufacturer in the U.S. to include this feature on its photo printers. Customers can easily design professional-looking CDs and DVDs with customized text, colorful backgrounds and images by using the included CD software. Printing out the CDs is quick and simple with a front loading CD tray that comes standard with the printer. Convenient Photo Printing--With or Without a Computer The EPSON Stylus Photo 320 is designed for digital camera owners, offering six-color Photo Inks and up to 5760 x 1440 optimized dpi for creating images with incredible detail, beautiful skin tones, sharper contrast and an ultra-wide color range. Customers can print beautiful, frame-ready, BorderFree™ images in all of the popular sizes, including 4" x 6", 5" x 7", 8" x 10", letter, and panoramic size photos. This printer model makes it easy for anyone to crop, resize, and print photos directly from memory cards or picture CDs without having to use a computer. The EPSON Stylus Photo R320 is equipped with built-in memory card slots that support CompactFlash® Type I and II, MultiMediaCard, IBM Microdrive™, xD-Picture Card, Sony Memory Stick®, Memory Stick PRO, Memory Stick Duo, Memory Stick Pro Duo, MagicGate� Memory Stick, SmartMedia®, xD-Picture Card, and Secure Digital™ memory formats (adapters required for some types). Customers can also save images from their memory cards directly onto a CD-R or a Zip® Disk without using a computer by utilizing the printer's front access host USB port. This port makes it simple to connect the printer to a CD-R drive, Zip drive, thumb drive or PictBridge-enabled digital camera. For added convenience, the printer has a user-friendly control panel, which provides customers with the flexibility to make selections such as paper type, paper size and number of copies without having to use a computer. The panel gives users the ability to choose from nine paper types and seven different photo layouts plus manual adjustments, filters and frames. The control panel also gives users the ability to save their favorite print settings with a simple "one touch" button. Ink and Media for the EPSON Stylus Photo R320 The EPSON Stylus Photo R320 utilizes individual ink cartridges, which is an economical and practical solution. With the combination of Epson's exclusive ink technology and high-quality, value-priced papers, customers can reap the benefits of an affordable home printing solution. Furthermore, Epson's fast and convenient quick-drying inks produce prints that are immediately dry to the touch and water-resistant on EPSON Premium Photo Papers. PRINT Image Matching The EPSON Stylus Photo R320 supports PRINT Image Matching (P.I.M.) technology to create the best possible prints automatically, without complicated color corrections. Currently there are over 180 P.I.M.-enabled products from 24 manufacturers of digital cameras, printers and software. Exif 2.2 (Exif Print) digital camera standard is also supported by these printer models. More information on P.I.M. as well as a complete and current list of P.I.M.-compatible products is available at www.printimagematching.com. Bluetooth Printing An optional Bluetooth Photo Print Adapter is available for use with the EPSON Stylus Photo R320. This adapter allows users to print directly from a variety of Bluetooth enabled devices including mobile phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs) and Windows laptops and desktop PCs. The adapter is currently available for an estimated street price of $69. Print Speeds and Connectivity The EPSON Stylus Photo R320 has fast photo print speeds with a 4" x 6" photo printing in approximately 39 seconds. The printer also handles text with ease and can produce a black text document at up to 15 ppm* (pages per minute). The printers are both Macintosh and Windows compatible and offer USB 2.0 Hi-Speed connectivity when using a computer with the printer and a separate USB 1.1 host connection for use with CD-R drives, Zip drives and PictBridge-enabled digital cameras. Pricing, Availability, Warranty and Support The EPSON Stylus Photo R320 is available now for an estimated street price of $199 and can be purchased through Epson authorized dealers, mail order, computer superstores, photo specialty stores and on the Epson retail Web site (www.epsonstore.com). The printer carries a one-year warranty and is supported by the EPSON ConnectionSM,a customer support and technical assistance line. For more information on Epson and its products, call 1-800-GO-EPSON or visit www.epson.com. About Epson Epson offers an extensive array of award-winning image capture and image output products for the consumer, business, photography and graphic arts markets. The company is also a leading supplier of value-added point-of-sale (POS) printers and transaction terminals for the retail market. Founded in 1975, Epson America, Inc. is the U.S. affiliate of Japan-based Seiko Epson Corporation, a global manufacturer and supplier of high-quality technology products that meet customer demands for increased functionality, compactness, systems integration and energy efficiency. Epson America, Inc. is headquartered in Long Beach, Calif. SOURCE: Epson America, Inc.www.epson.com ^ back to top PRESS RELEASE: DIGITAL PRINTMAKERS GUILD AND SHADES OF PAPER PRESENT INSIDE THE PRINT STUDIO: MATERIALS AND WORKFLOW OF A PROFESSIONAL PRINT STUDIO 9/3/04 - (9/3/04) The Digital Printmakers Guild (DPG) invites you behind the scenes at three fine art print studios for a look at the high-end digital work being produced with today's most advanced equipment and materials. With the widespread conversion to digital, many photographers have learned that getting great output is not as easy as hitting the print button in Photoshop. Consistent, predictable printing is only possible using a carefully tuned workflow including all hardware involved in the process, from monitor to printer. Here's an opportunity to see the work of professional printmaking studios and hear from their owners about the steps they take to produce digital prints of lasting value. The participating studios are Cirrus Digital Imaging, Custom Digital and editions@Diallo Photography. The open studios are sponsored by Shades of Paper. Attendance is free. Open Studio locations and dates: September 25, 2004 10am - 3pm Cirrus Digital Imaging Fine Art Quadtone B/W and Color Pigment Printing 2340 South Shore Blvd. o Lake Oswego, Oregon (503) 636-4950 www.cirrus-digital.com, info@cirrus-digital.com September 25, 2004 10am - 2pm Custom Digital Fine Art Quadtone B/W Printing 55 South Atlantic St. Suite #405 o Seattle, Washington (206) 860-7166 customdigital@tylerboley.com November 27, 2004 12 - 4pm editions@Diallo Photography Fine Art Quadtone B/W Printing 208 Ashland Place o Brooklyn, New York (347) 231-6652 www.diallophotography.com, info@diallophotography.com For more information, travel directions, and online registration visit http://www.dpguild.com SOURCE: Digital Printmakers Guild www.dpguild.com ^ back to top PRESS RELEASE: HP AND GIA ANNOUNCE ENCORE DESIGNJET LARGE FORMAT SEMINAR TOURS 9/2/04 - (8/17/04) On the heels of successfully training 750 Designjet users in 26 cities across the US, Canada, and Germany, Hewlett-Packard and The Graphic Intelligence Agency announce an encore tour. Due to ongoing demand from HP Designjet users who want consistent, professional results from their large-format printers, we are adding stops in the UK and Ireland along with 11 more cities in the United States. Whether you're a novice or an experienced user, GIA's expert instructors will help you turn your Designjet into the easy-to-use printing powerhouse it was designed to be! United States Encore Tour Locations: Phoenix, AZ; Portland, OR; Salt Lake City, UT; Kansas City, MO; St.Louis, MO; Cincinnati, OH; Nashville, TN; Baltimore, MD; New York, NY; Long Beach, CA; Las Vegas, NV. Register for this 1-day seminar online or by phone at 888.439.4403.The cost is US $299 and includes lunch and extensive course materials (the GIA Designjet Toolkit).For complete seminar information,visit the seminar website at www.graphintel.com/seminar Early Bird: Register by September 10th and save 10% of the registration fee! UK & Ireland Tour Locations: Bracknell, Warrington, Livingston, Dublin. To register for any of these locations,contact us at +44 (0)1928 280063 or +44 (0)1928 280064. The cost is only 199GBP (299,E in Ireland) and includes lunch and extensive course materials (the GIA Designjet Toolkit). Visit the seminar website at www.graphintel.com/uk for the seminar agenda and complete tour details. SOURCE: Graphic Intelligence Agency www.graphintel.com ^ back to top PRESS RELEASE: DIGITAL ART GUILD LAUNCHES ITS WEBSITE 8/26/04 - (8/26/04) The largest community of digital artists live in cyberspace. One exception is the Digital Art Guild. Nearly one hundred digital artists live in San Diego. Over the past two years, they have forged a local space to collaborate with each other, breaking down the walls between digital and traditional media, as well as reaching out to the wider digital art community on the internet. Joe Nalven, one of the Guild's founders, sees its new website touts the new website as a place for both local collaboration as well as reaching out into the global community. "This art is vibrant, it is compelling and it will be the source of artistic energy in the coming years," says Nalven. JD Jarvis, a theoretician of the movement, plays with the occasional pronouncement that "Painting is dead!" He reminds the reader that "everything new/old is old/new again." Don Archer, the founder of the Museum of Computer Art MOCA and one of the most heavily-trafficked art museums on the web, welcomes the Guild to the community of digital art websites. Archer is frank about the state of internet art, "how do we as digital artists, as promoters, producers, critics and entrepreneurs of that art, account not only for the hundreds and hundreds of collective digital art sites but especially for the thousands and thousands of personal art sites on the web? I have said elsewhere that digital art is probably the most popular art form that has existed anywhere, at any time." It is the respect that is still lacking. The website also has two interesting artist perspectives. Renata Spiazzi, having given up sculpture for the computer, talks about her path to digital painting and use of fractals. In contrast, George Zucconi, a retired physician, had developed a reputation in photography before turning to the digital toolset. He is as fascinated as much by capturing light in representational images as Spiazzi is with her non-representational art. And all of it is embraced within digital art. So, take up the welcome offered and stop by the Guild's new website: www.digitalartguild.com. Have your favorite beverage ready and enjoy the artworks in the galleries, the stories, travel the links to major compendia websites and if you want a movie, click on the Iron Artist Competition for a lively artistic duel. SOURCE: Joe Nalven www.digitalartguild.com ^ back to top PRESS RELEASE: LYSON LAUNCHES REVOLUTIONARY BLACK & WHITE IMAGING SYSTEM New Daylight Darkroom™ system incorporates true monochrome print software, Lyson Daylight Darkroom Quad Black Inks, and Lyson Darkroom media. 8/19/04 - (8/16/04) Lyson, Inc., a leading provider of inks, media, and related products to the printing, photography, graphic arts, and other allied industries, has introduced the Daylight Darkroom digital black & white printing system, providing photographers what they have long desired‹ the ability to accurately mirror traditional darkroom techniques, including silver halide printing, with digital images and an inkjet printer. The complete Lyson Daylight Darkroom System consists of: - Daylight Darkroom Quad Black inks in cartridges or a bulk feed system - Daylight Darkroom print driver software - The Lyson Darkroom™ range of inkjet media - A set of Lyson cleaning cartridges for removal of standard color inks from the printer - Lyson PrintGuard™ protection spray (optional). The Daylight Darkroom system is being introduced for use with the Epson Stylus Pro 2200 and Stylus Pro 7600/9600 printers. Plans are to extend the system for use with the new Epson Stylus Pro 4000 and the most recent Canon printers over the next two quarters. "Printing high quality monochrome images using a normal color ink set has always been problematic," says Tony Martin, president of Lyson, Inc. "By developing a true monochrome print driver along with media featuring a new proprietary coating, and by leveraging these developments with our superior ink technology, we've been able to overcome the historical barriers to exceptional digital black and white printing. The results of this system are stunning--a real breakthrough--and this has been confirmed by virtually every photographic eye that has examined them." While the introduction of seven and eight channel inkjet printers has expanded the possibilities for digital black and white printing, the limiting factor to leveraging this technology has been that OEM supplied printer driver software have been designed for color imaging, not black and white. While good results were achievable with superior ink sets (e.g., Lyson's Quad Black and Small Gamut), truly exceptional output required the development of a print driver specifically for black and white output. "The Lyson Daylight Darkroom driver provides complete control over every ink channel on the printer to provide absolute continuous tone printing," notes Martin. "The way that the driver and ink system work in conjunction with each other means that the printer is using a minimum of four shades of black and a maximum of seven shades of black at any moment during the printing process." The driver has two distinct but linked modules--Print Pro™ and Profile Creator™. Print Pro provides all the features of a standard print driver, as well as extras like image sizing and rotation, along with a print preview screen. It accepts two separate profiles that can be blended together in infinite combinations, a useful feature for fine tuning the final look of the image. Profile Creator enables users to quickly make or edit their own profiles for Print Pro using simple test target prints. Linearization of profiles can also be achieved by using a standard flat bed scanner. The Lyson Daylight Darkroom Driver is currently Mac OSX-based and comes with warm, neutral, and cool profiles for all Lyson media. A Windows XP version of the driver will be available next quarter. Martin notes that the inks and paper are also integral elements of Daylight Darkroom's breakthrough performance. "The proven longevity of Lyson's exclusive black dye technology rivals or exceeds most pigment inks; and the benefits of using dye can be fully leveraged in monochrome printing," he says. Daylight Darkroom inks yield deep, rich blacks with a D-max of over 3 (the best pigment inks can only deliver a D-max of 1.8) and the ability to print on gloss media without bronzing. "Lyson inks are the only product available that an mimic traditional silver halide processes on the surfaces that photographers want to use," Martin concludes. A full range of Lyson media has been fully tested with the Lyson Quad Black inks for guaranteed longevity. This includes the new 320 gsm Darkroom gloss and 220 gsm Darkroom textured matte. These two papers mimic high end fiber based silver prints and provide a finished result heretofore not possible with inkjet printing. Independent life expectancy testing is currently in process, but according to Martin is expected to far exceed the currently 100+ years indoor display life for Quad Black inks gauged by Wilhelm Imaging research. For further information on the Daylight Darkroom black and white imaging system, please contact sales@lysonusa.com. Editors who wish to have a staff or independent photographer review this system for their publication, please contact hanwil@mc.net to make arrangements. SOURCE: Lyson, Inc.www.lysonusa.com ^ back to top PRESS RELEASE: A BRAVE NEW WORLD: HASSELBLAD AND IMACON MERGE TO TAKE ON THE PROFESSIONAL DIGITAL MARKET 8/12/04 - (8/12/04) Shriro Sweden, the holding company of Victor Hasselblad AB, and part of the Hong Kong-headquartered Shriro Group, has announced the acquisition of leading international high-end scanner and digital cameraback manufacturer, Imacon. The move will see Imacon and Hasselblad merge to accelerate Hasselblad¹s ambitions in the professional digital photographic sector, and creates the first single source supplier for digital photography at the top end of the professional photographic market. Christian Poulsen, founder of Imacon, and CEO of the newly-enlarged Hasselblad says: "Hasselblad has long been synonymous with quality in the field of analogue photography and Imacon is recognised as leading the way in terms of innovative technologies in the high-end digital photographic sectors. "This new company presents us with tremendous opportunities moving forward and is the most exciting development in the field of professional digital photography for many years. It will significantly lower the barriers to entry and allow more photographers than ever before to realise the quality, versatility and performance of our high-end digital solutions." Says Lars Pappila, managing director of Hasselblad's Swedish HQ: "The professional photographic market has truly entered the digital age and Hasselblad needed to further develop its digital offering to ensure it maintains its leading position in the photographic sector. We had been working closely with Imacon on developing professional digital solutions for the Ixpress digital camera back and the Hasselblad H1. During this process we discovered a number of natural synergies between the two companies. "We both share a similar culture of passion for quality based on strong core Scandinavian business values and recognise the extraordinary benefits of combining our respective experience in these fields. Using a combination of leading edge technology and strong photographic heritage, the new organisation will enable us to increase the digitisation for Hasselblad customers, and introduce new customers to truly advanced professional digital solutions." Mr. Poulsen concludes: "Both companies are committed to producing the highest quality products and the integration of established technological expertise and vision will ensure we maximise penetration for both new and existing products in the marketplace. The newly enlarged Hasselblad is the only company in the market today that can not only optimise the quality and value of the captured image, but also dramatically increase the pleasure of capturing the image itself--the true essence of all photography." About Shriro Group Shriro was founded in 1906 by the grandfather of present chairman, Mark Shriro, as a family business in Northern China. The first international office was set up in 1927 in Yokahama, Japan. From early days in commodities, the business expanded rapidly after 1945 as product lines grew and subsidiaries opened in many Southeast Asian countries, Australia and New Zealand. Today the Group is a truly international marketing and distribution organisation, with over 3,500 employees in 15 countries and regions, and an annual sales turnover of US$350 million. Headquartered in Hong Kong, Shriro is a privately owned business under the direction of one family for over 95 unbroken years. About Victor Hasselblad AB For over half a century, Hasselblad cameras have been the preferred tools of discerning photographers the world over. Hasselblad cameras were the first cameras on the moon and are renowned for their outstanding image quality, long-life, and rugged durability. Hasselblad produces and markets three distinct camera systems: The legendary Hasselblad 6x6 V System, with its classic, compact design and unmatched adaptability, still the most comprehensive medium format system in the world; the unique dual-format Hasselblad XPan, which takes full, unmasked panorama or standard 35 mm shots on the same roll of 35 mm film; and the new, auto-focus 645 Hasselblad H System, which seamlessly combines film and digital (and slide) photography and provides a level of user-friendliness previously found only in 35 mm SLR cameras. Over 97% of Hasselblad's products are exported for sale in foreign markets and the Company has offices, distributors, service outlets, and representatives worldwide. Victor Hasselblad AB is owned by holding company, Shriro Sweden, part of the Hong-Kong Based Shriro Group. About Imacon Founded in 1995, Imacon has quickly become one of the world's top suppliers of professional, reproduction-quality scanners and digital camera backs. Much of Imacon's early success can be attributed to the energetic vision of founder Christian Poulsen and a small team of believers. Based on a passion for creativity matched only by our customers, Imacon has always been guided by a profound sense of empowerment and a belief that anything is possible. Today, Imacon's success has grown to challenge even the largest, most well-established players in the industry. Its receipt of the 2001 Gazelle award for the fastest-growing company in Denmark is a testament to that undying spirit. Imacon's revolutionary technologies have achieved what the industry has dreamed of for decades, taking the ability to produce reproduction-quality digital images and film scans and placing it within the reach of any professional. Today, Imacon products ensure that users of all levels of technical expertise can deliver a perfect image every time. SOURCE: Imacon USAwww.imacon-usa.com ^ back to top PRESS RELEASE: NEW ARTISTRY COREL PAINTER RETREATS ANNOUNCED 8/5/04 - (8/4/04) Due to popular demand, Corel Painter expert, artist and author Karen Sperling has announced additional dates for her Artistry Corel Painter Retreats. The schedule includes one- and two-day seminars around the United States and features information for both beginners and intermediate users of Corel Painter. Karen Sperling, who wrote the first several Painter manuals starting when the program debuted in 1991, in addition to the Painter Complete series of books, focuses the Artistry Corel Painter retreats on art concepts and step-by-step Painter techniques to turn portraits and landscape photos into true paintings and not just photos with brush strokes. The techniques also apply to making architectural renderings more painterly, and for starting paintings from scratch in Painter. For more information about the Artistry Corel Painter Retreats, please visit this page: http://www.artistrymag.com/docs/classes.html or contact Karen Sperling at karensperling@sbcglobal.net or ksperling@aol.com. The Artistry Retreats have been receiving rave reviews from participants. Here's an example: "Thanks again for the wonderful Artistry Retreat last week. It was really fun and very educational. I typed up my notes and will be delving into what I learned in the next couple of weeks. Your teaching style was superb, inspirational and supportive, especially with impatient people like me who want to know every facet of this stuff immediately. When you get a chance, please email me the information about your Artistry CDs as I would love to have them. Best regards, Frank Damon P.S. Of course, you can use my comments, as I think everybody should take your course! It was very fun for me and I have been practicing a bit since." For more reviews visit this page: http://www.artistrymag.com/docs/classes1.html For testimonials by participants showing their images, visit this page: http://www.artistrymag.com/docs/testimoni.html Here's the current schedule of Artistry Corel Painter Retreats: Southern California Tarzana, CA One Day Artistry Introduction to Corel Painter Tuesday, August 17, 2004 The Artistry Corel Painter Beginners Retreat Wednesday and Thursday, August 18 and 19, 2004 Personal Feedback Day Friday, August 20, 2004 Southern California Tarzana, CA The Artistry Corel Painter Intermediate Retreat Wednesday and Thursday, August 25 and 26, 2004 Personal Feedback Day Friday, August 27, 2004 Pacific Northwest Portland, OR One Day Artistry Introduction to Corel Painter Monday, September 20, 2004 The Artistry Corel Painter Beginners Retreat Tuesday and Wednesday, September 21 and 22, 2004 Personal Feedback Day Thursday, September 23, 2004 Northeast New York, NY One Day Artistry Introduction to Corel Painter Monday, October 18, 2004 The Artistry Corel Painter Beginners Retreat Tuesday and Wednesday, October 19 and 20, 2004 Personal Feedback Day Thursday, October 21, 2004 SOURCE: Karen Sperling www.artistrymag.com ^ back to top PRESS RELEASE: NEW EPSON STYLUS® C66 AND C86 INK JET PRINTERS OFFER VIVID, LONG-LASTING OUTPUT WITH FAST PRINT SPEEDS Epson's Latest All-Purpose Printers Include New Photo Kit to Provide Easy and Convenient Photo Printing From Start to Finish 7/24/04 - (7/6/04) Epson America Inc. is adding two new all-purpose printers to its award-winning product line that deliver fast print speeds and incredible print quality at affordable prices. Replacing the award-winning EPSON Stylus C64 and C84, the EPSON Stylus C66 and C86 produce text, documents and beautiful frame-ready borderless photographs, and are available for estimated street prices of $69 and $99, respectively. Both printers feature Epson's exclusive and award-winning DURABrite inks, delivering fade-resistant, water-resistant and smudge-resistant results to preserve cherished photos and important documents. The EPSON Stylus C66 and C86 offer up to 5760 x 1440 optimized dpi with variable sized droplets to ensure incredible quality and detail, as well as a convenient and cost-effective individual ink cartridge system with true black printing on glossy media for more realistic and sharper images. "Whether a customer is looking to print beautiful photos or important business projects, the EPSON Stylus C66 and C86 deliver water, smudge and fade-resistant, long-lasting quality at affordable prices," said Lowell Wolf, product manager, consumer ink jet printers, Epson. "While both printers offer incredibly fast print speeds for everyday text and document printing, they also make it easy to share special photos." New Photo Kit New with the EPSON Stylus C66 and C86, customers will receive a photo kit for easy and convenient photo printing and crafting. Included with both printers are 20 sheets of photo paper, Epson Software® Film Factory™ for easy photo storage, printing and organization, as well as a free membership to Epson's exclusive photo craft and photo sharing Web sites, giving customers all the resources needed to start printing at home. About the Stylus C66 The EPSON Stylus C66 prints amazing borderless 4" x 6" frame-ready photos, as well as text and graphics with ease. It offers variable size ink droplets--as small as four picoliters--to ensure incredible quality and detail. The printer delivers fast text print speeds with up to 17 pages per minute in black and up to 9 ppm in color*. The EPSON Stylus C66 is Windows compatible, offers USB 1.1 connectivity for quick and easy set up and features a DC motor for quiet printing of any output from start to finish. About the Stylus C86 The EPSON Stylus C86 delivers sharp, vivid results with remarkable speed and precision. It offers borderless printing for frame-ready prints in several popular sizes, including 4" x 6," 8" x 10" and letter-sized prints. In addition to extraordinary output, the EPSON Stylus C86 makes it easy to get more done with incredible high-speed printing. It delivers up to 22 ppm in black and up to 12 ppm in color*. With ultrafine ink droplets as small as three-picoliters, the EPSON Stylus C86 provides exceptional photo-quality results. The printer is both Windows and Macintosh compatible and offers USB 1.1 and parallel connectivity. For added versatility, the EPSON Stylus C86 features optional networking solutions for printer sharing. An optional 10/100 Base-Tx Ethernet Print Server provides customers with wired local-area networking capabilities, while an optional 802.11b Wireless Ethernet Print Server supports cable-free printing from Wi-Fi networks. The DURABrite Ink Advantage The EPSON Stylus C66 and C86 utilize Epson's exclusive DURABrite inks in order to produce impressive looking, durable output that is water-resistant, fade-resistant and smudge-resistant. Because DURABrite inks are pigment-based inks, output from the Stylus C66 and C86 can be submerged in water without the ink coming off the page, unlike dye-based inks, which typically run and smudge. DURABrite inks enable creators of photographs, fliers, menus, signs, postcards, and any other printed output, to produce documents and images that will withstand damage caused by moisture-based threats such as rain, spills, humidity, or wet hands. Bleed-through is also reduced since DURABrite inks rest on the surface of the paper, which is ideal for applications that require double-sided printing. Media Flexibility The EPSON Stylus C66 and C86 offer great results on many different types of media ranging from ordinary plain paper to DURABrite Ink Glossy Photo Paper, designed especially for use with DURABrite ink to create long-lasting borderless glossy prints. The printer also supports a variety of other Epson specialty media including Epson Premium Bright White Paper, Glossy Photo Paper, Premium Semigloss, Matte Paper Heavyweight, Double-sided Matte, and Greeting Cards. Availability, Warranty and Support The EPSON Stylus C66 and C86 are currently shipping to major computer, office and electronic superstores, a variety of retail stores nationwide and can also be purchased through mail order, PC manufacturers, the Internet and Epson's own retail site, www.epsonstore.com. Each printer carries a one-year Epson Exchange Limited Warranty, enabling customers to receive a replacement printer if a problem cannot be corrected by telephone technical support. The printer models are also supported by the EPSON ConnectionSM,a customer support and technical assistance line. For more information on Epson and its products, call 1-800-GO-EPSON (1-800-463-7766) or visit the Epson Web site at www.epson.com. About Epson Epson offers an extensive array of award-winning image capture and image output products for the consumer, business, photography and graphic arts markets. The company is also a leading supplier of value-added point-of-sale (POS) printers and transaction terminals for the retail market. Founded in 1975, Epson America, Inc. is the U.S. affiliate of Japan-based Seiko Epson Corporation, a global manufacturer and supplier of high-quality technology products that meet customer demands for increased functionality, compactness, systems integration and energy efficiency. Epson America, Inc. is headquartered in Long Beach, Calif. SOURCE: Epson America, Inc. www.epson.com ^ back to top PRESS RELEASE: AN INVITATION TO A DIGITAL ART STUDIO. 7/1/04 - (7/1/04) A book that will revolutionize the way digital imaging tools are utilized by artists has just hit the bookstore shelves. Digital Art Studio: Techniques for Combining Inkjet Printing with Traditional Art Materials by Karin Schminke, Dorothy Simpson Krause and Bonny Pierce Lhotka will appeal to fine artists curious about digital techniques as well as those strongly grounded in digital imaging who long to incorporate traditional art materials with their prints. Harald Johnson, Author of Mastering Digital Printing, said: "Finally, a book from the three primary investigators and pioneers of digital mixed-media printmaking! The range of techniques explained is breathtaking, the illustrated steps clear, and the imagery dazzling. A truly inspirational book!" This full color, 160 page manual covers innovative techniques developed to integrate inkjet printing with traditional artists tools and processes. Ten years of experimentation previously available only within limited workshops is presented in this book for artists interested in exploring this new genre of digital/mixed media. 300 color illustrations are split between images which illustrate the techniques revealed, and color plates of dozens of works of art created using the techniques covered. Glossary and resource sections further enhance the book's value and usefulness. The topics covered begin with introductory information on media and materials and move on to cover simple techniques like creating unique surfaces on which to print, or underprinting and overprinting layers of digital images with other media. More advanced processes, such as the transfer of digitally printed images onto paper, fresco and even irregular surfaces is thoroughly covered in subsequent chapters. Also included are chapters on three dimensional surfaces and fabric printing for artists. This unique book is a glimpse into the future where the computer will play an increasingly important role in many artistís studio. Schminke, Krause and Lhotka are traditionally trained artists who have worked together as Digital Atelier for the past ten years. They push the boundaries of art-making as they research emerging technologies to share with fellow artists while providing feedback to hardware and software developers from the artist perspective. Digital Art Studio: Techniques for Combining Inkjet Printing with Traditional Art Materials, by Karin Schminke, Dorothy Simpson Krause and Bonny Pierce Lhotka is published by Watson-Guptill, (July 2004 release). 160 pages, includes 300 full-color illustrations with step-by-step instructions. It is priced at $20.37 and can be ordered from Amazon.com. SOURCE: LSK, LLC. www.digitalatelier.com ^ back to top PRESS RELEASE: NEW EPSON PERFECTION SCANNERS FEATURE PHOTO RESTORATION CAPABILITIES AND AMAZING IMAGE QUALITY. EPSON Perfection® 4180 Photo, Perfection 2580 Photo and Perfection 2480 Photo are the Latest Additions to Epson's Affordably-Priced Scanner Line Up. 7/1/04 - (6/28/04) The newest scanners to make their debut--the EPSON Perfection 4180 Photo, Perfection 2580 Photo and Perfection 2480 Photo--each offer a performance-rich set of features at incredibly affordable prices. These new models offer an impressive combination of image quality, versatility and innovative photo restoration software at prices ranging from $99 up to $199. Epson is known for delivering high-quality products to a variety of customers and its latest offerings to the scanner market are no exception. All three models offer high-resolution scanning for amazing quality, with true maximum hardware resolutions of 4800 x 9600 dpi on the EPSON Perfection 4180 Photo, and 2400 x 4800 dpi on the EPSON Perfection 2580 Photo and 2480 Photo models. Each of these new scanners also includes the second generation of Epson Easy Photo Fix™ technology, which provides customers with precise one-touch color restoration of faded photos, slides and negatives, and one-touch dust removal from slides and negatives. Customers who have held on to treasured photographs can scan and restore those images with confidence and ease. "Epson realizes how important our customers' old photographs can be, and we know that many of these precious memories have faded over time," said Grace Huang, product manager, consumer scanners, Epson. "By using Epson scanners with Epson Easy Photo Fix technology, customers can restore and preserve their treasured photographs more easily and quickly than ever with one of the best solutions available on the market today." The EPSON Perfection 4180 Photo The EPSON Perfection 4180 Photo is a high-quality consumer scanner combining maximum hardware resolution of 4800 x 9600 dpi and 3.4 Dmax along with an affordable price. This scanner is ideal for advanced amateur photographers or photo enthusiasts with its built-in adapter that allows for scanning multiple 35mm slides, negatives and 2-1/4" transparencies. The scanner has the ability to create stunning color reprints and enlargements with ease, and is especially convenient for scanning and restoring old photographs with Epson Easy Photo Fix technology. In addition to the Epson Easy Photo Fix technology, the scanner offers fully automatic scanning for increased productivity, plus two advanced scanning modes for greater control. Users will also benefit from a full-featured software solution that includes Adobe® PhotoShop® Elements 2.0, ABBYY® FineReader Sprint OCR, NewSoft™ Presto!® BizCard, as well as the Epson Scan driver and Epson Smart Panel™. The Perfection 4180 Photo will be available in August for an estimated street price of $249 ($199 after a $50 rebate), and can be purchased through Epson authorized dealers, consumer electronic stores, mail order, and on the Epson Store Web site (www.epsonstore.com). For added versatility, this scanner model also offers an optional automatic document feeder (ADF) for an estimated street price of $149. The EPSON Perfection 2580 Photo The EPSON Perfection 2580 Photo is perfect for digitizing and restoring stacks of negatives in just a few simple steps with its easy-to-use Auto Film Loader. This new feature is located directly on the top of the scanner lid and enables customers to quickly scan and view individual frames of 35mm negatives. With Epson Easy Photo Fix technology included with the scanner, it's the ideal combination for being able to once again enjoy all of those cherished photos. This scanner model is especially convenient for producing 8" x 10" enlargements with its maximum hardware resolution of 2400 x 4800 dpi for capturing and reproducing images with incredible detail and accuracy. To add to this scanner's convenience, a Multi Photo and Business Card Feeder is available as an option for an estimated street price of $149. This device offers customers the ability to organize and digitize their photos and business cards simply and quickly. The Multi Photo and Business Card Feeder can scan up to 24 business cards and up to 24 photos (sizes as large as 4" x 6"). The Perfection 2580 Photo also includes a selection of user-friendly software such as ArcSoft® PhotoImpression™, ABBYY® FineReader® Sprint OCR, NewSoft™ Presto!® BizCard, Epson Scan with Epson Easy Photo Fix, and Epson Smart Panel. The EPSON Perfection 2580 Photo will be available in August for an estimated street price of $149 and can be purchased through Epson authorized dealers, consumer electronic stores, mail order, and on the Epson Store Web site (www.epsonstore.com). The EPSON Perfection 2480 Photo This scanner model is the most affordable in the latest Epson line of scanners, yet there is no compromise on the quality. The Perfection 2480 Photo offers all of the same great software and high-quality features that are available with the Perfection 2580 Photo, with the exception of the Auto Film Loader. This scanner includes a built-in transparency adapter for added versatility and can scan 35mm film (up to three frames per strip) or two slides. The Perfection 2480 Photo will be available in July for an estimated street price of $99 and can be purchased through Epson authorized dealers, consumer electronic stores, mail order, and on the Epson Store Web site (www.epsonstore.com). The Multi Photo and Business Card Feeder is also available as an option for the Perfection 2480 Photo for an additional $149. Connectivity and Compatibility All three of these new scanner models offer Hi-Speed USB 2.0 for fast scanning of important photos, documents, slides and negatives and are compatible with most Windows and Macintosh systems. More about EPSON Easy Photo Fix Technology It is estimated that there are billions of photographs in existence either being stored in albums, frames, or shoeboxes that unfortunately show signs of fading or have already faded. There are several factors which can cause photos to fade, including original processing chemicals, paper types and various environmental factors. These fading memories can be easily and affordably restored with the improved Epson Easy Photo Fix software in the new EPSON Perfection 4180 Photo, Perfection 2580 Photo and Perfection 2480 Photo scanners. Customers simply scan an image and click on a check box for instant color restoration or dust removal. Epson Easy Photo Fix makes this process effortless because it is incorporated into the Epson Scan driver. The software has three different user modes: Full Auto mode, which automatically scans at pre-determined settings for entry-level users; Home mode, which offers some pre-set recommended settings for the advanced amateur; and Professional mode, which is completely manual to give the advanced user more control. Customer Support Carrying a one-year limited warranty, the EPSON Perfection line of scanners is supported by the EPSON Connection, a customer support and technical assistance line. For more information on Epson and its products, call 1-800-GO-EPSON (1-800-463-7766) or visit the Epson website at www.epson.com. About Epson Epson offers an extensive array of award-winning image capture and image output products for the consumer, business, photography and graphic arts markets. The company is also a leading supplier of value-added point-of-sale (POS) printers and transaction terminals for the retail market. Founded in 1975, Epson America Inc. is the U.S. affiliate of Japan-based Seiko Epson Corporation, a global manufacturer and supplier of high-quality technology products that meet customer demands for increased functionality, compactness, systems integration and energy efficiency. Epson America Inc. is headquartered in Long Beach, Calif. SOURCE: Epson America Inc. www.epson.com ^ back to top Home | About Us | Advertise | Contact Us News & Reviews | How-To's | Resources © 2002-2006 Harald Johnson Communications. All rights reserved.