Cyber Monday Photo Deals

Some Quick Cyber Monday deals on photography equipment.

• Pentax K-x w/18-55 and 55-300 $721 From Amazon (Pre-Order!)
• Tamron 60mm f2 Di-II (Nikon) $486 after $25 rebate (Amazon rebate)
• ADOBE LIGHTROOM 2 (full version) $170 From Amazon

Also check out a great full-list at 1001 Noisy Cameras

Black Friday Photo Specials

Ok ok there will be many in your paper later today for the big box stores but for real photo gear what is there. And what real gear might your local chain store have at 25% its normal rate (ok that's low, but who knows.

1001 Noisy Cameras Has done a tone of research to find some great pre-announcement
Deals for BLACK FRIDAY also more Camera Deals HERE
Dont forget these great deals here at Amazon too
(by clicking and buying threw the Amazon links on this site you help support this site)

Tips from SanDisk's Pros

Get pointers from the pros! See how the SanDisk Extreme® Team professional photographers get all the best shots.

Olympus and Panasonic (lens) firmware updates

Today Olympus and Panasonic are pleased to announce firmware updates for the five Panasonic Micro Four Thirds Lenses that will improve their performance with Micro Four Thirds cameras. All five of these lenses can be upgraded through the latest versions of Olympus Master or Olympus Studio when attached to an Olympus PEN E-P1 or E-P2 camera body.

Here's a summary of the updates:

1. Panasonic Micro Four Thirds lens LUMIX G VARIO 14-45mm/F3.5-5.6/MEGA
O.I.S.(H-FS014045) Version 1.2
This firmware update enables autofocus in FHD mode and improves autofocus performance while recording movies. For more information, click here:
http://panasonic.jp/support/dsc/ftp/his/ENU/h_fs014045.html

2. Panasonic Micro Four Thirds lens LUMIX G VARIO 45-200mm/F4.0-5.6
/MEGA O.I.S.(H-FS045200) Version 1.2
This firmware update enables autofocus in FHD mode and improves autofocus performance while recording movies. For more information, click here:
http://panasonic.jp/support/dsc/ftp/his/ENU/h_fs045200.html

3. Panasonic Micro Four Thirds lens LUMIX G VARIO HD
14-140mm/F4.0-5.8/MEGA O.I.S.(H-VS014140) Version 1.2
This firmware update improves autofocus performance while recording movies. For more information, click here:
http://panasonic.jp/support/dsc/ftp/his/ENU/h_vs014140.html

4. Panasonic Micro Four Thirds lens LUMIX G VARIO
7-14mm/F4.0(H-F007014) Version 1.1
This firmware update enables autofocus in FHD mode and improves autofocus and aperture control performance while recording movies. For more information, click here:
http://panasonic.jp/support/dsc/ftp/his/ENU/h_f007014.html

5. Panasonic Micro Four Thirds lens LUMIX G 20mm/F1.7(H-H020)
Version 1.1
This firmware update improves autofocus performance while recording movies. For more information, click here:
http://panasonic.jp/support/dsc/ftp/his/ENU/h_h020.html

To download and install this firmware update, simply open the Olympus Master software, connect the camera via USB to the computer and log onto the internet. Choose the Update Camera function from the Online Service menu in the Olympus Master software and the update will commence immediately.

The ability to update the firmware of Four Thirds and Micro Four Thirds components -- bodies, lenses, flash units -- is one of the key advantages of a 100% digital design. Firmware updates are available through Olympus Master and Olympus Studio software applications.

WOW, I want to do this

Want to see something that all us photographers would long to do...
Finn O'Hara time-laps set up of the Toronto Maple Leafs photo shoot.

Toronto Maple Leafs Photo Shoot from Finn O'Hara on Vimeo.

The scale of the project is amazing, I only wish I had the time and client willing to do all this.

Free Photographers' Virtual Trade Show Next Week

Free Photographers' Virtual Trade Show Next Week
All Day - December 2nd & 3rd, 2009

Register Now

Join PDN next week for our FREE Photographers' Virtual Trade Show so you can visit virtual booths, receive personal attention, discover and buy the latest equipment and participate in 7 webcast panel discussions and presentations online.

Attend this free online only 2 day event and you will get the same experience of an in-person conference without leaving your desk. Register now so you can: • Chat and network with other industry professionals • Browse the tradeshow floor filled with the latest products hitting the market • Learn about the trends that impact your business

Register now, it's free!

Pentax K7 Rebate!

Pick up the powerful K-7 by January 15, 2010, and we'll give you $100 off select PENTAX lenses.* Advanced features like Widescreen HD Movie Capture and In-camera HDR truly make the K-7 our most inspiring PENTAX ever. Visit the PENTAX Web site to learn more about the K-7 and download the rebate form.

Matching Color Across Different Print Processes

Secrets Revealed at 11th Annual Color Management Conference<

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, November 20, 2009 -- This year's Printing Industries of America Color Management Conference will be particularly valuable to companies struggling to match colors printed on different substrates, using different processes. The Conference, now in its 11th year, takes place December 6-8 in Phoenix, Arizona.

The pre-Conference seminar, "Printing Across Different Printing Processes," will address best practices in applying color management to get the closest match possible with different presses and processes. Attendees will learn about how to handle situations and colors that pose specific problems, and how close of a match can be achieved when comparing pieces printed by sheetfed offset, flexography, electrophotography, and images appearing on websites.

To demonstrate the challenges and possibilities, a fake product and marketing campaign based on Cowboy Wine ("the only wine man enough for cowboys") was produced in advance. Campaign components include a wine label, magazine ad, promotional poster, tri-fold table advertisement, and website. All will be displayed at the Conference and used during the presentations.

This year's Color Management Conference features over 60 sessions, six distinct tracks, a state-of-the-art computer lab, and a resource area with over 30 leading vendors of color management software and hardware. Content is available for those relatively new to color management, as well as to advanced practitioners.

For years, the Color Management Conference has provided attendees with advice and knowledge to better manage color. The event is presented in partnership with the Foundation of Flexographic Technical Association. Visit www.printing.org/color to review the complete program.

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About Printing Industries of America: Printing Industries of America is the world's largest graphic arts trade association, representing an industry with more than one million employees. It serves the interests of more than 10,000 member companies. Together with its nationwide affiliate network, Printing Industries delivers products and services that enhance the growth, efficiency, and profitability of its members and the graphic communications industry through advocacy, education, research, and technical information.

Edit home movies using their photos and video on Seagate's FreeAgent Desk™ and FreeAgent Go™ with MUVEE

MUVEE'S HOME MOVIE MAKING SOFTWARE AVAILABLE
ON SEAGATE FREEAGENT EXTERNAL HARD DRIVES

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. - November 23, 2009 - muvee, the pioneer and leader in
home movie making software and services, and Seagate, (NASDAQ: STX), the worldwide
leader in hard disk drives and storage solutions, have included an easy way to
help consumers easily personalize and automatically edit home movies using their
photos and video on FreeAgent Desk™ and FreeAgent Go™ products.

Now muvee's award-winning software comes standard on every product in the Seagate®
FreeAgent® family of external hard drives, providing a convenient, all-in-one
solution for creating, saving and sharing personal home movie creations.



The muvee software allows the addition of a personal touch to video and photos
memories by creating home movies in minutes. Simply select a style from several
pre-established templates-such as birthday, anniversary, wedding-choose from
the music, video or photo files saved either on a computer or external storage
device, and hit “Go”. Leveraging patented face and motion detection, muvee Reveal
automatically selects the best scenes and syncs the photos and video to the beat
of the music. Save these movies to a FreeAgent external hard drive for a convenient
way to store, backup, protect and share with family and friends for years to
come.

“External hard drives have become the safe-keeper of memories, with many hours
of special moments stored within them. They are like a modern day videotape
and photo-shoebox. With muvee's software, you can now easily put your photos
and video together into a professional quality home movie using your choice of
music and a style you select, repackaging those magical moments into a professional
looking home movie, making them more enjoyable to share than in its raw form,”
says Terence Swee, CEO, muvee. “Photos and video were meant for sharing. We've
now made this even easier for FreeAgent customers.”

Seagate is the worldwide leader in hard disk drives and storage solutions. Learn
more at http://www.seagate.com.

About muvee
muvee's software and services feature patented technology that lets people create
and share professional-quality instant home movies out of unedited video, photos
and music. muvee develops consumer products for a range of platforms and devices
including PCs, the online space (shwup), digital
cameras, camera-equipped mobile phones and photo kiosks. muvee's global customers
include HP, Dell, Nokia, LG, Olympus, Nikon and Creative Technology. Visit www.muvee.com
<http://www.muvee.com/> and www.shwup.com <http://www.shwup.com/> for more information.

LaCie Unveils Full HD Media Player with DLNA™ Media Server: LaCinema Classic HD

LaCie today introduced the most complete HD multimedia hard drive player, combining Full HD 1080p playback, unsurpassed format compatibility and DLNA media server functionality – LaCinema Classic HD, design by Neil Poulton. Users can browse, play and share HD media collections from anywhere in the home, directly on HDTV.

* Play HD movies in stunning full HD 1080p

* Stream movies, music, photos from Mac® or PC

* Store up to 1TB of HD media content

* DLNA media server built-in





Image Bank | Product Page



The LaCinema Classic HD offers a timeless and sleek design making it a great addition to any TV setup. Providing the widest media format compatibility, LaCinema Classic HD will play all your files without concern – from the most popular DivX format to high-quality MKV H.264 video format via its HDMI 1.3 connection. Uncompromising support for Dolby Digital audio quality enhances the LaCinema Classic HD, as well as your entertainment viewing experience.

The LaCinema Classic HD keeps it easy – use it as an external hard drive to load media from your Mac or PC. Then, simply connect the LaCinema Classic HD to your HDTV for instant playback.

Acting as a DLNA media player, LaCinema Classic HD can conveniently play movies, music, and photos from your computer or network storage. LaCinema Classic HD even offers network access to easily transfer files from your Mac and PC, while keeping it connected to the TV.

Its unique DLNA server function ensures the LaCinema Classic HD works in tandem with your home network, acting as a media server to stream content to compatible players, such as PlayStation®3 or Xbox®.

The LaCinema Classic HD boosts capacities that include up to 1TB of media storage. By using the included remote control and easy navigation interface, you have quick and convenient access to your media libraries. Additionally, the front USB port allows you to connect a USB drive or digital camera to instantly share your photos on your HDTV with friends and family.

"LaCinema Classic HD is all you need to store, play and share your movies, music and photos at home. We believe organizing and playing should be simple for everyone, without concern for media compatibility or how to access media, no matter where it's stored in your home," said Salem Tirane, Digital Home Product Manager.

At no premium, LaCinema Classic HD surpasses the usual media player experience by including a high-quality HDMI cable, Ethernet cable and the renowned DLNA Twonky Media Server for Mac and Windows. Users will be able to get the most of their multimedia contents out of the box!

The LaCinema Classic HD also features the option of connecting a USB WiFi 802.11N adapter (sold separately) for wireless access to the home network.

Availability
LaCinema Classic HD is available through the LaCie Online Store, LaCie Reseller+, LaCie Corner, and LaCie Storage Partner, starting at the suggested retail price of $249.99. For more information, visit www.lacie.com.

About Neil Poulton
Neil Poulton was born in Thurso, Scotland. A graduate in Industrial Design from Edinburgh University and Milan's Domus Academy, Poulton first came into public view in 1989 as the creator of "the ageing pens," pens made from a "living," wearing plastic that changes color and form with use. Today, Neil Poulton designs and develops best-selling, award-winning products for a variety of international clients including LaCie & Artemide. Since 1991, Poulton has lived and worked in Paris, France. www.neilpoulton.com


About LaCie
Located in the USA, Canada, Japan, Australia, Europe, Singapore and Hong Kong, LaCie is the leading manufacturer of computer peripherals for Windows, Apple and Linux users. LaCie creates external storage solutions and color monitors that help professionals and everyday people easily manage their digital lives. LaCie has differentiated its products through original designs and leading-edge technology. Established in France in 1989, LaCie is listed on Euronext under FR0000054314 (LAC). For more information, visit www.lacie.com

###


1TB = 1,000,000,000,000 bytes. Total accessible capacity varies depending upon operating environment (typically 5–10% less).



Copyright © 2008 LaCie, 22985 NW Evergreen Parkway, Hillsboro, OR 97124

Tips for Family Photos & Holiday Photos From Sandisk

Be the director you always wanted to be. Put the taller folks in back so they don’t block the rest of the group, and move people around for a nice even look. Seems obvious, but you’d be surprised how many people don’t think to direct their loved ones to get the best shot.

Remember, light is your friend. Turn on extra lights when shooting or filming indoors to help fill in the shadows and capture more dynamic color. And don’t forget to use a flash inside and out to get rid of red eyes.

Shoot more! Keep snapping shots until you get one where everyone looks good. Something kooky like, “Say stinky feet!” vs. “Say cheese” could be just the trick to get kids to truly smile. Don’t forget to look it over on your viewer before you call it a wrap.

Want more tips? Check out our newest video “Tips for Family Photos & Holiday Photos—Take great Family Pics.”

Your holiday moments deserve the speed and reliability of SanDisk Ultra® SDHC™ memory cards. Capture, save and share more of the action and all of the memories.

UNDP Photo Contest Winers

Today the United Nations Development Programme announces the winners of an eco-themed photo contest. All the winners will receive digital cameras from Olympus.
UNDP salutes heroes of the environment
Kenyans and Moroccan receive top awards for
Africa eco-themed photo contest

New York, 18 November, 2009—The winning photographs of an eco-themed photo contest focused on Africa feature environmentalists planting trees in a water catchment area in Kenya, Moroccan women turning plastic bags into handbags as part of a fair trade project, and a Kenyan couple planting a tree on their wedding day.

“By showing us what ordinary citizens of Africa are doing to tackle climate change, we see the extraordinary power of photographs to tell stories,” said Helen Clark, UNDP Administrator. “These photographs will help carry the message to Copenhagen that the poorest and most vulnerable stand to lose the most from climate change, and must be part of any agreement.”

The Picture This: Caring for the Earth photo contest was organized earlier this year by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in partnership with Olympus Corporation and the Agence France-Presse (AFP) Foundation, and aimed to profile ordinary people working to preserve the environment and reduce the effects of climate change in their communities.

The first prize winners are Jacob Otieno, a Kenyan newspaper photo editor, in the professional category; Faiza Hajji Wozniak, a social entrepreneur from Morocco, in the photo essay category and Simon Ndegwa, a Kenyan youth pastor in the amateur category. Tonight, Miss Clark will present the winners with their awards, which include a certificate of acknowledgement from UNDP, and digital cameras and camera equipment from Olympus Corporation. The winner of the professional category will receive a two-week internship at one of AFP’s bureaus in Africa. The second and third place winners are from Cameroon, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Senegal and South Africa, and will all receive digital cameras from Olympus.

Olympus provides extensive support to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) as a member of the United Nations Global Compact. This project is shining a spotlight on ordinary people’s actions, which when combined, demonstrate a massive commitment to preserving our world,” said Tsuyoshi Kikukawa, President of Olympus. “As private companies, and at an individual level, we all stand to lose if we do not engage in this movement.”

The contest was inspired by the upcoming 15th Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark, in December, which will witness a gathering of 15,000 officials from 192 countries.

“Climate change has no respect for borders, and so the media’s role in documenting how people in different parts of the world are coping with its effects is very important, as it can also inspire action in others,” said Robert Holloway, Director of the AFP Foundation. “We at the AFP Foundation are encouraged by the images produced in this contest, both by the professional and amateur photographers, and look forward to collaborating further with them.”

The photo contest jurors were Nobel Peace Prize winner and Kenyan environmentalist Wangari Maathai and four professional photojournalists, including Peter Magubane, one of South Africa’s most internationally acclaimed photographers, and John Isaac, Olympus Visionary photographer, and who also was a photojournalist with the United Nations for nearly 30 years.

Protecting the environment and working to mitigate the effects of climate change lie at the heart of UNDP’s mandate. We help developing countries adapt to climate change while reducing poverty through improving disaster coping methods, strengthening institutions and charting a low-carbon development path because climate change demands that we grow in a different way.

For more information on the winners and the photo contest, see: http://www.undp.org/picturethis

Olympus Corporation: Established in 1919, Olympus Corp., Tokyo, Japan, manufactures and sells precision machinery and instruments for medical and healthcare, imaging and information, and industrial applications. Its core competency is Opto-digital technology, which is a fusion of traditional optical technology with advanced digital and fine processing technologies. For more information, visit: www.olympus.com.

The AFP Foundation was set up by Agence France-Presse in 2007 to train young photographers and reporters, especially in developing countries. It exists in the belief that free, independent and responsible media can help people make informed decisions about their lives and thus help reduce poverty, promote development and defend human rights. It seeks to raise journalists' professional standards in accordance with its code of conduct and to promote press freedom. The AFP Foundation supports efforts to improve the working conditions of journalists and the protection of those working in combat zones and other dangerous areas, especially freelance reporters and photographers. It also supports efforts to elevate the status of women in the news media. For more information, visit: http://fondation.afp.com/english/

UNDP is the UN's global development network, advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. We are on the ground in 166 countries, working with them on their own solutions to global and national development challenges. As they develop local capacity, they draw on the people of UNDP and our wide range of partners. For more information, visit: www.undp.org

New Zeiss ZF.2 lenses series

Maximum image quality meets the comfort of automatic control

Carl Zeiss presents a new series of lenses: ZF.2 for F bayonet

Thornwood, NY – Optics specialist Carl Zeiss today announced its introduction of a new series of lenses for the semi-professional market: the ZF.2 with F bayonet for digital SLRs. Thanks to its electronic interface (CPU), these new ZEISS lenses support all-important operations such as the automatic mechanisms for time, aperture setting and program. The CPU also supports manual exposure settings, including those for camera casings that are not AI-compatible. Since the lens now transmits the EXIF data such as manufacturer, date, metering system and exposure to the camera, photographers no longer need to set the parameters manually. These quicker and faster handling capabilities of the ZF.2 lenses are especially useful under hectic shooting conditions.

ZEISS lenses truly come into their own in situations that demand extreme photographic creativity and maximum image quality. Carl Zeiss’ established fixed focal length lenses are known for their high light sensitivity and precise manual handling, leaving the photographer in full control. The new ZF.2 series will be especially interesting for photo enthusiasts who value creative, high-quality images combined with the comfort of automatic settings.



Martin Klottig, Marketing Manager of the Camera Lens Division at Carl Zeiss AG: “The ZF.2 lenses are ideal tools for photographers who want to concentrate more on the subject than on their camera equipment. Whether at a wedding, a toddler’s first steps or impressions from faraway countries, these lenses are perfect for photographers who want to capture once-only moments quickly and accurately. These situations demand first-class technology that captures spontaneous actions without too much effort and delivers fantastic images each time.”



The ZF.2 lenses are available in eight focal lengths, six of which will be available from the end of November: 3,5/18, 2,8/21, 2/35, 1,4/50, 2/50 and 1,4/85. The Distagon T* 2/28 ZF.2 and Makro-Planar T* 2/100 ZF.2 will be introduced in Spring 2010. “We are currently reworking and optimizing the Distagon T* 2.8/25 ZF. As a result, it will be available for other mounts somewhat later,“ says Klottig.



The prices for these new lenses will fall between $725 and $1,843.



With the new ZF.2 series, Carl Zeiss extends its acclaimed ZF family of lenses, for which there is still high demand and possibly long waiting times. “We will offer the ZF series as long as the demand lasts,” stresses Klottig.



For more information, visit www.zeiss.com/photo. Product photos are available for download at: http://zeiss.smartimagine.com/pindownload/login.do?pin=8VL4X



A list of compatible camera models is available under: http://www.zeiss.com/C12567A8003B58B9/ContentsWWWIntern/90A1B4054F3696A1C125743600416478



About Carl Zeiss AG

Carl Zeiss AG is a leading group of companies operating worldwide in the optical and opto-electronic industry. The five independently operating business groups are active in the future-oriented markets of Medical and Research Solutions, Industrial Solutions and Lifestyle Products. Founded in 1846 in Jena, the company is headquartered in Oberkochen, Germany. The company has been a technological pioneer in optical innovation for more than 160 years.


Carl Zeiss develops and distributes products and services under the ZEISS brand name for biomedical research and medical technology, as well as for the semiconductor, automotive and mechanical engineering industries. Planetariums, binoculars, and camera and cine lenses are valued by millions of users around the world. The eyeglass business is now bundled in Carl Zeiss Vision International GmbH, the number two eyeglass provider in the world.


Carl Zeiss AG is fully owned by the Carl Zeiss Stiftung (Carl Zeiss Foundation). During fiscal year 2007/08 (ended Sept. 30), the company generated revenues of EUR 2,731 million. Carl Zeiss has around 13,000 employees in more than 30 countries, including more than 8,000 in Germany.



# # #

Panasonic wins Props from Popular Science "Best of whats new"

PANASONIC ONE-INCH THIN PLASMA AND LUMIX DIGITAL CAMERA WIN POPULAR SCIENCE MAGAZINE’S “THE BEST OF WHAT’S NEW”

Annual Popular Science Award Names Panasonic TC-P54Z1 Plasma and

LUMIX GF1 Digital Camera the 2009 “Gadget” Winners

Secaucus, NJ (November 18, 2009) – Popular Science Magazine has named two Panasonic products, the TC-P54Z1 Ultra-thin VIERA Plasma and the LUMIX GF1 digital camera, the magazine’s 2009 “The Best of What’s New” winners in the Home Entertainment and Gadgets categories, respectfully. Both Panasonic products will be featured in the December 2009 issue of Popular Science Magazine.

“For 22 years, Popular Science has honored the innovations that surprise and amaze us − those that make a positive impact on our world today and challenge our views of what’s possible in the future.” said Mark Jannot, Editor-in-Chief of Popular Science. “The Best of What’s New Award is the magazine’s top honor, and the 100 winners − chosen from among thousands of entrants − represent the highest level of achievement in their fields.”





The Panasonic TC-P54Z1 VIERA Plasma uses innovative wireless technology and features an ultra-thin 1” profile, making this HDTV Plasma a truly unique High Definition display. The wireless technology allows for flexible installations and the thin profile makes it easy to fit in any setting. The Panasonic TC-P54Z1 Plasma uses millimeter wave wireless technology established by the Wireless HD Consortium and has a maximum transmission rate of approximately 4Gbs, which enables full-HD uncompressed video and audio signals to be transmitted up to 30 feet from the TV.



Furthermore, the remote is RF, so the external box that houses all the electronics and connections can be placed out of sight. The TC-P54Z1 also features Panasonic's proprietary VIERA CAST™ technology that provides targeted internet content, including Amazon VOD and You Tube™. The TC-P54Z1 also includes 600Hz Sub-field drive that produces full 1080 lines of motion resolution - in prior years, Plasmas produced approximately 900 lines of motion resolution. The TC-P54Z1 is also one of a select few high definition displays to achieve THX® certification, an audio and video standard set by THX Ltd., a company founded by George Lucas to recreate the audio and video ambiance that filmmakers intended.



The Panasonic LUMIX GF1 is the world’s smallest and lightest system digital camera with built-in flash* and packs powerful DSLR-like features and High Definition video capabilities into a sleek and easy-to-use compact body. The LUMIX GF1 builds on Panasonic’s success with the revolutionary LUMIX G Series of digital interchangeable lens system cameras based on the Micro Four Thirds system standard. The Micro Four Thirds system boldly removes the very same mirror box that traditionally defined a “Single Lens Reflex” camera, thus resulting in a much smaller camera body and lenses; while not compromising photo quality or performance. The LUMIX GF1 is Panasonic’s most compact LUMIX G Series digital camera and offers features appropriate for both new and more advanced photographers.



For instance, the LUMIX DMC-GF1 includes the new My Color mode, which includes seven preset effects – Expressive, Retro, Pure, Elegant, Monochrome, Dynamic Art, Silhouette and Custom – all of which let users manually set the color, brightness and saturation levels. With the Live View function, users can see how these settings will affect the photo before they shoot, making it easier to capture the exact mood or atmosphere desired. For even more elaborate effects, users can choose from a total of nine Film modes, and set the contrast, sharpness and saturation levels for each. A custom function lets users store their favorite settings in memory. Furthermore, the exposure meter can be displayed in other shooting modes and the correlation between shutter speed and aperture is shown, with a color-coded warning that alerts users when the settings are not in the proper range.



“Panasonic has a longstanding history of being an innovative company that provides cutting-edge products and because of that, has been a consistent industry leader, so the Popular Science “Best of What’s New Honor” provides great validation that we are indeed leaders in two important categories for our company: High Definition Plasmas and digital cameras,” said Robert Perry, Executive Vice President, Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company. “We are honored by the recognition and will continue to manufacture products that are not only innovative, but also benefit the consumer who will be using them.”



For more information on the TC-P54Z1 and the LUMIX GF1 visit www.panasonic.com.



*As as of September 2, 2009


About Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company

Based in Secaucus, N.J., Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company (PCEC), a market and technology leader in High Definition television, is a Division of Panasonic Corporation of North America, the principal North American subsidiary of Panasonic Corporation (NYSE: PC) and the hub of Panasonic's U.S. marketing, sales, service and R&D operations. Panasonic is pledged to practice prudent, sustainable use of the earth's natural resources and protect our environment through the company’s Eco Ideas programs. Information about Panasonic products is available at www.panasonic.com.

For more than 20 years, Panasonic has been proud to support the Olympic Movement as an Official Worldwide Olympic Partner in the Audio and Visual Equipment category and, beginning in 2009, in the Digital Imaging category as well. Panasonic has also renewed its partnership with the International Olympic Committee for an additional eight years through the 2016 Summer Games. For more information, visit http://panasonic.net/olympic/.



# # #

NIKON LAUNCHES ONLINE FESTIVAL

CELEBRATING HD VIDEO AS PART OF NEW INTEGRATED MARKETING CAMPAIGN

"Nikon Festival (www.NikonFestival.com) challenges everyone to capture their experience in short-form video – 140-seconds or less – and share their art with celebrities, friends, and the country. Think Sundance gone completely viral, thanks to the strides being made in consumer cameras.

Really a trend story and how camera manufacturers are taking a role in the marketplace and placing more emphasis on video: Nikon is a camera maker now creating a film festival; also about importance of social media in everyday life: videos are limited to 140-seconds a la Twitter. Great judges: The Office’s Rainn Wilson, internet personality iJustine, and photographer/videographer Chase Jarvis.

It’s a cool opportunity and gets people interested in what they can do with their cameras (D5000, D90, D300s and D3S are all Nikon SLRs that do HD video; the COOLPIX S70 also does HD)." ~Nikon PR

Actor Rainn Wilson, Photographer Chase Jarvis and Internet Evangelist “iJustine” to Judge 140-second Video Submissions
Winner Given Chance to Pursue Their Dream with $100,000 Award

MELVILLE, N.Y. (Nov. 10, 2009) –Nikon Inc. today announced the launch of a new integrated marketing campaign that includes the first ever “Nikon Festival” to celebrate, inspire and harness the current popularity of content creation shared through social media.

As a progressive social media innovator and D-SLR market leader, Nikon is challenging budding filmmakers to upload 140 second short-form video with the theme “A Day through Your Lens” to www.NikonFestival.com and follow @nikonfestival on Twitter for a chance to win up to $100,000 and Nikon equipment to pursue and chronicle their dreams.

Nikon advertising star, Ashton Kutcher, will contribute to the Nikon Festival by sharing his personally shot video taken with the D5000, which captures his recent visit to Africa. The Festival will be supported by a national TV broadcast and online advertising campaign and will run through the end of the year. The Festival video submission period begins November 10 and will be open for entries for a six-week period.

“The Nikon Festival represents the progressive nature of our brand in merging social media with innovative products as a way to engage and empower aspiring photographers and filmmakers,” said Lisa Baxt, Senior Communications Manager for Nikon Inc. "Nikon is committed to advancing HD video with the D5000 and other products and supporting it with an integrated marketing program that has a strong impact and is viral in nature. As part of this campaign, the Festival presents the opportunity for current and future Nikon customers to tell their story with HD video.”

Nikon has also enlisted influencers from TV, photography and social media to serve as official Festival judges. Each will also share personal videos shot with a Nikon D-SLR camera, including actor/writer Rainn Wilson, Internet personality Justine Ezarik (iJustine), and visionary photographer Chase Jarvis. The Nikon Festival entries will be judged in December and winners will be announced in January.

“As an actor and avid writer, I applaud Nikon’s creation of this Festival to advance the accessibility of thought-sharing and self expression to aspiring filmmakers and photographers,” said Rainn Wilson. “I think this is a unique way for people to initiate dialogue on topics they care about, while gaining exposure for their work. I’m excited to check out the videos people submit and will be tweeting throughout the Festival.”

Upload “A Day through Your Lens” Video As guided by the video submissions of Ashton Kutcher and Festival judges, entrants are challenged to create videos in 140 seconds or less, capturing the essence of a day in their life, whether funny, profound or inspirational. As videos are uploaded, they can be automatically shared with entrants’ social networks, including Twitter and Facebook, allowing instantaneous campaigning for views and votes. Although entrants are not required to use a specific camera, judges will be providing direction to meet the criteria of image quality, originality and ability to capture a day through their lens in 140 seconds.

Change Your Life in 140 Seconds or Less Festival entrants will have the opportunity to win one of two awards: an audience award and a judges’ award. The winning video selected by the Festival judges will be awarded $100,000 and Nikon equipment to pursue and chronicle their dreams. Additionally, the video getting the highest average rating and most audience views will be awarded the $25,000 Audience Award and Nikon equipment. Entrants of the Festival, found at www.NikonFestival.com, are encouraged to use social media platforms, including Twitter and Facebook, to share submissions and gain views and votes. Terms and conditions can be found at www.NikonFestival.com.

For more information on the Nikon Festival and other information on products from Nikon, please visit http://www.nikonusa.com. Follow the Festival on Twitter at the address: @nikonfestival.

All product and company names herein may be trademarks of their registered owners.

New Spyder3Studio SR and Spyder3Print SR

We announced our new Spyder3Studio SR and Spyder3Print SR

products at PhotoPlus Expo last month. The new Spyder3Print SR is our newest printer profiling device which is now a strip reading device. This means no more clicking on every patch to get perfect prints! The new Strip Reading spectrocolorimeter was designed to help photographers create and produce professional prints quickly, accurately and without expensive trial-and-error testing. This standalone Spyder3Print SR (Strip Reader) has all new software for an exceptional easy user experience and will ship in November.

Our new complete color management studio, Spyder3Studio SR comes with the new strip reader and software plus our SpyderCube for RAW calibration and our award winning monitor calibration product, Spyder3Elite. This package gives you all the tools you need for great color from shoot, to edit to print. Check out our video tour of the product with pro photographer, Frank Veronsky (On Location & In Studio with Spyder3Studio SR).

What is the SpyderCube, you say?? We asked people on the street, and some of the responses were pretty funny.

Drobo and NiK join forces to offer more!

Are you a photographer or creative professional that uses images in your design work? You may currently be using Drobo to back up your irreplaceable images and we thought you might also be interested to know that we think very highly of Nik Software. We encourage you to learn more about their powerful, creative and easy-to-use imaging solutions that will help you take your images to the next level, even if you’re using stock photography.

The award-winning Nik Software tools quickly and easily solve common photographic problems such as noise reduction, color and light control, skin retouching, and sharpening while also offering a multitude of creative enhancements and the best fine art black and white conversion in the business.

All products feature Nik Software's patented U Point® technology that gives creative professionals the most powerful tools for precise and natural photographic enhancements and corrections without the need for complicated selections or layer masks. Widely used by pros worldwide, you’ll find yourself turning to these powerful tools over and over again to help take your photos and images to the next level!

Nik Software is allowing us to offer our customers an exclusive 20% off discount on all Nik Software products, excluding 3rd party products. Simply use coupon code DROBO20 at Nik Software store.

For more info on Nik Software, over 70 brief lesson videos, free training webinars, and free trial versions to use on your own images, please visit www.niksoftware.com/drobo.

Announcing the brand new Spyder3Express™

If you find yourself working on an uncalibrated monitor, chances are it is because you find the process of calibrating too technical, difficult or time consuming. Wouldn't it be nice if you could purchase a device that would calibrate your monitor to a beautiful, accurate image without all the technical hassle?

Well look no further! With the introduction of the new Spyder3Express™, Datacolor has created a calibration unit that is as accurate as the rest of the Spyder™ line, but is also very simple to use. With true one step calibration, you can now calibrate your monitor without having to make any technical decisions. You only have to tell the software if you are calibrating a notebook/LCD or a CRT monitor and the rest is automated. It's that simple!

A calibrated monitor not only brings you the correct color and contrast, but it produces a much more beautiful image, saves energy and increase the life of your monitor. The Spyder3Express™ is made for the casual user that uses the computer for digital photography, home videos or web browsing. It has never been easier to achieve correct colors and take full benefit of your digital camera or camcorder.

Spyder3Express is now available at $89 plus S/H.

Winner Announced in the Olympus VisionAge Photo Contest!

After receiving over 350 images, the Olympus VisionAge September & October contest has been judged and the winner has been announced. Click here to see if you have won the Olympus EVOLT E-520 and view the new “Best of September & October” slideshow featuring the most compelling submissions to date. You may register for the November & December 2009 contest at www.visionagecontest.com, and compete to win another Olympus E-520 digital SLR plus 14-42mm lens (or comparable prize of equal value), awarded every two months. All professional, advanced amateur and amateur photographers are invited to contribute original photographs—and registered users can return every two months to upload new entries. There is no cost to enter.

FUJIFILM’S SEEHERE.COM DONATES $25,000 FOR DISABLED VETs

TO FURNISH NEW SPECIALLY ADAPTED HOUSE BUILT BY HOMES FOR OUR TROOPS

VALHALLA, N.Y., November 12, 2009 – FUJIFILM U.S.A., Inc. presented a check for $25,000 to Corporal Visnu Gonzalez as part of its new sponsorship of Homes For Our Troops (www.HomesForOurTroops.org), a national non-profit organization that builds barrier-free specially adapted homes for severely injured veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The houses built by Homes For Our Troops (HFOT) allow veterans suffering from paralysis and double amputations to maintain independence, comfort and safety at home. On Tuesday HFOT presented Cpl. Gonzalez with the keys for a new Hillsdale, NJ home, and yesterday Fujifilm SeeHere.com held a “housewarming party” along the New York City Veterans Day parade route to honor Cpl. Gonzalez, his friends, family and the volunteers involved in building his new house. SeeHere.com’s surprise gift of $25,000 will help to furnish the home.

As part of the sponsorship, SeeHere.com – Fujifilm’s online photo printing, sharing, storage and gifting website – is committed to generating awareness for the cause and providing a way for customers to help through its “Home of the Free” campaign. SeeHere.com will donate a portion of proceeds from the sale of all travel mugs, tote bags and hooded sweatshirts, including those specially designed with the HFOT logo, to the organization.

For video footage, please go to: http://newsinfusion.com/video_details.php?videoId=382

Protect what's yours. With Xerox.

Lock the front door, back door ... and don’t forget the windows. See how we can help keep your documents safe in this quick, funny video. > Watch the video now.

Bring in security fit for the White House. Xerox multifunction systems are the highest-speed devices in the industry to receive Common Criteria Certification, the international security standard for IT technology. > Learn more and browse our certified products.

Tap into document security expertise. What exactly are you trying to protect? From whom? Brush up on the latest information security issues facing companies today in a short video from the Xerox Security Summit. > View the video now.

PANASONIC Debuts Mulltimedia Audio System PHOTO FRAME

Secaucus, NJ (November 12, 2009) – Panasonic today announced the debut of its first audio system with iPod dock and photo frame. The MW-10 combines several components into one sleek system, making it the ultimate multimedia solution for den, office, bedroom, dorm room or living room.


Sporting an elegant silhouette, the MW-10 sounds as good as it looks. It pumps out audiophile-quality sound from its built-in CD player, and its FM/AM radio tuner has 45-station (30-FM/15-AM) Preset Memory. The speaker is constructed with rigid, low-density bamboo cones to achieve pure sound and crisp dialogue. Special diffusers installed in front of the speaker units disperse sound over a wide listening area. For robust bass sounds, the D.Bass function enhances bass in conjunction with the volume level.




The Universal Dock for iPod* plays music and video downloads. The MW-10 even has an included remote control which makes it easy to operate the iPod from a distance.



Boasting a 9-inch WVGA LCD, the MW-10 can display photos from a CD, SD Memory Card and internal memory. The 4 GB of internal memory stores image data for up to 6,000** photos and provides hours of viewing and listening enjoyment. With the CD playing background music, it can display a photo slideshow. In addition to a full-screen photo slideshow, the advanced display offers a versatile combination of screen options: clock and iPod track menu, calendar and photos, clock and photos, and audio and calendar.



An SD Memory Card slot and USB connectivity offer easy transfer of data from a PC or CD-R/RW. The MW-10 is Energy Star® qualified, and its UniPhier® LSI integrates all video signal processing circuits onto a single chip, which lowers power consumption and reduces the number of components.



Panasonic’s MW-10 will be available in December 2009 with a suggested retail price of $299.95.



* iPod is a trademark of Apple Computer, Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.

** Actual storage capacity will vary based on image content.
About Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company

Based in Secaucus, N.J., Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company (PCEC), a market and technology leader in High Definition television, is a Division of Panasonic Corporation of North America, the principal North American subsidiary of Panasonic Corporation (NYSE: PC) and the hub of Panasonic's U.S. marketing, sales, service and R&D operations. Panasonic is pledged to practice prudent, sustainable use of the earth's natural resources and protect our environment through the company’s Eco Ideas programs. Information about Panasonic products is available at www.panasonic.com. Additional company information for journalists is available at www.panasonic.com/pressroom.

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