News

onOne Software, Inc. has announced the technology acquisition of Liquid Resize,
which introduces a ground-breaking new way to resize images using a technique
known as "seam carving" to reduce the distortion that typically occurs
when manipulating the aspect ratio of an image.



Liquid Resize, a "content aware" image resizing application, was originally
developed by the Vienna, Austria based husband-wife team of Ramin Sabet and Irmgard
Sabet-Wasinger and is based on the work of Shai Avidan and Ariel Shamir that made
its first appearance in a video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qadw0BRKeMk)
released at Siggraph 2007.
...

Mamiya has announced the release of an IR Photo filter for the Mamiya ZD Digital
back. "Today's CCD sensors are highly sensitive to infrared light,"
said Jeff Karp, Mamiya Product Marketing Manager, "and the IR Cut filter
built into cameras reduces infrared light transmission. The result is more accurate
and natural color. The IR Cut filter, however, makes infrared photography impossible.
In response to the large number of requests from infrared photographers, especially
with the scarcity of infrared film, this filter was created."



Mamiya developed the IR Photo Filter for use on the Mamiya ZD Digital Back. The
IR Photo Filter YD401 (which replaces the standard IR Cut Filter) is a clear filter
that allows the transmission of infrared light as well as visible light rays.



"Unlike specialized IR cameras or modified systems," states Karp,
"the Mamiya ZD Digital Back can be transformed from standard digital to
IR digital, simply by changing the user-replaceable sensor filters." Photographers
will need to add an infrared filter (89B or 87) on the front of the lens to produce
typical infrared images with dramatic dark skies, glowing greens and "magical"
skin tones. It is available mid-January 2008.



www.macgroupus.com...

LiveBooks, Inc. announced it has consolidated its liveBooks|edu product offerings
to a single premium product for students and instructors at an annual subscription
price of $99, including the annual hosting fee. The revised liveBooks|edu product
consists of two parts: a templated Flash website and a sophisticated online
admin tool known as the editSuite. With the new, expanded features of the editSuite
tool -- a transition picker, PDF downloads from the editSuite and a loading
page graphic -- students can more effectively present their brand online,
keep their website content current and gain firsthand experience of the same
tool used by leading industry pros. Using liveBooks|edu, students and faculty
can quickly create and launch a professionally presented online portfolio website.

...

The League of Creative Infrared Photographers (www.irleague.com)
was officially formed in January 2008. It was established to promote the joy,
excitement, and creativity of infrared photography from in-camera capture to
enhancing images in the digital darkroom.

...

Sony's new Cyber-shot DSC-W300 digital camera integrates an ultra-high
13.6-megapixel CCD imager along with a Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar 3x optical zoom
lens, a 2.7-inch LCD screen and an eye-level viewfinder in a compact size. With
its ultra-hard titanium coating, the W300 camera newly features an "extra
high-speed" burst mode that can shoot three-megapixel photos at five frames
per second, ideal for fast-action shooting of sports, pets or children.



In addition to the blur-reducing effects of Super SteadyShot optical image stabilization,
the camera also has a new "extra high sensitivity" mode (up to ISO
6400 in this mode only) to help minimize blurry photos when shooting in challenging
lighting conditions, such as indoors or at twilight, even without a flash.



Noise reduction is now a user-selectable option, with high, low and standard
settings, for greater control over the final look of images. For example, a
low setting can help reduce noise without sacrificing resolution, making it
ideal for landscapes and detailed subjects.



As the top-of-the-line model in the series, the W300 camera integrates the latest
"intelligent" features. Sony's Smile Shutter technology prioritizes
the faces of children or adults so that the camera takes the photo at the moment
the intended subject smiles. Improved face detection technology can also prioritize
child or adult faces as the basis for the camera to apply focus, exposure, white
balance and flash color controls for up to eight faces in the camera's
frame.



The model's intelligent scene recognition technology automatically can
detect five different types of scenes and optimize the camera settings for those
conditions for a better photo. And advanced mode can take two shots almost immediately
-- one with standard automatic settings and the other with optimized settings.



The W300 model has a number of features to maximize picture quality. Among them
are five color modes, including "real" for less in-camera processing
and more faithful color reproduction; 12 scene selection modes with a new "underwater"
mode that adjusts white balance for more natural-looking photos; Sony's
new D-Range Optimizer Plus that process picture to improve detail in photos
with harsh highlights or dark shadows; and an improved auto focus system that
includes macro ranges.



Viewing and image management has also been enhanced with helpful date and calendar
views, in-camera search by face or date, slide show with longer music files,
and high-definition component output for viewing photos on a compatible HDTV
set.



The DSC-W300 camera and optional accessories will be available in May for about
$350. All can be purchased online at sonystyle.com, at Sony Style retail stores
(www.sonystyle.com/retail),
at military base exchanges and at authorized dealers nationwide.



www.sony.com

...

Fujifilm announced its sponsorship of the Rainforest Alliance's first annual
`Picture Sustainability Photo Contest' to raise awareness around issues
of sustainability and conservation. US residents are invited to submit photos
illustrating sustainable agriculture, forestry and tourism. The Rainforest Alliance
is an international nonprofit conservation organization.



To qualify, photos must be submitted to www.raphotocontest.org/
by March 15, 2008. The winners will be announced on the Rainforest Alliance's
Web site (www.rainforest-alliance.org)
on April 18, 2008.



Winners will be chosen from the following categories:



Wildlife on farms, forests or other natural habitats

Landscapes (forests, waterways, flowers and plants, beaches,
wetlands)

Eco-tourism in Latin America (bird watching, hiking, surfing,
scuba diving, kayaking and other nature activities)

Macro (insects, flowers and plants, leafy vegetation, birds,
reptiles and amphibians, mammals, textures)

Conservation in action (people working to protect natural resources,
including water, flora and fauna)



"Images connect the general public to conservation," said Tensie Whelan,
executive director of the Rainforest Alliance. "We hope this contest will
engage people in sustainability, take them out of their back yards and foster
emotional connections with some of the world's most sensitive ecosystems."



"Fujifilm believes that sustainable development is the most important issue
for our planet, the human race, and all business entities in the 21st century,"
said Bert Aerts, president of Fujifilm Hunt Chemicals USA, and a member of the
Rainforest Alliance's board of directors. "Fujifilm's global
Green Policy aims to stay at the forefront of efforts to attain this goal in terms
of our company's impact on the environment -- and we are proud to partner
with the Rainforest Alliance in this unique effort."



One grand-prize winner and a guest will receive a seven-day trip to the Galapagos
Islands, including airfare, four nights on a cruise ship and two nights in Guayaquil.
Additionally, in May 2008 they will be flown to New York City to attend the Rainforest
Alliance annual gala as a guest of Fujifilm, to sit at their table and receive
a Fujifilm FinePix SLR-style digital camera. This professional model digital camera
is worth approximately $800 and is set to be announced by Fujifilm at the 2008
Photo Marketer's Association Show in February 2008. Round-trip airfare will
be provided for two from any major city in the US to New York City. A tour of
the city, lodging at an eco-friendly hotel for three nights and dinner for two
nights will also be included.



Five first prize winners, one from each category, will receive the same Fujifilm
FinePix digital camera as well as a book of photographs by award-winning wildlife
and nature photographer, Art Wolfe. In addition, up to seven exceptional photos
will be awarded honorable mentions and will receive a book of photographs by Art
Wolfe. The grand prize and first prize winners' photos will be framed and
auctioned off at the Rainforest Alliance's annual gala in May 2008 with
proceeds directly benefiting the organization. All winners will also receive an
honorary one-year membership to the Rainforest Alliance.



Rainforest Alliance staff members will select up to six finalists in each category.
Art Wolfe will select the winning photos based on overall composition, creativity,
artistic merit and relevance to the Rainforest Alliance mission.



Other sponsors of the photo contest include Ecuador-based tour operator Via Natura,
Green Spot travel agency, Guayaquil-based Hotel Oro Verde, Ecuadorian airline
AeroGal, Vermont-based energy company Native Energy and Art Wolfe.



www.fujifilmusa.com ...

Eastman Kodak Company (NYSE:EK) has announced improved versions of its Kodak Professional
Portra 400NC and 400VC films.



The new films offer:

· Finer Grain: Extended use of antenna dye technology
enables PORTRA 400NC and 400VC films to deliver finer grain than ever before.




· Outstanding Scanning Results: With finer grain and an
emulsion overcoat specially designed for scanners, PORTRA 400 films reproduce
beautifully, with either optical or digital output.



· Spectacular Skin Tones: The new PORTRA 400 films continue
to deliver smooth, natural reproduction of skin tones.



Kodak introduced the new Kodak Professional Portra film family in 2006. The new
Kodak Professional Portra films will be available worldwide on a stock-turnover
basis beginning Q1 2008.



www.kodak.com...