News

In olden times printmakers toiling in the darkroom had a fair sampling of paper
surfaces from which to choose, as well as paper "tones" that ranged
from warm to cool, depending on the paper characteristics modified by the developer
used. Alas, those days are past, with less and less surfaces available. Now,
however, the choice in paper surfaces and weights has returned, albeit in the
form of inkjet papers for output using both pigment and dye based inks. Today,
the proliferation of inkjet paper brands speaks to the growing market for these
products and provides the photographer with perhaps even more possibilities
than even was available in the heyday of the chemical darkroom arts.

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Tamrac has introduced a redesign of their popular Expedition Series backpacks,
now with "Wing" accessory pockets that allow for quick access to
accessories. The accessory pockets also have Tamrac's exclusive Memory
and Battery Management System that uses red flags to identify available memory
cards and batteries. The packs include dual-foam comfort pads on the back and
air flow channels to keep the werer, and contents, cool and dry. There's
also a QuickClip tripod attachment system with a tripod foot pocket for balancing
a tripod with the pack.

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Primera Technology's BravoPro Disc Publisher is an automated CD/DVD burning
and printing system. BravoPro copies and prints up to 100-discs per job hands-free
with both Mac and PC compatibility. BravoPro is available with two 52x CD-R
drives or two DVD±R/CD-R combination drives that record DVDs at 16x and
CDs at 32x. A 4800 dpi printer, prints full-color, photo-quality images directly
on the surface of the disc. No labels are required! Bravo II can be used as
a desktop unit or integrated in larger photographic processing and kiosk solutions.

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Paper Anyone?

There are a large number of new papers and inks being shown at PMA this year,
with better archival properties and new surfaces - both traditional RC type
papers and fine art textures. Oriental, long known for their papers in the traditional
film market was showing a new line of inkjet papers, the Graphica Fiber Base
Glossy, ideal for those looking for traditional silver halide print quality,
Graphica RC Professional in gloss and luster finishes, Graphica Designer Art
Canvas, which can either be stretched like traditional canvas or mounted and
matted like traditional papers. The papers are available in cut sheet sizes
for desktop printers and roll sizes up to 42 inches.







MediaStreet was showing their new black only ink set and papers. Currently for
the Epson R series printers, MediaStreet has expanded beyond their Niagra continuous
ink system into what looks to be a very strong entry for dedicated black and
white ink jet printing. Their profiles have several tone curves that mimic traditional
alternative processing. The Niagara system now supports the Epson 4000, R300
and R800 printers as well as the Canon i9900 printers.



Arches, who makes the popular Infinity fine art papers was showing a new line
of papers from Canson. Surfaces include Torchon, Canvas, Mi-Teintes, and Watercolor
for the fine art photographer, and both PhotoGloss and PhotoSatin for a more
traditional look. The Canson line will be available in cut sheet and rolls up
to 50" width.



Hahnemuehle introduced a new series of fine art papers - the White Etching 100%
Rag in both 350 and 500 gsm as well as a new Photo Rag Bright White 308 gsm
paper.



Good news for many though is that Ilford has announced that black and white
film, paper, and chemicals will continue to be available, good news for the
many fans of Ilford film products.



Ferrania has a new line of archival paper out that offers excellent fade protection.
Compatible with dye and pigment printers, the paper is available in gloss and
satin finishes.







Kodak has finally made their Professional line of inkjet papers available in
10", 16", and 24" x 100' roll sizes. These papers have
the look and feel of traditional Kodak gloss (F surface) and luster (E surface)
paper with the familiar Kodak logo on the back.

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DxO Labs, a software developer focused on research in image processing, has
announced the immediate availability of DxO Optics Pro 2.2 software. This latest
version of DxO Labs' flagship product adds: support for the Canon EOS
1Ds Mark II. and the Adobe Digital Negative (DNG) file format as an output option.



With DxO Optics Pro 2.2, DxO Labs is simplifying its pricing structure. DxO
Raw Engine -- previously an option priced at US $119-- is being included
as a standard component of DxO Optics Pro.



www.dx.com

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Velbon is expanding its range of carbon fiber tripod choices by offering the
El Carmagne leg assemblies separately. These ultra-light full-size models are
said to be among the lightest, most portable and affordable in their class.
All are constructed of strong, durable, lightweight carbon fiber with magnesium
body, have low-angle adjustment levers allowing extreme grounder capability
with minimum heights mere inches off the ground, and provide heavy-duty 12-pound
load capacity. Other features include robust flip-lock levers for quick leg
adjustment, easy to read leg length adjustment marks, a removable split/lift
center column with accessory hook, and neoprene grips on all legs for comfortable
cold-weather handling.

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Lyson, Inc. has introduced the first bulk feed ink delivery system for the
Epson Photo R800 printer. This new system is one of several bulk feeds being
featured by Lyson. Highly popular among avid amateur photographers, the Photo
R800 is an advanced Micro Piezo pigment ink jet, optimized for photo printing.
By having access to bulk-enabled inksets for the printer, Lyson claims that
photographers can save upwards of 70% on ink costs versus cartridges, speed
workflow processing and eliminate the time and hassle involved in changing cartridges.
The company claims that their Cave Paint pigmented inks provide unparalleled
life with a wider color gamut. The bulk feed system for the R800 comes with
a complete set of Cave Paint including gloss optimizer and retails for $499.00.



For more information on the new bulk feed attachment with Cave Paint and gloss
optimizer for the Epson Photo R800, visit www.lysonusa.com

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