Getty Images Scores Renewed Partnership with Major League Soccer

NEW YORK, March 29, 2010 - Getty Images, Inc., the world’s leading creator and distributor of visual content and other digital media, today announced a multi-year extension agreement as the exclusive commercial photographic partner to Major League Soccer (MLS), the top-flight professional soccer league in the United States.

With more than 480 MLS events each year, Getty Images will provide editorial clients around the world with immediate access to complete photographic coverage of the world’s most popular sport, including all regular season and playoff matches, MLS SuperDraft, MLS All-Star Game and MLS Cup, MLS’ championship game. Under the terms of the agreement, Getty Images will also continue to serve as the commercial photography partner to MLS and its 16 individual clubs.

“Among the five major professional sport leagues in the U.S., Major League Soccer has the most diverse roster of athletes, with more than 150 players born in 55 countries outside the United States,” said Stuart Crystal, vice president of consumer products, MLS. “Our partnership with Getty Images will help us continue to appeal to a much broader consumer audience, by highlighting our domestic and international talent both here in the U.S. and abroad.”

This continued partnership underscores Getty Images’ position as the leader in the sports photography business, offering a full suite of services from licensing and rights management, to hosting and managing the vast and expanding collection of MLS imagery. The strategic relationship with MLS was first formed in 2004 with renowned entertainment and event photo agency, WireImage, which Getty Images acquired in early 2007. Over the last three years, Getty Images has helped to significantly expand the distribution of MLS imagery to the world’s media to share with an ever-growing audience of the sport’s loyal enthusiasts.

“Getty Images is proud to once again partner with Major League Soccer,” said Adrian Murrell, senior vice president of editorial, Getty Images. “Given soccer’s growing popularity in the U.S. and massive international following, we’re excited to offer exceptional soccer imagery to both media and fans around the globe, particularly in a momentous World Cup year.”

Getty Images’ expertise in sports photography is widely recognized. In addition to being the accredited photography service provider to over 50 international sports’ governing bodies, Getty Images’ award-winning photographers capture events in 130 sports across the globe each year.

To view all imagery captured during the 2010 MLS Season and beyond, visit www.gettyimages.com and search using keywords, “Major League Soccer.”

About Getty Images
Getty Images is the world’s leading creator and distributor of still imagery, footage and multimedia products, as well as a recognized provider of other forms of premium digital content, including music. Getty Images serves business customers in more than 100 countries and is the first place creative and media professionals turn to discover, purchase and manage images and other digital content. Its award-winning photographers and imagery help customers produce inspiring work which appears every day in the world’s most influential newspapers, magazines, advertising campaigns, films, television programs, books and Web sites. Visit Getty Images at www.gettyimages.com to learn more about how the company is advancing the unique role of digital media in communications and business, and enabling creative ideas to come to life.

About Major League Soccer
Headquartered in New York City, Major League Soccer is the top-flight professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. MLS features many stars from the U.S., Canada, and around the world. MLS kicked off its 15th season on March 25, 2010. MLS features 16 clubs each playing 30 regular season matches in 2010. Those teams include Chicago Fire; Colorado Rapids; Chivas USA; Columbus Crew; D.C. United; FC Dallas; Houston Dynamo; Kansas City Wizards; Los Angeles Galaxy; New York Red Bulls; New England Revolution; 2009 MLS Cup Champion Real Salt Lake; San Jose Earthquakes; Seattle Sounders FC; Toronto FC; and, in their inaugural season, Philadelphia Union. Expansion teams in Vancouver and Portland will debut in 2011. For more information about MLS, log on to the League’s official Web site at www.MLSsoccer.com.

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AgfaPhoto has a new trim look for spring

Two new AgfaPhoto wide-angle cameras with HDR function

Uhingen, March 1, 2010. Spotted the first signs of spring? Then that means that there's nothing quite like the great outdoors for all amateur photographers and their faithful camera right now. The two new OPTIMA 103 and OPTIMA 104 digital cameras from AgfaPhoto make it easy to capture those first shots of spring. Measuring in at only 16.9mm or 18mm in depth they are particularly slimline and practical – although anything
but lean in features. The 4x optical wide-angle lens, HDR image capture, 12-megapixel resolution and the High Definition picture resolution (16:9) ensure sharp, colour-rich and deep-contrast shots every time. The AgfaPhoto digital cameras can even spot every laugh with the face and smile detection feature. OPTIMA cameras incorporate the red shutter button of renowned AgfaPhoto design. The AgfaPhoto OPTIMA 103 and 104 are available in photography retail shops and online stores as of April.

Touchscreen and wide-angle zoom: the new AgfaPhoto OPTIMA 104
The AgfaPhoto OPTIMA 104 features many technical highlights: the wide-angle lens with 29mm focal distance (equivalent to 35mm cameras) ensures wide shots of spring landscapes present no problem. The 3-inch touchscreen makes operation easy and comfortable. Settings can be selected at the touch of your fingertip using the intuitive menu navigation and the built-in help screen. And the multiple superb pictures captured can then be displayed in a spontaneous slideshow directly on the large touchscreen. Smart scene-mode technology makes it seem as if the camera takes the photos by itself! The camera calculates brightness, contrast, distance and colour hue and selects the best capture mode for the subject. The new AgfaPhoto OPTIMA 104 is available in an elegant metal housing in black, silver and rosé and measures 90 x 56.8 x 18mm. The package includes a USB cable, rechargeable Li-ion battery, battery charger, wrist strap, printed Quick Start Guide and software CD – and all for 189 euros (RRP including VAT). Good photos made easy: the new AgfaPhoto OPTIMA 103 Like the sister model, the OPTIMA 103 scores with a wide-angle lens with 29mm focal distance (equivalent to 35mm cameras). The OPTIMA 103 offers a special picture mode for all Internet auctioneers: the Auction mode, which puts various perspectives of the same image onto one picture. The photos with a 640 x 480 pixel resolution are particularly suitable for uploading to Internet auction sites. In High Dynamic Range mode, the camera takes multiple shots with different exposures. The software joins together these single images into one photo with high contrast and the most flattering light mood and image effect. 30 scene modes enhance the AgfaPhoto OPTIMA 103's functions, making it the right camera for all amateur photographers. Whether concerts or conversations – with the sound-recording function the camera can capture not only your visual memories, but also be used as a dictaphone. Measuring 89.9 x 56.9 x 16.9mm, the new digital camera is available in a silver, red or titanium-colour housing for 179 euros (RRP incl. VAT). Package contents include a USB cable, rechargeable Li-ion battery and battery charger, as well as a Quick Start Guide and software CD.

The AgfaPhoto brand:
AgfaPhoto is the world-renowned brand for Consumer Imaging Products. Right from the start, AgfaPhoto has stood for quality and smart solutions in the Consumer Imaging sector. The operation of the products is childsplay and this enables everyone to enjoy successful pictures with AgfaPhoto. AgfaPhoto is the personal companion that enables consumers to experience the world of images in all their exciting facets more intensely
and convert those special moments in life into permanent memories for sharing. These are the claims and assurances of the AgfaPhoto brand. Under this brand promise, AgfaPhoto offers attractive Consumer Imaging products such as digital cameras, singleuse cameras, digital picture frames, storage media, films and batteries. www.agfaphoto.com The companies: AgfaPhoto Holding GmbH is the exclusive licence holder for the AgfaPhoto brand of Agfa-Gevaert NV & Co. KG or Agfa-Gevaert NV. Sublicences for the individual products and product groups are granted to qualified manufacturers by AgfaPhoto Holding GmbH, who assume responsibility for the production and sales of the product which bears the highly-renowned AgfaPhoto brand name. The sublicence for the digital cameras of AgfaPhoto Holding GmbH was assigned to the manufacturer plawa. plawa-feinwerktechnik GmbH & Co. KG is the manufacturer and designer of AgfaPhoto cameras. plawa was founded in 1969 and expanded rapidly as a specialist in slide frames and film rolls and succeeded in becoming a leader on the German market. It became active in digital photography in 2000. Today the company distributes AgfaPhoto digital cameras and digital video products. The plawa portfolio includes trendy products ranging from digital music, portable TV to video. plawa supplies both stock and campaign-related products to megastores, photo resellers and supermarkets. plawa is member of CIPA - Camera & Imaging Product Association of Japan (www.cipa.jp). www.plawa.com

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5 Types Of Photo For Designing Your Own Photo Memory Book

A photo memory book is a great looking and long lasting way to remember some of your favourite moments. It is also a great looking way to create a stunning photo idea to give to any loved one in order to help them celebrate a birthday or anniversary.

PR Log (Press Release) – Mar 30, 2010 – The greatest feature of personalised photo memory books is their flexibility and this means that you can use virtually any style and type of photograph in order to create the exact type of photo memory book that you want to include. http://www.bagsoflove.co.uk/books/


A Photo Memory Book

The photo memory book is completely customisable. You can add one or two photos to customise the front and back cover of the photo book and you can include one or more photos for every single side of every single photo memory book page. More complex designs enable you to add two or more pictures per side but the simple and elegant standard layout offers printing across the whole page of a single photo.


1 – Personal Photos
Personal photos are a great way to create a lasting photo memory book for yourself. Use pictures from major achievements and events in life or just use your favourite pictures of yourself. If you can't find enough pictures that you like then ask friends and family if they have good pictures of you that can be included. Also consider updating old paper print pictures by scanning them on your printer or computer and adding these.

2 – Family Photos
Family photos are another beautiful addition to a photo memory book and these can be used to create a photo book for yourself or as a gift to another family member or close friend. Use pictures of individual family members and add group photos too. Depending on the size and style of photo book you choose, you have anywhere from 30 to 80 sides to personalise according to your own design requirements.

3 – Wedding Photos
A wedding is the biggest day in a couples' lives and it is also a day when the whole family get together to celebrate. Add professionally taken photos as well as those taken by family members, friends, and other guests in order to gain a great combination of professional, staged shots, and more candid shots as well as a variety of pictures of the happy couple and their guests.

4 – Romantic Photos
Valentines Day is the most romantic day of the year and it should be celebrated with romantic gestures and gifts. A special Book of Love is a 20 page book with a soft cover. Choose a picture for the cover and a picture for the left side of each of the double page spreads. Also write the text that is printed on the right hand side in order to accompany each photo.

5 – Newborn Baby Photos
The arrival of a newborn baby is another of those occasions that will be celebrated by the whole family and by friends and other loved ones. There will be many photo opportunities in the first few weeks alone and this means an ample photo collection to create a stunning photo memory book. The photo book is designed to last for many years so baby will be able to look at their own pictures as they grow up too. http://www.bagsoflove.co.uk/books/
 
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Contrado Imaging Ltd a specialist company operating in the personalised bespoke imaging sector for consumer and commercial markets.
Contrado focuses on making digital photo products specifically to order with the customer's own photographs or artwork.

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Tamron USA Announces 2010 Photo Contest Two: Backyard Wildlife - Deadline June 30, 2010

Backyard Wildlife photo contest supports wildlife conservation with donation by Tamron for every photo entered*

March 25, 2010, Commack, NY— Tamron USA, Inc. announced the second in its series of four photo contests for 2010: Backyard Wildlife. This quarter's contest asks entrants to submit photographic portraits of their local wildlife, whether found in their own backyard, local parks, or other urban and rural neighborhood areas. The contest is looking for local wildlife indigenous to the photographer's home town, so photos from zoos, aquariums and the like will not be considered. The contest runs from April 1, 2010 to June 30, 2010. The Grand Prize Winner of Contest Two 2010 will receive his/her choice of one of these Tamron lenses: SP AF60mm F2 Di-II 1:1 Macro; SP AF10-24mm F/3.5-4.5 Di-II; SP AF17-50mm F/2.8 Di-II VC; or AF18-270mm F/3.5-6.3 Di-II VC. Users of any camera equipment may enter the Tamron photo contest.

Our Guest Judge: Jackie Bailey Labovitz
The "Backyard Wildlife" photo contest entries will be evaluated and selected by a guest judge, Jackie Bailey Labovitz, a former art curator and current photographer from the Washington, D.C. area whose recent mission is to help preserve and celebrate local wildlife through photography. In 2003, Jackie Bailey Labovitz picked up a camera. For more than a decade Jackie and her husband, David, have been creating a safe haven for ordinary wildlife. Her photographic safari began in their backyard sanctuary in Shenandoah Valley. Born in rural Virginia, Jackie began collecting insects at an early age. Meticulously arranging arthropods in cigar boxes that Mrs. Tyson at the general store saved for her was her first curatorial attempt. She moved on to curate art collections for major corporations and American embassies abroad. Her award-winning photographs have been published in Virginia Wildlife. You can see her work featuring wildlife subjects at www.baileylabovitz.com.

Contest Supports Wildlife Conservation
Unique to this contest is Tamron's promise to support wildlife conservation with a donation of 25¢ per entry* to the National Wildlife Federation (www.nwf.org), an organization admired and supported by our guest judge.

Prizes And Recognition
In addition to receiving the Tamron lens of choice, the winner’s picture will be showcased on the Tamron website. The winner and twenty photographers whose images are selected by our judge as Favorites will have their names and winning images published on the website and on the Tamron Page on Facebook™ for all to admire.

HOW TO ENTER:
Email your lo-res images to webmaster@tamron.com, Subject line of email must read Backyard Wildlife Photo Contest. (Winner & Finalists will be contacted for hi-res images). By sending your images you agree to Tamron’s terms & conditions. Tamron reserves the right to disqualify any images that do not fit the theme of this photo contest. Complete rules and an entry form can be found at www.tamron.com or by accessing the contest page at http://www.tamron.com/lenses/contests.asp. Submissions are limited to a maximum of three per person. Pictures submitted must be original and the property of the photographer. The contest is open to any person 18 years or older residing in the United States and all entries must be received no later than June 30, 2010.

About Tamron
Tamron is a leading manufacturer of photographic lenses. Among its many optical and mechanical innovations since the founding of the company in 1950, Tamron's development of mass-produced hybrid aspherical elements paved the way for today’s compact high ratio zoom lenses when, in 1992, this technology was incorporated into the groundbreaking 28-200mm. Tamron continues to lead in this category with the award-winning 18-270mm — featuring an unprecedented 15X zoom range—and featuring Tamron's proprietary Vibration Compensation (VC) system. Tamron has garnered international acclaim for its high ratio zoom lenses. Tamron celebrates its 60th anniversary this November.

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Mamiya Announces the Availability of Capture One 5.1.1 Software

Elmsford, NY - March 25, 2010 - Mamiya today announces the availability of Capture One 5.1.1 software. This latest update to the renowned Capture One software features a number of additions and improvements for the Mamiya DM system of
digital cameras and digital backs.

Capture One 5.1.1 is a free service release to existing Capture One 5 owners, and can be downloaded through the link at http://www.mamiya.com/customer-service-support-downloads.html

Software enhancements and additions include:

* Improved default film curves for Mamiya DM products.

* Support of develop-curves from Mamiya DM series MOS
raw files.
* White balance can now be set when shooting tethered with Mamiya DM products.
* Orientation can now be set when shooting tethered with Mamiya DM backs.
* Base characteristics gains presets.
* Tethered and file support for the new Mamiya DM40 products.

Supported Mamiya DSLRs and Digital Backs:
Mamiya DM56, DM40, DM33, DM28, and DM22.

About Mamiya:
For over 60 years, Mamiya has been a name synonymous with excellence and innovation in professional photographic cameras and lenses. The Mamiya DM system of DSLR kits and Digital Backs continues this tradition by offering photographers the ultimate in big-sensor image quality at very affordable prices.

With models offering 22, 28, 33, 40, and 56 megapixels, the Mamiya DM system continues to make Mamiya the brand of choice for today’s top professional photographers.

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Amazon: Book: The Printed Picture

The Printed Picture (Hardcover)

Buy at Amazon

Editorial Reviews

Review

Benson has brought a lifelong love of printing to this stunning book. --Printing World, November 2008

Those without the good fortune to attend [Benson's] classes at Yale, where he was a legendary art teachers for 30 years, can have the next best thing, this soon-to-be-classic book. --Richard B. Woodward, The Wall Street Journal, December 12, 2008

Product Description

The Printed Picture traces the changing technology of picture-making from the Renaissance to the present, focusing on the vital role of images in multiple copies. The book surveys printing techniques before the invention of photography; the photographic processes that began to appear in the early nineteenth century; the marriage of printing and photography; and the rapidly evolving digital inventions of our time. From woodblocks to chromolithographs, from engravings to bar codes, from daguerreotypes to contemporary color photographs, the book succinctly examines the full range of pictorial processes. Exploring how pictures look by describing how they are made, author Richard Benson reaches fascinating and original conclusions about what pictures can mean.

Although many of the techniques he discusses have been used to create exceptional works of art, Benson concentrates on the typical, everyday pictures that have played and continue to play such a prominent role in our lives. In conjunction with the publication of the book, an educational installation of this material will be presented in the photography galleries at The Museum of Modern Art, New York in the fall of 2008.
Presented as a series of one-page essays opposite the pictures they examine, the book retains the lively, engaging style of the informal lectures through which Benson developed his ideas over the course of 30 years at Yale University. Rooted in hands-on descriptions of practical techniques, The Printed Picture offers a rich and imaginative interpretation of the enormous cultural and social influence of multiple images.

Richard Benson is a MacArthur Fellow and the former Dean of the Yale School of Art. A photographer, printer and collector, he has devoted a considerable part of his career to research in photomechanical reproduction. As a printer Benson was instrumental in developing the technologies presently used in the industry to reproduce photographs in ink. He has taught many workshops and given many lectures on photography, printing and their associated technologies. He is the co-author of Lay This Laurel (Eakins Press) with Lincoln Kirstein and A Maritime Album (The Mariner's Museum of Newport News, Virginia) with John Szarkowski. His photographic work is in the collections of The Museum of Modern Art and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, The Yale University Art Gallery, New Haven and many other institutions and

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Maui Photo Festival and Workshops Blends Digital Photography Training with Picture-Perfect Hawaiian Locations

Second Photo Festival Set for August at the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa

LAHAINA, Hawaii--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- It is the iconic Hawaiian image: A hula dancer on the beach at sunset. Yet for the average photographer in Hawaii, the chance of capturing such a scene in the wild has always been remote … until now.

The second Maui Photo Festival and Workshops (MPF), set for August 25-29, 2010 at the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa, celebrates the exploding popularity of digital photography by bringing top digital workshop photographers to the world’s most photogenic location: Maui.

The signature MPF session, “The Quintessential Hawaiian Photo Shoot — Hula on the Beach at Sunset” led by Randy Jay Braun, offers the chance to photograph native Hawaiian dancers adorned in traditional hula style. It is just one of the “once-in-a-lifetime” opportunities available for MPF attendees.

Seminar content covers the spectrum — digital novice to pro — through classroom sessions, demo and hands-on opportunities and location shoots. Special focus on available and studio light, portraiture and the business of photography. A beach wedding location shoot is planned.

Days start early with golden-hour excursions. Next are classroom sessions, often starting indoors, later shifting outside to take advantage of our lush Hawaiian setting. Evenings, in our outdoor, big-screen theater on Kaanapali Beach, offer the portfolios of our presenting pros as well as a glimpse of images shot that day and entered into competition.

Optional excursions (for a separate fee) include doors-off helicopter or underwater shoots, sunset sail and Haleakala Crater sunrise. Space is limited and available only to registered MPF attendees.

The festival wraps in a morning ceremony, awarding prizes for the best landscape, portrait, aerial, hula, studio, ISLANDS Magazine cover and more.

The $595 fee includes opening reception, three full session days, and awards ceremony. Presenter, class and registration information at www.mauiphotofestival.com. Special room rates available. Sponsored in part by the Hawaii Tourism Authority and the County of Maui. 808-633-1339

Maui Photo Festival, Inc. is a Maui-based group focused on combining digital photography training with the most beautiful locations.

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Theodolite iPhone App Adds MGRS, Optical and Mechanical Rangefinders

Based on the concept of a centuries-old astronomical instrument, Theodolite overlays real-time information about position, altitude, bearing, range, and horizontal/vertical inclination on the iPhone’s live camera image, turning the iPhone into a sophisticated location-aware viewfinder.

Williamsburg, VA, March 22, 2010 --(PR.com)-- Hunter Research and Technology announces the immediate worldwide availability of Theodolite 1.2 on the iTunes App Store. This novel multi-function augmented reality app for the iPhone serves as a compass, GPS, map, zoom camera, rangefinder, and two-axis inclinometer. Theodolite became the top selling navigation app in the US and UK App Stores in December 2009 after being featured by Apple in the New and Noteworthy category of the iTunes App Store, and broke into the Top 40 Paid Apps ranking in the US and Top 20 in the UK.

Based on the concept of a centuries-old astronomical instrument, Theodolite overlays real-time information about position, altitude, bearing, range, and horizontal/vertical inclination on the iPhone’s live camera image, turning the iPhone into a sophisticated location-aware viewfinder. Theodolite lets users take geo-stamped camera images directly from the app with 2X and 4X digital zoom options, and contains a built-in map with standard, satellite, and hybrid views. Uses are endless, from land surveying to basic navigation, and the app is great for hiking, boating, hunting, sightseeing, photography, and sports.

Theodolite 1.2 continues the steady progression of features being added to the app. New features include multiple position formats including absolute and relative latitude/longitude coordinates and Military Grid Reference System (MGRS) coordinates. A calibrated optical rangefinder reticle has been added to the augmented reality display, allowing users to quickly estimate distance to objects and landmarks in view. This is backed up by a more precise mechanical rangefinder in Theodolite’s A-B calculator, which uses the device’s accelerometer to estimate range from changes in elevation angle.

Pricing and Availability: Theodolite 1.2 is $1.99 on the iTunes App Store. The app runs on any generation iPhone with OS 3.1 or later. GPS functionality requires an iPhone 3G or 3GS. Compass functionality requires an iPhone 3GS.

More information, including screenshots, is available on the Hunter Research and Technology website. Media professionals interested in reviewing Theodolite can request a promotional code to download the app from iTunes at no cost.

For more information, see: http://hunter.pairsite.com/theodolite/

Hunter Research and Technology is run by Dr. Craig Hunter, a practicing engineer with over 18 years experience in mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, and software development. Craig received the 2004 NASA Software of the Year Award and a 2004 Apple Design Award (Best Scientific Computing Solution on Mac OS X) for his work in software development. Craig founded Hunter Research and Technology in 2008 to create innovative, relevant, and compelling apps that take advantage of the advanced hardware and software capabilities of iPhone OS devices. The company currently has eleven apps available on the iTunes App Store, with more in development.

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120 Years of Lenses from Carl Zeiss

German optics specialist writing photographic history since 1890


OBERKOCHEN/Germany, 24.03.2010. They’ve been to space; they’re Hollywood favorites; and they’ve been the constant companions of demanding photographers around the globe for 120 years — Carl Zeiss lenses.

The first photo lenses came on the market at the end of March 1890. On the occasion of its 120th anniversary, renowned German optics manu- facturer Carl Zeiss, with key locations in Jena and Oberkochen, can reflect on a rich history and look to the future with confidence. Throughout the anniversary year, the company will be celebrating its breakthroughs in photographic technology with activities for both customers and the public. “Carl Zeiss lenses helped write photographic history. They have truly stood the test of time,” says Winfried Scherle, head of the Camera Lens Division.

ZEISS lenses come into play whenever extremely high image quality, reliability and excellent results are required. The shots of the 1969 moon landing were taken with Carl Zeiss lenses, as were numerous Oscar-acclaimed films, such as Barry Lyndon, The Lord of the Rings trilogy and Slumdog Millionaire. One of Germany’s best- known cameramen, Michael Ballhaus, has been working exclusively with ZEISS lenses for years. “Carl Zeiss’ latest cameras and lenses allow me to see on screen exactly what the eye sees,” says Ballhaus.

Several breakthroughs in optical systems were the work of physicist and mathematician Ernst Abbe. His discoveries are still the standard for today’s modern high-performance optics. Abbe’s “sine condition”, for example, has to be fulfilled by all high-performance lenses and optical systems. It is in this tradition that Carl Zeiss has continuously perfected its calculation methods, making it the world’s leading company in optics design.

Carl Zeiss was founded in 1846 in Jena as a workshop for precision mechanics and optics. In its early years, it manufactured microscopes almost exclusively. Ernst Abbe, a Carl Zeiss shareholder at that stage, later began to expand the product portfolio by developing photo lenses and binoculars. In the 1880s, Otto Schott had begun producing new types of glass with much- improved optical qualities. This innovation opened up new possibilities for Carl Zeiss and it started to develop lens types with hitherto unheard-of light gathering power.


Milestones in lens development

In 1896 Carl Zeiss presented its Planar lens. This lens type is still found in many professional optical tools for photography on Earth and in space. The Planar is the foundation for a variety of Carl Zeiss high-performance lenses with impressive color correction, speed, image flatness and low image distortion.

In 1902, Carl Zeiss submitted a patent for what would eventually become the most famous photo lens of all time: the Tessar. This lens was characterized by a relatively high speed and, for the first time, could take extremely sharp pictures with very little optical effort. It paved the way for camera design miniaturization, a trend that continues today. Millions of lenses in contemporary, high-quality photo cameras and mobile telephones followed the Tessar’s example with its outstanding image quality.

In 1935, Carl Zeiss followed with another breakthrough invention that opened up new possibilities for brilliant imaging: This anti-reflex coating is denoted by the symbol T* on today’s lenses. This vacuum-deposited coating on the lens’s glass surfaces reduces bothersome reflections and stray light in the image, and paved the way for today’s highly complex optical systems.

In 1943, Carl Zeiss also developed a procedure to measure lens image quality with so-called “MTF” curves (modulation transfer function), which numerous manufacturers today use for quality control.

Carl Zeiss even played a pioneering role in computer aided lens design. The introduction of CAD-supported lens development in 1961 replaced lens design by hand and has enabled a far more complex construction and improved interaction between lens elements ever since.

Over the last 15 years, joint ventures with Sony and Nokia have allowed Carl Zeiss lenses to spread widely. Sony has been using ZEISS lenses in its compact cameras and camcorders since 1996. Since 2005, Nokia smartphone and mobile phone users have been taking photographs with integrated ZEISS lenses.

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Sigma Corporation’s new APO 50-500mm F4.5-6.3 DG OS HSM now on shelves

RONKONKOMA, N.Y., March 19, 2010 – Sigma Corporation (www.sigmaphoto.com), a leading researcher, developer, manufacturer and service provider of some of the world's most impressive lines of lenses, cameras and flashes, is pleased to announce that its newly-upgraded APO 50-500mm F4.5-6.3 DG OS HSM, which was first announced at the Photo Marketing Association’s 2010 Conference and Trade Show last month, is now available.

The Sigma APO 50-500mm F4.5-6.3 DG OS HSM lenses are now available for purchase in Canon mounts through authorized Sigma dealers at the MSRP of $2,400. Nikon mounts will be available later this month, and they will be followed by Sigma, Pentax and Sony mounts in April.

This 10x high-zoom ratio, ultra telephoto zoom lens differs from its predecessor with the incorporation of Sigma’s original Optical Stabilization (OS) function, which offers the use of shutter speeds approximately four stops slower than would otherwise be possible. Only Sigma has made it possible for Pentax and Sony shooters to utilize an anti-shake system in either the lens or the camera body. The compensation for camera shake is visible in the view finder for all mounts, which makes accurate focusing fast and easy.

This versatile lens is ideal for landscape and wildlife photography, but also boasts a maximum magnification ratio of 1:3.1 at the focal length of 200mm, which allows photographers to focus close on small objects like flowers. The addition of the optional 1.4x EX DG or 2x EX DG APO tele converters produce a 70-700mm F6.3-8 or a 100-1000mm F9-12.6 MF zoom lens, respectively.

“This lens has historically been a favorite with nature and wildlife photographers because the zoom range covers everything from close-up shots of flowers to far off images of animals and landscapes,” said Mark Amir-Hamzeh, general manager of Sigma Corporation of America. “That popularity will surely grow with the addition of our unique, Optical Stabilization function.”

The 50-500mm F4.5-6.3 DG OS HSM incorporates Hyper Sonic Motor (HSM), ensuring quiet and high-speed auto focus, as well as full-time manual focus capability. Its four Special Low Dispersion (SLD) glass elements provide excellent correction of color aberration and the Super Multi-Layer Coating reduces flare and ghost, and ensures high image quality throughout the entire zoom range.

This lens is equipped with a petal-type hood to block out extraneous light and the filter size of this lens is 95mm. A supplied step-down ring enables digital cameras with an APS-C size image sensor to use an 86mm filter.

To locate an authorized Sigma dealer near you, visit http://www.sigmaphoto.com/where-to-buy-sigma. To use Sigma’s new Lens Finder Tool to find the best glass to suit your needs, visit http://www.sigmaphoto.com/sigma-lens-finder. For information about Sigma Corporation of America, visit www.sigmaphoto.com.

About Sigma Corporation
For nearly 50 years, Sigma Corporation’s expertise and innovation has driven the company’s core philosophy of “knowledge, plus experience, plus imagination,” with an emphasis on producing high-quality, high-performance photographic technology at moderate prices. This family-owned organization is the largest, independent SLR lens manufacturer in the world, producing more than 40 lenses that are compatible with most manufacturers, including Sigma, Canon, Sony, Nikon, Olympus and Pentax. Sigma Corporation also produces digital SLR cameras and high-definition digital compact cameras. The company is headquartered in Japan, with offices strategically located throughout Europe, Asia and North America. For information, please visit www.sigmaphoto.com.

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Voting Begins at Hasselblad Owners’ Club

22/03/2010 The Hasselblad Owners’ Club is now accepting votes from its members for favorite image of the month.

From now on, any time you visit hasselblad.com you may vote for the most compelling images of those uploaded and exhibited by other club members. If you are currently a member, go right ahead and vote for your top entries from this month’s entries by Hasselblad Owners’ Club photographers.

Each month, the top 10 images will be displayed on this page. The photographer with the most votes that month will have his or her image presented prominently on this website and will be featured, along with a brief profile and image, in the Hasselblad online showcase.

To vote for your favorite monthly image, log in on the Hasselblad Owners’ Club homepage, then browse the images, select your favorites, and vote!

Some 1.4 million visitors come to the Hasselblad site each year, making it a prime location to show your work. While you’re here, pick up some handy tips and tricks, technical and creative advice, and share experiences with photographers who have a wide range of backgrounds and photo specialties.

Remember to update your portfolio to keep your entries fresh!


Text by Alice B. Miller

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Viewbook.com Pro Website Account Earns High Marks from Pro Photographers

WEBWIRE – Wednesday, March 17, 2010 - Online Portfolio Website service Viewbook.com wins prestigious Professional Photographer Hot One 2010 Award.

Professional Photographer, the renowned photography magazine, has awarded Viewbook.com with a Hot One 2010 Award. These awards represent photography’s best new products for professional application, as chosen by a panel of professional photographers. The Viewbook Pro Website Account swept past its competitors in the online album design and hosting category.

For the past 11 years, the Hot One Awards have provided Professional Photographer magazine’s readership with a resource of the newest, most innovative products. The panel of 52 judges - independent, practicing professional photographers selected for their expertise and knowledge - know what to look for in professional products. Their selection was based on overall quality, innovation, design, performance, and value for the price.

Viewbook.com stands out from the many static template website solutions available today because of its sophisticated design, flexibility and complete feature set. Viewbook.com is a multi-facetted online portfolio tool that enables photographers to easily create custom portfolio websites, client presentations and promotional widgets in one place, instantly. The fully customized websites can include branding elements, scalable slideshows, full-screen views and video. The portfolio’s and projects can easily be shared through blogs and social networks as well.

"We’ve built a modular system that enables people to use their creativity and create solutions their own way and not force too many conventions on them", says Rien Swagerman founder and developer of Viewbook.com. "It’s great to see so many photographers around the world working with our tools" Current users include distinguished photographers like Markus Klinko & Indrani, David Leslie Anthony and Melissa Rodwell.

Look for the special Hot One Awards article, detailing the Viewbook.com Pro Website Account and the other winning products, in the February 2010 issue of Professional Photographer and online at www.ppmag.com/hotone

For more information visit www.viewbook.com/overview/websites/ and Viewbook’s social newsroom http://bit.ly/dbp51l

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Westend61 and vario images expand their cooperation

vario images represents the diversified RM-collection of Westend61.

Mar 17. 201010:03 by CEPIC GERMANY - vario images and Westend61, one of the largest independent producers of Royalty Free imagery in Germany expand their cooperation. Due to the existing cooperation which has grown for years, vario images represents now as well the Rights Managed-content of Westend61.

Just as the RF-content, the about 10.000 images of the RM-collection captivate with a European picture language and a fresh and contemporary flair, covering in particular the topics Lifestyle and People.

The Westend61 RM-collection contains the following sub-categories:

* Westendstyle
Edgy images, experimental works from the young photographers of Westend61.
* Westendlife
High-quality People and Lifestyle photography for classical topics such as Family, Business, Seniors and much more.
* Westendworld
Fascinating and exciting images of travel, nature and wildlife.

"Due to the long and very productive cooperation with vario images we are very pleased to convert vario to be our distribution partner for the RM-collection. Thanks to the good service, that vario images offers its customers, we see our RM-collection very well-placed. We look forward to our more extensive cooperation and the creative exchange with vario in the future", says Nadine Reichardt, Westend61 International Department.

About
vario images is a well-established German stock agency. Since 1989 the agency has been producing and distributing editorial images – back then under the name vario-press. Since 2006 the owner managed agency has been trading under the name vario images, mainly because of the creative extension and the consequent enlargement of its image content. The contemporary portfolio is characterized by a variety of image styles and contains creative and editorial imagery just as current News pictures. vario presents surprising eye-catchers with an outstanding and exceptional image language under its sub-label Coverpixx. The wide-ranged image stock implicates Rights Managed-licensing as well as Royalty Free-photography. vario images is a member of the German association of picture libraries and agencies (BVPA). For more information please check: www.vario-images.com

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Google to Headline at BAPLA's Picture Buyers' Fair 2010

Annual event will showcase what's new for image buyers in the stock photo industry

Mar 16. 2010 08:03 by CEPIC - UK - Google has confirmed that it will be showing its support to the 2010 Picture Buyers’ Fair (PBF) being held on 19 and 20 May 2010, by hosting one of the key seminars on this year’s programme. With the industry still adjusting to the economic downturn and looking to both new and traditional ways to support image buyers and the industry alike, this year’s PBF will offer attendees a new look, new venture and a very different focus, bringing together the needs of the picture industry.

The seminar programme has broadened and increased this year, with Google, the leading search engine and service/products provider headlining. Matt Zitzmann, Project Manager, Google commented:
"Google is delighted to be part of and give its support to the BAPLA PBF, because it provides us with a superb opportunity to listen and understand the needs of both picture buyers and sellers. This exciting event also gives us a chance to bring the picture buying industry up to speed on our latest developments and ideas."

Simon Cliffe, CEO BAPLA stated:
"The seminar theme this year is ‘The Future of Content’ where we’re creating a ‘must-see’ programme relevant for picture buyers with budgets both big and small. At this moment of the digital revolution, it’s critical people can see how companies like Google view the world and we’re delighted they’re on board. Across the next few weeks we’ll be announcing other speakers from the publishing, new media, design and creative worlds - and when you add that to the other big changes we’ve made to the show and the fact old friends like Getty, Magnum and Image Source are coming back to exhibit, it truly is a show no image buyer can miss – and it’s free to attend"

Additional developments include the new digital gallery area, which will showcase the astounding broad range of images available from more genre-specific to wide-ranging image picture agencies exhibiting this year, ensuring the needs of picture buyers are fulfilled, bringing exciting content and thousands of remarkable pictures under one roof.

BAPLA has once again provided the opportunity for picture buyers and agencies to meet, as PBF 2010 opens its doors on the 19 and 20 May 2010 at The Barbican Exhibition Hall 1, London. With the focus on new media and technology, BAPLA will hold a range of first-class seminars, delivering content that will highlight the changes in industry practices and how both image buyers and sellers can most effectively create and license content during this period of change.

Attending the show for image buyers is free, you just need to register on the event website, where more information on the show can also be found, at www.pbf.org.uk.
 
About BAPLA
BAPLA represents over 330 Picture Library and Picture Agency members, including all the major news, stock and production agencies in the UK, and has been a trade body since 1975. To try and put our industry’s role in media into context - a substantial percentage of images seen in the daily national newspapers, books and on television are supplied by BAPLA members as well as a large proportion of images used commercially online. Also, a growing number of members of the public are contributing content to our members to help them exploit their content commercially.

Through lobbying, education and business development programmes, BAPLA aims to create an industry where our members can thrive on a level playing field.

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SpringerImages exceeds 2 million images

Springer continues growing image database with high-quality scientific and medical images

March 15th, 2010 - Springer Science+Business Media's online image database SpringerImages (www.SpringerImages.com), which was launched in July 2009 with 1.5 million images, now includes over two million images.

SpringerImages is a growing collection of high-quality scientific images, tables, charts and graphs from Images.MD, as well as images from Springer journals and books, including Open Access content. The images span all scientific subject areas. The platform allows users to search fast, broadly and accurately through captions and keywords (both author-provided and user-generated). It also provides bibliographic information for the sources, as well as one-click access to the full text, allowing users to delve deeper into the context of the image and research surrounding it.

"Images are a central component of STM content and we are delighted to see SpringerImages growing at such a fast rate," said Olaf Ernst, President of eProduct Management & Innovation at Springer. "As we continue to develop the product with scientific and medical images from high-quality sources, we are also looking to incorporate images from other publishers into the database."

Images obtained from SpringerImages can be used for almost all non-commercial purposes, including integration into presentations and PDF documents. The platform enables the user to store image sets and saved searches. Image sets can be exported to PDF or PowerPoint (including their bibliographic data) with one click. SpringerImages recently implemented Copyright Clearance Center's point of content licensing tool Rightslink® for direct licensing needs.

Springer Science+Business Media (www.springer.com) is a leading global scientific publisher, delivering quality content through innovative information products and services. The company is also a trusted provider of local-language professional publications in Europe, especially in Germany and the Netherlands. In the science, technology and medicine (STM) sector, the group publishes around 2,000 journals and more than 6,500 new books a year, as well as the largest STM eBook Collection worldwide. Springer has operations in about 20 countries in Europe, the USA, and Asia, and more than 5,000 employees. In 2008, it generated annual sales of around EUR 880 million.

Provided by Springer

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Rocket Project powered by Sony

What: As part of the Rocket Project powered by Sony and Intel, Sony Electronics has pledged to donate $1 to ReadySetLaunch, Inc. for every new fan of the Sony Electronics Facebook page leading up to the April 2010 conclusion of the Rocket Project, up to $25,000. The Rocket Project challenges a select group of high school science students to use the power of Sony VAIO and Intel Core Processors to design, construct and launch a large-scale rocket into space. Sony and Intel are providing the students with a collection of CW, F, and Z-Series Sony VAIOs, and have paired the lucky students with a mentor to turn their aeronautical dreams into a reality. On April 12, 2010, the Rocket Project students will travel to the famous Black Rock Desert in Nevada to put their experiment to the ultimate test by launching their rocket as high as possible into the atmosphere.

Who: ReadySetLaunch is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing high school students of financially disadvantaged backgrounds with high quality college advising for free. Started by college students at Yale University and run by students for students, ReadySetLaunch works to level the playing field of college admissions by providing access to the crucial advising and mentoring that can make the difference in successfully navigating the often difficult process. ReadySetLaunch is devoted to turning its collective knowledge and experience into a resource for tomorrow s promising college students.

Where: To experience the Rocket Project please visit http://www.sony.com/rocketproject
For more information on ReadySetLaunch, please visit http://www.readysetlaunch.org
To become a fan of Sony Electronics on Facebook, please visit http://www.facebook.com/sonyelectronics

When: The $1 pledge program on Facebook starts at 9am Pacific, Monday March 15, 2010.

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iStockphoto Launches User-Directed Donation Platform with Canadian Start-up Benevity, Pledging up to $500,000 in Corporate Matching

iStock Democratizes Giving Using Microdonations and the Power of its Community

CALGARY, Alberta -- iStockphoto has partnered with fellow Calgary-based company, Benevity Social Ventures, Inc. (www.benevity.org) on a phased program to enable iStock clients, contributors and employees to easily make microdonations to the charities of their choice from within the iStockphoto.com site.

This innovative philanthropic initiative will be implemented in several phases over the coming months, beginning with iStock making a charitable donation on every purchase of select credit packs, up to a total of $500,000 in 2010. Subsequent plans include enabling artists to contribute royalties to their chosen charities, providing clients with the ability to add a “top-up” donation to any purchase, and delivering a unique workplace giving program for employees. iStock expects to partner with strategic sponsors to match donations as the program advances. Once implemented, iStock stakeholders will be able to contribute in a variety of ways, to more than 750,000 charities across North America. Canadian and American donors are eligible to receive a tax receipt for all donations made by them.

iStock asks members to vote today to determine the short list of charities to feature as phase one of the program takes shape. Voting will close on March 20, 2010, with the iStock charitable donation beginning in April.

Benevity.org
Enabling socially responsible business, Benevity helps businesses of all kinds to build optional, user-directed charitable giving into their online interactions with customers, employees and other stakeholders, aligning their philanthropic strategy with their business activities while increasing user engagement, brand affinity and loyalty. The Benevity platform is unique in the social giving world, seeking to leverage the tremendous power of aggregation and microdonation. Benevity’s web services software integrates easily into other applications, allowing Benevity to be the trusted “back-end” platform for any initiative that includes charitable giving as part of its goal.

“Our vision is that soon, giving back to the community or cause of your choice will be as easy and prevalent as leaving a tip at a restaurant,” said Bryan de Lottinville, CEO of Benevity.org. “iStock’s decision to embed a user-empowered giving platform into its very DNA is a testament to the continued challenging of the status quo that has made iStock great. The iStock community is millions strong, and pays out $1.6 million in artist royalties weekly. If even a small percentage of that is donated, it could mean millions going to non-profits proving the power of a new grassroots paradigm in charitable giving.”

About iStockphoto
iStockphoto offers easy, affordable inspiration with millions of vetted, royalty-free photos, illustrations, video, audio and Flash® files. Using the most advanced search in the business, customers download a file every second from a collection of more than six million files for business, marketing and personal projects. iStockphoto started in 2000, pioneering the micropayment photography business model, and has become one of the most successful and profitable user-generated content sites in the world. iStockphoto pays out more than $1.6 million weekly in artist royalties. iStockphoto is headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Getty Images.

About Benevity
Benevity’s microdonation software is the engine for socially responsible businesses to engage their customers, employees and corporate partners in optional charitable giving. Benevity lets companies embed user-directed, tax receiptable donations and corporate matching programs into their existing transaction environments, using their own brands and systems. Benevity’s platform helps companies build authentic and impactful cause marketing, workplace giving and other social responsibility initiatives that increase engagement, brand differentiation and return on social and community investment. To find out more or to request a demo, visit us at www.benevity.org or view our short video at www.benevity.org/Goodness3.0.

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iStockphoto Creates a Collection of Free Stock Images for Google’s Blogger Template Designer

CALGARY, Alberta -- (BUSINESS WIRE) -- iStockphoto®, the world’s busiest online stock image marketplace, today announced a new collection of images and illustrations available free of charge to Google Blogger users as part of the new Blogger™ Template Designer.

Blogger is the leading blogging product in the world with hundreds of millions of page views per day and millions of active bloggers. The Blogger Template Designer makes it simple for bloggers to express themselves through unique and beautiful web design. It's easy to choose a base template, customize the background image, and modify the layout to create a professional site on the web. Users can access the iStock image collection directly from the Blogger Template Designer. There they will find a diverse collection of free images from iStockphoto. With just a few clicks, people can add punch and personality to their blogs.

“The Blogger Template designer empowers everyone to create a truly unique and beautiful blog, letting people express themselves in style on the web,” said Blogger Product Manager Siobhan Quinn. “We are thrilled to be collaborating with iStock, the market leader in the global microstock industry, to bring quality imagery to bloggers and help them create compelling designs for their content.”

Blogger makes it easy for bloggers to choose iStock images from the Blogger interface. Users seeking higher quality images or more options can easily click through from Blogger to iStockphoto where they can browse and purchase additional images. iStockphoto offers millions of photos, illustrations and videos to choose from at prices as low as one dollar.

“Being a content provider for Blogger will excite iStockphoto contributors and raise iStock’s profile with several new types of users, many of whom have not used micropayment stock images before,” said Danny Martin, iStockphoto's director of business development.

About iStockphoto
iStockphoto offers easy, affordable inspiration with millions of vetted, royalty-free photos, illustrations, video, audio and Flash® files. Using the most advanced search in the business, customers download a file every second from a collection of more than six million files for business, marketing and personal projects. iStockphoto started in 2000, pioneering the micropayment photography business model, and has become one of the most successful and profitable user-generated content sites in the world. iStockphoto pays out more than $1.6 million weekly in artist royalties. iStockphoto is headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Getty Images.

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onOne Software Announces Availability of Free Versions of Photoshop Plug-ins PhotoTools 2.5 and PhotoFrame 4.5

New free versions of award-winning software products PhotoTools 2.5 and PhotoFrame 4.5 round out free resources for photographers, including free presets for Lightroom and Adobe Camera Raw, onOne Exchange and the new onOne University.

PORTLAND, Ore. -- (BUSINESS WIRE) -- onOne Software, Inc. (www.ononesoftware.com), a leading developer of innovative, timesaving solutions for professional and advanced amateur photographers, today announced the immediate availability of two fully-functional Photoshop plug-ins: PhotoTools 2.5 Free and the new PhotoFrame 4.5 Free. The free plug-ins for Photoshop are based on the award-winning versions of PhotoTools 2.5 Standard Edition and PhotoFrame 4.5 Standard Edition and are compatible with Photoshop CS2, CS3 and CS4.

PhotoTools 2.5 Free and PhotoFrame 4.5 Free provide photographers with select content from the Standard Editions of each product, while maintaining the full functionality, unlike the traditional restrictions of 30-day timed trials or watermarked images. The free presets for Lightroom 2, Adobe Camera Raw and the onOne Exchange allow photographers to streamline their workflow and get the most out of the onOne products they already own. The new onOne University underscores onOne's commitment to helping customers get the most out of their software investment by providing over 100 free training videos with even more training content planned.

"We are excited to offer these free versions of PhotoTools 2.5 and PhotoFrame 4.5 as a way for new users to experience onOne's award winning products," said Craig Keudell, president of onOne Software. "These free products, along with the Lightroom and Adobe Camera Raw Presets, onOne Exchange and onOne University are a way for onOne to give back to the photographic community and to continue to provide value to our onOne customers."

onOne Software Free Products and Resources include:

PhotoTools 2.5 Free Edition - Based on the same feature set as PhotoTools 2.5 Standard Edition, PhotoTools 2.5 Free includes 15 of the most popular effects found in PhotoTools 2.5 Standard Edition. PhotoTools offers powerful action based effects that can improve images dramatically, making it easy to find, experiment, combine, apply and fine tune effects in an easy to use interface. The 15 effects available in PhotoTools 2.5 Free range from reproducing classic photographic effects like Bleach Bypass and Cross Process, to reproducing film stock such as Kodachrome and Velvia, to modern effects including automatic skin smoothing.

PhotoFrame 4.5 Free Edition - Based on the same feature set as PhotoFrame 4.5 Standard Edition, PhotoFrame 4.5 Free makes it easy to add the perfect finishing touch to images, with 20 professional grade edges, backgrounds, textures and adornments. PhotoFrame 4.5 Free offers an extremely easy way to browse, preview and add effects like frames, backgrounds and adornments to images, with the ability to stack multiple elements and control opacity, size and color.

Presets for Lightroom 2 and Adobe Camera Raw - Users get over 140 time saving Lightroom and Adobe Camera Raw presets designed by Photoshop Guru Jack Davis that help quickly correct color and tone and easily add creative effects.

onOne Exchange - The onOne Exchange is a free online resource that offers regularly updated content for PhotoTools and PhotoFrame and encourages users to upload their own actions and content. There are over 65 presets from onOne Software and customers to date.

onOne University - Features over 100 free video tutorials to help customers quickly learn and get the most out of onOne Software products. New video tutorials covering a wide range of subjects are currently in the works.

Availability
PhotoTools 2.5 Free, PhotoFrame 4.5 Free, Lightroom and Adobe Camera Raw Presets are available immediately at no cost as downloads from onOne Software at http://www.ononesoftware.com/free. The onOne Exchange is available at http://www.ononeexchange.com/ and onOne University is available at http://www.ononesoftware.com/university/.

About onOne Software
onOne Software, Inc., a leading developer of innovative software tools for photographers, develops time-saving software solutions for professional and advanced amateur photographers. onOne Software solutions have been created to help photographers spend more of their time behind the camera taking pictures instead of the computer workstation. Such solutions include a wide range of easy-to-use plug-in enhancements for Adobe® Photoshop®, Photoshop Elements, Photoshop Lightroom, Apple Aperture, Apple iPhoto and iPhone applications. Founded in 2005, onOne Software is a privately held company located in Portland, Oregon. Visit http://www.ononesoftware.com/ or call 1-888-968-1468 for additional information.

© 2010 onOne Software. All rights reserved. onOne Software and the onOne Software logo are registered trademarks in the United States, and all are the property of onOne Software. Adobe and Photoshop are registered trademarks of Adobe Systems, Inc. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.

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Panasonic Touch The Future Tour Lets Consumers Get Hands-On With Latest Cutting-Ede Technology For Home Entertainment And Digital Imaging

15-City Tour Kicks Off Next Week Featuring Demonstrations of First Full HD 3D TVs, 3D Gaming, Internet-Connected TVs, LUMIX Digital Cameras and More

Sweepstakes Will Make One Visitor in Each City Among the First To Own A Full HD 3D Home Theater System*

SECAUCUS, NJ (March 12, 2010) – Panasonic, a global leader in consumer electronics technology, announced today that its 15-city “Panasonic Touch the Future Tour” will kick off on Monday, March 15 with events in New York City, Los Angeles and Chicago. The public tour will give consumers across the US an opportunity to see, hear and interact with the latest cutting-edge home entertainment products, including a chance to experience live the first Full HD 3D Home Theater systems.

The Panasonic Touch the Future Tour, which will visit 15 cities across the US over the next five weeks, will appear in popular, high-traffic venues in Atlanta; Boston; Chicago; Dallas; Detroit; Houston; Los Angeles; Miami; Minneapolis; New York; Philadelphia; San Francisco; Seattle; Scottsdale, AZ; and Washington, DC. A complete listing of event locations and dates can be found at www.panasonic.com/future.

“Panasonic has really raised the bar in consumer electronics for 2010,” said Bob Perry, Senior Vice President, Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company. “From the launch of the world’s first VIERA Full HD 3D Home Theater Systems, to IPTV-enabled HDTVs with Skype video calling, to LUMIX Digital Cameras and Camcorders that make it easy for anyone to capture crisp, clear memories, there has never been a more exciting time for consumers to take their home entertainment experience to a new level. Many people may have heard about these new advances but we want to give consumers across the US a chance to experience it all for themselves and see first-hand how it can enrich their lives.”

The Panasonic Touch the Future Tour features hands-on demonstrations of Panasonic’s 2010 cutting-edge products and features including Full HD 3D Plasma Home Entertainment Systems, flat panel VIERA Plasma, , LCD and LED HDTVs; Blu-ray Disc Players, Home Theater Systems; and LUMIX Digital Cameras and Camcorders. Highlights of the Tour include:

Experience VIERA Full HD 3D Home Theater – Visitors to the Panasonic Touch the Future Tour will be able to experience the world of 3D for the home with Panasonic’s award-winning Full HD 3D Home Theater System featuring the VIERA VT25 Full HD 3D Plasma TV, the BDT350 3D Blu-ray Disc Player and Panasonic Active Shutter Eyewear. Panasonic Full HD 3D Home Theater Systems are now available at select Best Buy Magnolia Home Theater stores.

“For many people, this will be the first opportunity for them to experience for themselves the immersive world of Full HD 3D,” said Perry. “People who have already had the chance to see one of our demos have been amazed at the depth and sense of being there that Full HD 3D delivers. It is something they won’t want to miss.”

See the World’s First Commercial 3D Television Channels – Panasonic will be the exclusive presenting sponsor of DIRECTV’s new HD 3D channels set to debut in June 2010. Demonstrations of the channels, which will deliver movies, sports and entertainment content from some of the world’s most renowned 3D producers will be on display at Panasonic Touch the Future Tour events. DIRECTV’s HD 3D channels, powered by Panasonic, will offer a 24/7 3D DIRECTV Cinema and pay per view event channel focused on movies, documentaries and other programming, a 24/7 3D DIRECTV On Demand channel and a free 3D entertainment channel featuring event programming such as sports, music and other content.

Test Drive 3D Gaming – Computer graphics innovator NVIDIA will debut NVIDIA 3DTV PlayTM, a software solution that allows consumers to connect their GeForce® GPU-powered desktop or notebook computer to new 3D TVs, for the ultimate in big screen 3D gaming action. For the launch of 3DTV Play, NVIDIA is teaming up with Panasonic on the Panasonic Touch the Future Tour, where visitors can test drive 3DTV Play-based PCs running on Panasonic’s new VIERA® Full HD 3D TVs.

Connect with Skype-enabled HDTVs – Panasonic and Skype are taking VIERA HDTVs to a whole new level of connectivity in 2010 with Skype on Your TV. Visitors will see demos about how select Panasonic 2010 VIERA HDTVs will enable you to place free Skype-to-Skype voice and video calls, make calls to landline or mobile phones at Skype’s low rates, receive inbound calls via a user’s online Skype number, access Skype voicemail, participate in voice conference calls with up to 24 other parties.

Explore and Share with VIERA CAST IPTVs – Explore Panasonic’s VIERA CASTTM enabled HDTVs which give owners access thousands of television and movie titles, share photos and videos with family and friends, make video calls, listen to their favorite musical artists, and stay up-to-date with the latest sports news and information. In 2010, VIERA CAST-enabled HDTVs will feature wireless connectivity and add new features such as Netflix®, Twitter™, Skype™, Pandora®, and Fox Sports to an existing list of features which includes Amazon Video On Demand™, Google’s YouTube™, Picasa™ Web Albums, Bloomberg and weather services.

Capture Your Memories – Learn about the intuitive features on Panasonic’s range of easy- to-use Camcorders and LUMIX Digital Cameras. See how simple it is to take great photos and videos and share the with family and friends right on your HDTV and online via VIERA CAST. Tour visitors will also be able to meet professional photographers from the LUMIX Digital Photo Academy to learn tips on how to take the perfect picture. Visit www.panasonic.com/future for specific dates and times to meet professional photographers in each city.

Join the Full HD 3D World – Panasonic’s Touch the Future Tour Sweepstakes* will award one lucky visitor (18 years of age or older as of 3/15/10) in each of the 15 cities on the Tour a Full HD 3D Home Theater System featuring a Panasonic Full HD 3D VIERA Plasma HDTV, Panasonic 3D Blu-ray Disc Player and one pair of Panasonic Active Shutter Eyewear.

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.

Tour Dates & Locations
3/15 - 3/17 New York - Penn Pavilion - 401 7th Ave at 33rd St
3/15 - 3/17 Chicago - Tribune 445 - 445 S. Michigan Avenue
3/15 - 3/17 Los Angeles - Hollywood and Highland - 801 Hollywood Boulevard
3/20 - 3/22 Boston - Copley Place - 2 Copley Place
3/22 - 3/24 Detroit - Detroit Opera House - 1526 Broadway
3/22 - 3/24 Scottsdale - Fashion Square Mall - 7014 East Camelback Road
3/25 - 3/27 Philadelphia - King of Prussia Mall - North Gulph Road
3/29 - 3/31 Minneapolis - IDS Tower - 80 8th Street South
3/29 - 3/31 San Francisco - One Market Plaza - 1 Market Street
3/31 - 4/2 Washington, DC - Union Station - 50 Massachusetts Ave, NE
4/6 - 4/8 Dallas - Grapevine Mills Mall - 3000 Grapevine Mills Parkway
4/6 - 4/8 Seattle - Top of the Market - 93 Pike Street, Suite 307
4/7 - 4/9 Atlanta - 595 North - 595 North Ave, NW Atlanta
4/12 - 4/14 Houston - The Warehouse - 4108 Dupont Street
4/15 - 4/17 Miami - Ice Palace - 59 Northwest 14th Street

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Pixmac.com becomes a TRUSTe and VeriSign Sealholder

Pixmac, one of the world's fastest growing microstock agencies with an collection of over 10 million royalty free stock photos and images is now a certified TRUSTe sealholder and a verified VeriSign company.


PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC, March 11, 2010 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Pixmac is committed to providing customers with the absolute best in consumer privacy and secure online protection. The TRUSTe Privacy Seal and the VeriSign verification are two of the most trusted communication and commerce seals to acquire. Pixmac has completed a rigorous certification process that includes a TRUSTe approved Privacy Statement and verified consumer information practices that follow the guidelines of the Federal Trade Commission's Fair Information Practices.

To display a TRUSTe Privacy Seal, a company must successfully complete a full audit of all Privacy practices and agree to disclose all consumer information gathering and usage practices. TRUSTe requires that companies give their customers access to their personal information and the ability to modify that information. TRUSTe also requires a company to provide their customers with the ability to Opt-In or Opt-Out in regards to the use of their personal information.
VeriSign is one of the most trusted companies online that verifies online identities and encrypts personal information.

Pixmac is committed to maintaining the continued safety and security of customer information required by TRUSTe and VeriSign.

Pixmac introduced it's 'picture market' in September, 2008 from Prague- the capital city of the Czech Republic and now operates in 9 major world markets, including the USA, UK, Russia, Spain, Finland, Poland, Netherlands, and Brazil.

Pixmac strives to provide an outstanding customer experience and is constantly improving Pixmac.com. Pixmac pioneered the innovative' one stop shop' microstock buyer concept which is the ability to visit one site, search images from the world's largest image collections, purchase and download the perfect picture instantly without registration.

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Announcing the development of a full size premium telephoto zoom - the Tamron Superior Performance SP 70-300mm F/4-5.6 Di VC USD (Model A005)

March 9, 2010, Saitama, Japan - President and CEO Morio Ono of optical equipment manufacturer Tamron Co., Ltd., announced another advance in their pursuit of high resolution images in the telephoto lens category with the development of a 70-300mm F/4-5.6 telephoto zoom lens featuring image stabilization-VC (Vibration Compensation) and an ultrasonic auto-focus drive -- USD (Ultrasonic Silent Drive). The SP 70-300mm F4-5.6 Di VC USD (Model A005) high-resolution DSLR telephoto zoom lens has been produced for the Nikon mount, with the development of compatible mounts for Canon and Sony to follow*3.

While this new lens is designed for digital SLR cameras, it can be used with both full-frame sensor and AF 35mm cameras with a zoom range of 70-300mm; or with APS-C sensor cameras where the angle of view will change the zoom range equal to 109-465mm*4.

With superior optical performance, Tamron's own USD (Ultrasonic Silent Drive) and VC (Vibration Compensation), the SP 70-300mm F4-5.6 Di VC USD (Model A005) provides the performance of a high-end premium telephoto zoom that is appealing to a broad spectrum of photography enthusiasts.

* (*1) XLD-Extra Low Dispersion lens is made from specialized high-grade glass that has lower dispersive properties than standard LD lenses.
* (*2) USD-Ultrasonic Silent Drive is Tamron's proprietary ultrasonic motor drive.
* (*3) The Sony mount is not equipped with the VC image stabilization mechanism, as anti-shake functionality is included in the body of Sony digital SLR cameras. Consequently, the name of the Sony mounted lens, SP 70-300mm F/4-5.6 Di USD, does not include the VC description.
* (*4) Tamron's conversion 1.55x

Unparalleled optical performance in a fast and steady telephoto zoom lens
In the pursuit to achieve the most outstanding image resolution in the 70-300mm class, Tamron's Anniversary lens - the SP AF70-300mm F4-5.6 Di VC USD (Model A005) - utilizes an advanced optical design that features a LD (Low Dispersion) and an XLD (Extra Low Dispersion) lens element made from specialized materials that prevent chromatic aberration. As a result, the SP AF70-300mm F4-5.6 Di VC USD (Model A005) boasts sharper contrast and greater descriptive performance than all others in its class.
In addition, it is the first Tamron lens sporting a USD (Ultrasonic Silent Drive), Tamron's very own ultrasonic auto-focus drive mechanism. This USD mechanism delivers fast focusing, making it a perfect telephoto zoom choice for photographing sports, racing, or other fast-moving subjects. The lens also boasts Tamron's proprietary VC (Vibration Compensation) image stabilization to assist in hand-held photography, not only at long focal length ranges where blurring is common, but also under low-lit conditions, dramatically enhancing photographic freedom.

This combination of best in class image resolution, Ultrasonic Silent Drive and Vibration Compensation is a new achievement of Tamron technology, culminating in the production of a premium 70-300mm telephoto zoom lens.

Product Features

1. New optical system optimized for digital cameras achieves top resolution in the 70-300mm class with specialized glass elements including an XLD (Extra Low Dispersion) lens

This lens advanced optical design employs a sophisticated XLD (Extra Low Dispersion) lens element made from specialized high-grade glass that has lower dispersive properties than standard LD lenses (where refraction causes the dispersion of white light into spectral hues). The dispersive properties of the XLD lens are at a level similar to fluorite, and in combination with LD elements make for an optimal optical design that delivers best in class resolution with advanced axial chromatic and magnification aberration correction - major inhibitors of image quality enhancement. The result is a lens that delivers sharp contrast and better descriptive performance throughout the entire zoom range.
 
2. Fast focusing USD (Ultrasonic Silent Drive), the ultrasonic autofocus drive

The lens is equipped with Tamron's first-ever ultrasonic auto-focus drive USD (Ultrasonic Silent Drive). It achieves faster focusing making this telephoto lens perfect for photography of sports, motor racing, and other fast-moving subjects. With advanced motor technology and newly developed software, Tamron's USD delivers precise and noiseless focusing at turbo speed.

USD (Ultrasonic Silent Drive)
Tamron's USD works with the high-frequency ultrasonic vibrations that are produced by a ring called a 'stator'. Energy from the vibrations is used to rotate an attached metallic ring known as the 'rotor'. Piezoelectric ceramic, an element that produces ultrasonic vibrations when voltage of a specific frequency is applied is arranged in a ring formation on the stator. This electrode configuration of piezoelectric ceramic causes two ultrasonic vibrations to occur in the stator.
By effectively combining these two ultrasonic vibrations, it is possible to convert the energy from the vibrations that produced simple motion into energy known as 'deflective traveling waves', which then moves around the circumference (rotation direction) of the ring.
With the USD, the friction between these deflective traveling waves created on the metallic surface of the stator and the surface of the rotor produce force, causing the rotor to rotate. The focusing ring lens, which is linked to the rotor, is thus moved, creating a fast and smooth auto-focus drive.
 
3. Equipped with Tamron's VC (Vibration Compensation) image stabilization
The SP 70-300mm F4-5.6 Di VC USD employs Tamron's esteemed image stabilization mechanism-VC (Vibration Compensation) seen in both the AF18-270mm Di II VC (Model B003) and SP AF17-50mm F/2.8 XR Di II VC (Model B005). With VC, the photographer has the freedom to shoot at a shutter speed that is an extra four stops slower without having to worry about blurring. This makes capturing handheld, evening, night, and interior shots much easier.

VC (Vibration Compensation)
Tamron's VC mechanism employs a three-coil system, whereby three driving coils activate the shake-compensating VC lens group electromagnetically via three steel balls. The VC lens elements are held in place only by contact with the steel balls, achieving smooth movement with little friction. This provides a stable viewfinder image with excellent tracking performance that eliminates the blur from camera shake for cleaner, crisper shots.
 
4. Full time manual focus at your fingertips

Auto-focus has many benefits but sometimes the photographer needs the control of manual focus. Full time manual offers just that: the crossover from auto-focus to manual focus by simply adjusting the focus ring, allowing the photographer to make adjustments on the fly. This feature helps the lens produce impressive results even in telephoto situations where the depth of field is narrow.
 
5. Better balance and consistent length with internal focusing
When focusing, the internal elements of the lens move and the lens' external size does not change. This offers better balance and easier telephoto shots. Moreover, the barrel is not subject to stray light entering from external helicoids that can negatively affect images. And because the external elements do not move, it makes it easier to utilize polarizing filters and the flower shape hood to control the amount of light that enters the lens.
 
6. Enjoyable photography for a wide range of enthusiasts, from those using traditional film cameras, to digital SLRs with full-frame or APS-C size sensors

With a full-frame digital or 35mm SLR, portrait and medium telephoto shots can be achieved on the wider 70mm end of the range and spectacular telephoto shots at the longer 300mm side. When using an ASP-C sensor camera the angle of view changes, giving it the equivalent range of 109-465mm for bold ultra-telephoto shots. And with a maximum magnification ratio 1:4, the lens can be used to explore in the realm of semi-macro photography.
*Tamron's conversion value is 1.55 x
Focal length range for digital SLR cameras with full-size sensors,35mm film format SLR cameras 70mm 200mm 300mm

7. Uncompromising countermeasures to reduce ghosting and flare

Digital photography requires extreme precision, which is why Tamron incorporates new BBAR (Broad-Band Anti Reflection) multilayer coatings that reduce reflection into the lens elements. This ensures excellent performance in all photographic conditions and enhances light transmission on both long and short wavelengths. Also, Tamron applies internal surface coatings on cemented surfaces of lens elements to make images sharper with better color reproduction and balance.
 
8. Simple yet beautiful exterior design

Tamron adopted a simple design with a smooth silhouette to ensure that this lens fits well with various SLR cameras. The exquisite textured paint gives a well-crafted finish to the exterior.
 
9. Flower-shaped hood with excellent stray light shielding properties-a standard accessory

The flower-shaped hood has been designed specifically to block out damaging light rays and ensures clear, sharp descriptive performance.

Specifications
Model	A005
Focal length	70-300mm
Maximum aperture	F/4-5.6
Angle of view (diagonal)	34°21 ′- 8°15 ′
Lens construction	17 elements, 12 groups
Minimum focus distance (m)	1.5m (59.1in.)
Maximum magnification ratio	1:4 (at f = 300mm: MFD 1.5m)
Filter size (mm)	φ62mm
Length (mm)	142.7mm*(5.6in.)
Diameter (mm)	φ81.5mm (3.2in.)
Weight (g)	765g*(27.0oz.)
No. of diaphragm blades	9
Minimum aperture	F/32-45
Standard accessories	Flower Shaped Lens Hood
Compatible mounts	Canon, Nikon, Sony The Sony mount does not include the VC image stabilization functionality, as the body of Sony digital SLR cameras contains built-in image stabilization functionality.

*Length and weight values given are for the Nikon mount.
Specifications, appearance, functionality, etc, may be changed without prior notice.

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