Camera & Imaging Products Association(CIPA) is an organization in Japan made up of members engaged in the production or distribution of silver halide cameras, digital cameras, and related devices, instruments and software. A recent data released last week shows that the DSLR production and high megapixel counts are on the rise.

In the first half of 2007, manufacturers shipped out 42.4 million digital still cameras; a 27 percent increase from the same period last year. The increase is valued at 899.5 billion yen ($7.54 billion USD); an 18 percent increase.

Nearly 3.38 million of the cameras shipped from January to June 2007 were digital SLRs, an increase of 75 percent from the first half of 2006. Compact cameras with built-in lenses, however, grew only 24 percent year-over-year, accounting for 39.06 million units.

The report shows digital cameras shipped during the first half of this year have higher megapixel counts compared to last year. Cameras with image sensors of less than 6 megapixels dropped significantly, falling 72 percent, as manufacturers continue bumping up megapixel counts. Cameras with 6- to 8-megapixel counts rose in production by 62 percent, while cameras with 8 megapixels or higher more than doubled, at a 156 percent increase.

Website :  DSLR Camera Production Grows 75 Percent from Last Year

Sigma Corp. of America, Ronkonkoma, N.Y., announces its third photo contest of the season, “Summer Dreams.” Entrants must submit photos that follow the summer dreams theme and submitted photos must be taken using a Sigma lens. Each photo must be accompanied by an entry form, detailing equipment used and why the entrant believes the submitted image fits in with the summer dreams theme.

The contest is for U.S. residents and all entries must be received by Sept. 30. The wnners will be announced Oct. 31. The award for first prize is a 50-150mm f2.8 EX DC lens, second prize award is a 70mm f2.8 EX DG lens, and the third prize is a 17-70mm f2.8-4.5 EX DC lens.

Website :  Sigma Corp. announces “Summer Dreams” photo contest

Hoya Corp succeeded in its offer to acquire Pentax Corp., Tokyo, bringing to an end its months-long bid for control of the camera maker, reports The Wall Street Journal. Hoya said results of its tender offer, which closed Monday, showed shareholders tendered a total of 122.7 million shares. Hoya will buy all of the shares offered for ¥94.48 billion (US$793.3 million), bringing its stake in Pentax to 90.58 percent in terms of voting rights. Hoya was aiming to buy a minimum 50 percent stake in Pentax.

Hoya, which is especially interested in Pentax’s expertise in medical equipment, will pay ¥770 for each Pentax share. In a further bid to accelerate growth strategies through the use of each other’s resources, Hoya said it aims to buy the remaining Pentax shares and make Pentax a wholly owned subsidiary, reports The Wall Street Journal.
Pentax in December agreed to merge with Hoya but in April scrapped the plan and replaced its president, Fumio Urano, a major proponent of the deal. Hoya transformed the merger deal into a tender offer in April, but Pentax was seeking to stay independent. Pentax eventually bowed to pressure from shareholders who strongly favored a tie-up with Hoya, says The Wall Street Journal.

Website :  Hoya wins control of Pentax

NASA/JSC ( NASA/Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in Houston Teax) will purchase a big lot of DSLR digital cameras and camera peripherals from Nikon. NASA has a requirement for 48 Nikon D2XS SLR Digital Cameras. The cameras must be lubricated with Braycote lubricating grease which is approved for spaceflight during the manufacturing process. NASA has a requirement for 28 Nikon D2XS Digital SLR Camera Sets (the Strap Eyelets must be removed without compromising the integrity of the camera encasement, 225 Nikon EN-EL4A Rechargable Batteries, 20 Nikon EH-6 AC ADAPTER, 33 Nikon SB800 W/ BRAYCOTE LUBRICANT (EVA)and 31 Nikon SB-800 AF TTL SPEEDLIGHT. Here’re the lens that NASA needs from Nikon:

• 27 Nikon 12-24MM F4G ED-IF AF-S DX ZOOM-NIKKOR
• 12 Nikon 10.5MM F2.8G ED-IF AF DX FISH-EYE NIKKOR

NASA/JSC intends to purchase the items from Nikon, Inc. NASA requires all cameras and camera peripherals be manufactured from the same lot. The required delivery date for these items is August 31, 2007. Attempts to compete similar efforts have been unsuccessful due to the camera equipment having to be manufactured from the same lot and items requiring Braycote lubricant grease having to be lubricated during the manufacturing and assembly process.

Website : NASA purchases 76 Nikon D2XS DSLR cameras

Website : NASA Digital Camera Procurement list (in Excel)

Microsoft announced the Joint Photographic Expert Group (JPEG) will introduced a work item for the standardization of Microsoft’s HD Photo file format. Formal balloting of this work item is being submitted to the JPEG national delegations for approval, according to a press release. Standardization of HD Photo, tentatively titled, “JPEG XR,” will ensure camera, printer, display and software companies will be able to develop products with the confidence of a consistent scheme ensuring interoperability across their properties.

Back in March this year, Microsoft announced a plug-in that gives Adobe Systems’ widely used Photoshop the ability to read and write images stored in Microsoft’s HD Photo format. The ballot deadline for this new project is early October 2007. Finalizing and publishing the completed standard is expected to take up to one year after that.

Microsoft has spent years developing HD Photo and hopes it will eventually replace the ubiquitous JPEG. Microsoft claims the new format, which shipped with Windows Vista, offers better image fidelity, higher image-compression efficiency and flexible editing features benefiting today’s and tomorrow’s digital-imaging applications.
In comparison with Adobe’s DNG, JPEG XR does address one advantage of raw and DNG, the ability to preserve more of the original data from image sensors. JPEG retains 8 bits of data in each pixel, but cameras typically record 12 bits, with Canon’s new 1D Mark III recording 14 bits and higher-end models 16 bits.

JPEG XR has 16 or 32 bits depth for each pixel’s color, yhus the “XR,” or extended range. However, DNG and raw formats offer something JPEG XR can’t: unprocessed data. Creating a JPEG XR image means the camera processor is making its best estimation about color balance, noise reduction and image/edge sharpening.

Website : Adobe Photoshop Gets Microsoft HD Photo Support

Website : Vista supports Windows Media Photo Specification 1.0

Website : Turf war between Microsoft’s JPEG XR and Adobe’s DNG?

Download : HD Photo Plug-in for Adobe® Photoshop® Software (584KB)

Sony Executive, Mark Weir, Sr. Technology ad Marketing Manger for Alpha and Cyber-shot digital cameras responded to a recent rumor that surfaced about Sony dumping the Alpha DSLR camera line. His comments below:

“Hi, I’m Mark, and I work in Sony’s Digital Imaging group.

Thanks for your confidence and patience- it won’t be much longer!”

Website :  Sony Executive denies rumor about dumping the Alpha DSLR line

Although these two cameras are far a part one from another, both price wise and market share wise, it’s the first time in a long time that there is a possibility to compare between Nikon and Canon under the same resolution. KammaGamma, a new website for DSLR photograpaher, took both camera to the studio and compare their High ISO performance. Here are the settings:

• Canon EOS 400D: Jpeg Fine, PS: Standard, AutoWB, ISO1600, 1/100, Canon 50mm@f9
• Nikon D80: Jpeg Fine, Optimize Image: Normal, AutoWB, ISO1600, 1/125, Nikkor 50mm@f9

Here’s the quick summary:

“As you can see, the sharpening level in the Canon EOS 400D is a little bit higher, this might also be due to the strength level of the edges after the noise reduction. Nikon D80’s noise reduction system is more advanced than the one implemented in the EOS 400D. The Nikon D80 removes color noise almost absolutely and leaves very little edge problems. On the other hand, the Canon EOS 400D leaves more color noise bit delivers more details. We would choose less details and less color noise than the opposite under high ISO, but that is a matter of personal taste.

Canon is definitely stretching the DIGIC II’s limits with the 10MP resolution. We hope to see cleaner and better results in Canon’s future cameras. In the mean while we are happier with Nikon D80’s results in high ISO. ”

Website :  High ISO comparison between Canon 400D vs. Nikon D80

According to a Spanish site, it mentions some 40D specs, could this be true? or just another speculation? Only time will tell…

Sensor 1.6x - 10 MP Self cleaning sensor
3 inch LCD with LiveView
Formats JPG, RAW and sRAW
ISO 100 to 1600 in steps of 1/3
Shooting speed 6.25 fps
Buffer 75 JPG or 17 RAW
Available grip BG-E2
18-55mm lens renewed
No weather sealing
Possible DIGIC3

Website : Rumor: Canon 40D technical specification