Canon is pleased to announce the winners of The Assignment, the European challenge for amateur photographers. Following an outstanding response of 43,404 submitted images – voted for by 192,127 registrants on the competition website – the final four winners are the UK’s Ivan Hoo (Portrait), David Bernard of the Czech Republic, (Sport) France’s Alan Laboile (Macro) and Dave Derbis from Germany (Landscape).

The announcement comes after a climactic head-to-head competition finale in Vienna, against the exciting backdrop of UEFA Euro 2008. The event – held over 4 days – saw four pairs of finalists compete in a series of challenges.

Macro finalists’ skills were tested with a night shoot at Vienna’s Votive Church, while Sports finalists shot a street luge event outside the city. The Portrait finalists tackled a group of ballroom dancers in the gardens of Schonbrunn Palace; Landscape finalists, meanwhile, enjoyed a dramatic aerial shoot from a hot-air balloon. The winning images were judged by Sirio Magnabosco, the resident Photography Master.

The final four winners will now have the chance to plan and follow their own personal ‘dream assignment’ – each of which will be filmed for broadcast across Europe later in the year.

“While congratulating our winners, we would also like to pay tribute to the legions of other talented photographers who submitted images,” said Gregory Kukolj, Marketing & Communications Director for Canon Europe. “As the company that revolutionised consumer D-SLR photography, we are thrilled to see how much new photographic talent Europe is producing.”

Held across 18 European countries (Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Ireland, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK) between March and May, The Assignment 2008 saw a total of 43,404 images submitted in four categories – Portrait, Landscape, Sport and Macro.

National category winners were judged against those from other competing countries by an expert panel, chaired by award-winning reportage, portrait and travel photographer Vicki Couchman.

For more information and images, please visit
www.canon-europe.com/theassignment

NIKON CELEBRATES SUMMER BY GIVING CUSTOMERS SOMETHING BACK

Nikon continues its summer cash back extravaganza with the introduction of a new offer on D40 and D60 kits that allows customers to claim up to £90 cash back.

From the 1st July customers will be to claim up to £60 cashback for a twin lens D40 kit and £90 cash back on the D60 kit which has now been extended to include the SB-400 and SB-600. Both models are perfect for capturing family summer holidays and offer a range of innovative features for those exploring their photography skills.

Full terms and conditions and information about how to claim cashback can be found at www.nikon.co.uk/cashback.

Datacolor, a global leader in digital colour management technology, today announces a discount scheme for its class-leading Spyder3 range. Between 1st July and 1st September 2008, anyone wanting to get the best out of their calibration results will receive a trade-in discount of £40 off a new Spyder3Elite or Spyder3Studio, when they hand in their old calibration device to their dealer or send it to Datacolor along with a completed order form.

Spyder3Elite is a class-leading display calibration device aimed at professional photographers. It is more exact and about twice as fast than its predecessor Spyder2. With its active ambient light sensor and desktop cradle, Spyder3Elite also makes a stylish addition to any workstation.

For a complete suite of colour management tools, Spyder3Studio combines the features of Spyder3Elite’s display calibration with the addition of a printer profiling function. Giving users complete control over their digital workflow, Spyder3Studio enables them to tailor their colour management requirements. This ensures that prints consistently reproduce the original colours faithfully and accurately.

Users interested in the discount offer can send in all monitor calibration devices, including all previous Datacolor Spyder models (and ColorPlus) as well as units from other manufacturers such as GretagMacbeth Eye-One Display, Eye-One Photo, Eye-One Publish, X-Rite Monaco Optix, Optix XR, Optix XR Pro, LaCie Blue Eye, Huey and Huey Pro.

Christoph Gamper, European general manager of Datacolor DCS, says: “We’re committed to helping photographers and creatives achieve the best results possible with their work, and that’s why we’re offering anyone the chance to trade in their old calibrator against our cutting-edge Spyder3 technology.”

For more details about Datacolor’s Spyder3 product range and UK stockists and to find out more about the trade-in offer, please visit www.datacolor.eu <http://www.datacolor.eu/> .

Yesterday Nikon held a press event, where they invited selected industry figures to be the first to hear about its exciting new launches, including the D700…

RRP body only: £1999.99
Sales start date: July 2008

Nikon UK is pleased to announce the introduction of an all-new FX-format digital SLR: the 12.1 megapixel Nikon D700, designed to allow more photographers to enjoy the acclaimed image quality of the Nikon D3, with its smaller, more portable body.

”The Nikon D3 has taken the action photography industry by storm, motivating many pros to change their brand of choice, and we expect the D700 to continue that trend,” said Robert Cristina, Manager Professional Products and NPS at Nikon Europe. He added: “The D700 excels in the extreme low-light and high-contrast conditions under which today’s cameras are judged and affirms Nikon’s ongoing commitment to meeting tomorrow’s imaging needs.”

D3 DNA
The D700 inherits the superior image quality of the D3 and uses the same core technologies such as the highly-sensitive 12.1 effective megapixel CMOS image sensor. The D700 also features the same innovative EXPEED high-speed image-processing system, 14-bit A/D conversion and 16-bit processing pipeline to provide the detail and smooth gradation necessary for outstanding print enlargement and reproduction.

FX on the move
The D700 is ideal for those seeking a perfectly-balanced DSLR on the move, without compromising durability or environmental resistance to moisture and dust. The D700 incorporates an image sensor cleaning system that uses high frequency vibrations to reduce the accumulation of dust on the image sensor surface. A responsive 5fps is possible with the compact 1500mAh EN-EL3e lithium-ion battery, with up to 8 fps possible by attaching the optional MB-D10 battery pack using the powerful 2500mAh EN-EL4a battery if desired. The practical i-TTL built-in pop up flash with 24mm lens coverage is ideal for discrete flash lighting when a full size Speedlight might be too cumbersome.

Getting the shot right
Despite its attractive price tag, the D700 boasts a comprehensive range of features that include a highly responsive shutter release time lag of just 40ms, the acclaimed accuracy of the 51-point MultiCAM3500 AF system, DX Crop Mode and Live View with contrast-detect AF displayed on the same high-definition 3-inch TFT monitor used on the D3 and D300. One of the most significant advantages of FX format cameras is the viewfinder experience which offers outstanding solid glass pentaprism, 95% coverage and adjustable AF point LED illumination for a bright, uninterrupted view. The D700 also has the ability to display the Virtual Horizon level indicator during Live View mode.

Getting the most from the lenses
The Q610 is designed for the future without ignoring the past. As Nikon celebrates the 75th anniversary of the very first NIKKOR lens, and with well over 40 million sold, intelligent image processing technologies to control peripheral illumination (Vignette) and chromatic aberration enable photographers to rediscover the creative possibilities of their older NIKKOR F mount lenses. For newcomers, the ever-expanding Nikon Total Imaging System provides lenses, Speedlights, Software and accessories for every photographic challenge both now and in the future.

The D700 is supplied with battery EN-EL3e charger and Nikon Software suite.

London Photo Tours announces a new workshop in Street Photography.

Learn how to anticipate the moment in which to capture the candid, the poignant or the fantastic.

www.LondonPhotoTours.co.uk

New from London Photo Tours - Street Photography Workshop. This outdoor workshop is packed with street scenes filled with activity.  Subjects lend themselves to the photographer to capture without being noticed.  Learn how to anticipate the moment in which to capture the candid, the poignant or the fantastic.

Through demonstration and example learn how to see and compose a subject.  Learn how to set your camera to ensure you don’t miss a shot.  This short photography course will generate new ideas of image composition, which can be used at other world destinations.

Street Photography Workshop departs every Sunday, 10.30 am - 2.30 pm and costs £85 per person.  This is an outdoor workshop using Central London locations.

To find out more about London Photo Tours new Street Photography course please contact Lou Smith on 07738 942 099, or visit www.LondonPhotoTours.co.uk and browse the booking schedule.

Get ready to play with the EOS 450D

Canon have launched a brand new Cashback promotion on the TIPA award winning EOS 450D.

The EOS 450D blends uncompromising performance with ease of use in a lightweight, ergonomic body.  The 12.2 Megapixel sensor lets you capture every scene in ultra-high levels of detail, perfect for turning your experience into poster-sized photo prints.  For subjects that won’t wait around, the EOS 450D offers rapid focusing via 9 auto focus points – great for ‘rule of thirds’ compositions.  An intuitive menu system and user-friendly controls make it easy to start experimenting with the camera’s full range of creative shooting options.

Consumers who purchase the EOS 450D in any configuration from 26th June to 4th August 2008 can redeem £50 (€65 ROI) cashback via a promotional claim form. Duplicate claim forms and full terms and conditions of the Cashback promotion can be found at www.canon.co.uk/eos450dcashback.

If you want to print or share your treasured photos but don’t know what paper weight or style your prefer, look no further…

Press release: Shooting, printing and sharing your most memorable images has become a favourite pastime for many of us today. Your family party or weekend away can be easily captured and reproduced thanks to advanced digital technology and reliable home printing solutions.

ILFORD has now taken this activity a step further by creating and launching its Discovery Pack. Aimed at all the family, ILFORD has selected a range of quality products from its Inkjet Photo Paper Range to demonstrate how different weights and surfaces of photo paper can enhance your favourite image. Products are compatible with good inkjet, including borderless, printers.

www.ilford.com

Save money on your calibration tools with Datacolor and the Spyder family…

Press release: Datacolor, a global leader in digital colour management technology, today announces reduced prices for its Spyder3 range, making its professional calibration equipment even more affordable for amateur photography enthusiasts.

Effective from 1st June 2008, Datacolor’s award-winning Spyder3Elite is reduced in price from £175 to £155.99 while Spyder3Print is reduced by £60 to £253.99, including VAT.

Spyder3Elite is a class-leading display calibration device aimed at professional photographers. Its sleek and stylish design houses cutting-edge technology to make accurately calibrating a monitor as fast and easy as possible. Now more affordable, Spyder3Elite enables amateur photographers to get the best on-screen colour results from their work.

Spyder3Print lets photographers printing their pictures at home reproduce the original colours as precisely as possible. Complementing the display optimisation capabilities of Spyder3Elite, it enables users to create customised profiles for their own printer, ensuring that accurate, high quality prints are achieved without wasting time, ink and paper on trial and error testing.

Christoph Gamper, European general manager of Datacolor, says: “Our Spyder3 range has proved to be very successful among imaging professionals who trust Datacolor to get the best from their work. By introducing new, lower prices for Spyder3Elite and Spyder3Print, we are able to bring Datacolor’s advanced colour management technology to a new audience who are also passionate about colour in their work.”

Further details of Datacolor’s Spyder3 range can be found at www.datacolor.eu <http://www.datacolor.eu/> .

For details of UK stockists, please contact Computers Unlimited on 0870 264 6606 or visit www.unlimited.com

Get you mitts on the latest installment of the Adobe Creative Suite…

Press release: Today Adobe announced that Adobe Creative Suite 3.3 Design Premium, Design Standard, Web Premium, and Master Collection editions are available immediately for creative professionals. Creative Suite 3.3 incorporates Acrobat 9 Pro, bringing together the power, reach, and richness of the Adobe PDF and Adobe Flash formats and introducing numerous enhancements to print production workflows. Adobe Creative Suite 3.3 Design Premium also bundles Adobe Fireworks CS3 software as a special offering for designers who need to rapidly prototype Web sites and Web applications.

In the UK, CS3.3 Design Premium is now offered to market at 10 per cent discount compared to CS3 Design Premium. The discount applies to full product and upgrades from point to full Design Premium. Plus customers can claim a bonus of 7-hour Total Training DVD (Adobe CS3 Design Workflow).

By using Acrobat 9 Pro software in Creative Suite 3.3, creative professionals can combine diverse documents, video, audio, and other file types into easy-to-distribute PDF Portfolios, complete with customisable interactive navigation. Thanks to new native support for the Adobe Flash format, PDF files can now incorporate and smoothly play back video, audio, and application files created in Adobe Flash for richer and more engaging experiences.

With the enhanced Overprint Preview feature, print professionals can view accurate interactions between overlapping objects on-screen. Overprint Preview automatically toggles on by default when it detects overprinting in PDF/X files or if the user sets a preference to detect overprinting in any PDF. Print professionals can also reliably convert RGB and CMYK to black or to different colour spaces.

Additionally, Acrobat 9 Pro lets designers collaborate on documents more effectively and efficiently. Design professionals can now, literally, get their clients on the same page easily using Acrobat 9 Pro and Acrobat.com, Adobe’s new set of hosted services.

Adobe Fireworks CS3 includes a common library of pre-built assets for rapidly prototyping Web sites, enables easy creation of Web graphics, and allows seamless integration with Adobe Photoshop®, Adobe Illustrator®, Adobe Dreamweaver®, and Adobe Flash.

Hasselblad has today announced the release of a brand new software: Phocus. Designed for RAW processing, workflow and camera control, the app is sure to be a hit with H3D owners…

Press release: Hasselblad today announces the launch of a new generation of raw processor, workflow and camera control software, Phocus version 1.0 for Mac.  The outstanding combination of the world’s most advanced DSLR - the Hasselblad H3DII - which already produces the sharpest, most detailed images at the highest resolution, and the innovative Phocus software, enables photographers to achieve unsurpassed image quality.

Providing the ultimate processing tool for Hasselblad digital images, the new Phocus RAW processor delivers perfect colors through the Hasselblad Natural Color Solution, and includes digital lens corrections for color aberration, distortion and vignetting (DAC I, II and III).  Another key advantage and designed to save hours of post-production work, Phocus’s leading edge moiré removal technology allows image detail to be preserved, even on extremely high resolution images. By automatically removing moiré directly from the raw data, image quality remains intact, while any need for special masking selections or other manual procedures is eliminated.

Professional photographers can now enjoy an entirely new level of flexibility thanks to the innovative, extended controls Phocus provides for the operation of Hasselblad cameras.  Features include live video for easier shot set-up and workflow, and the ability to control the lens drive for focusing when the camera is in a remote position or when the digital capture unit is mounted on a view camera.

Further flexibility provided by the Phocus GUI allows photographers to benefit from the ability to customise their set-up to suit their workflow and work with multiple high resolution images simultaneously.  Choice of import source, browsing/comparison functions, file management, image export in different file formats and pre-setting of options for upcoming shoots, comprise but a few of the easy-to-use options.

Phocus also extends the metadata included in all Hasselblad images and facilitates accurate and detailed cataloguing and indexing as well as the easy management of images.  Also included is GPS data functionality, allowing a host of new functions, such as linking GPS data directly to Google Earth for simple geographic reference, making image storage and retrieval much easier.

The advanced features contained in the Phocus Viewer allow users to enjoy image viewing quality equal to that found in Photoshop.  Offering a wide range of options including full view, compare, browse, horizontal or vertical view, the Phocus Viewer also provides photographers with the capability to customise layout and composition to suit their current or desired workflow.  In addition, multiple folders can be simultaneously opened side-by-side for comparison or selection.

Christian Poulsen, Hasselblad’s Chief Executive Officer, says, “Phocus v1.0 is a powerful software toolbox, providing maximum functionality and seamless integration between the H3D camera and the computer system, and enabling professional photographers to get more from both their images and their photography in general.  Hasselblad strives to constantly provide the ultimate in image quality and through the development of photographic tools such as the Phocus v1.0, which covers a multitude of workflows and conditions, we are able to assist modern photographers in facing the challenges of today’s competitive industry.”

Hasselblad Phocus is immediately available for registered users to download and includes a comprehensive user manual and training tutorial video in QuickTime format.  Hasselblad also plans to issue a Phocus version for Windows in Q3 of 2008.  Phocus comes free of charge with all Hasselblad digital camera products.