UNDP Photo Contest Winers

Today the United Nations Development Programme announces the winners of an eco-themed photo contest. All the winners will receive digital cameras from Olympus.
UNDP salutes heroes of the environment
Kenyans and Moroccan receive top awards for
Africa eco-themed photo contest

New York, 18 November, 2009—The winning photographs of an eco-themed photo contest focused on Africa feature environmentalists planting trees in a water catchment area in Kenya, Moroccan women turning plastic bags into handbags as part of a fair trade project, and a Kenyan couple planting a tree on their wedding day.

“By showing us what ordinary citizens of Africa are doing to tackle climate change, we see the extraordinary power of photographs to tell stories,” said Helen Clark, UNDP Administrator. “These photographs will help carry the message to Copenhagen that the poorest and most vulnerable stand to lose the most from climate change, and must be part of any agreement.”

The Picture This: Caring for the Earth photo contest was organized earlier this year by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in partnership with Olympus Corporation and the Agence France-Presse (AFP) Foundation, and aimed to profile ordinary people working to preserve the environment and reduce the effects of climate change in their communities.

The first prize winners are Jacob Otieno, a Kenyan newspaper photo editor, in the professional category; Faiza Hajji Wozniak, a social entrepreneur from Morocco, in the photo essay category and Simon Ndegwa, a Kenyan youth pastor in the amateur category. Tonight, Miss Clark will present the winners with their awards, which include a certificate of acknowledgement from UNDP, and digital cameras and camera equipment from Olympus Corporation. The winner of the professional category will receive a two-week internship at one of AFP’s bureaus in Africa. The second and third place winners are from Cameroon, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Senegal and South Africa, and will all receive digital cameras from Olympus.

Olympus provides extensive support to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) as a member of the United Nations Global Compact. This project is shining a spotlight on ordinary people’s actions, which when combined, demonstrate a massive commitment to preserving our world,” said Tsuyoshi Kikukawa, President of Olympus. “As private companies, and at an individual level, we all stand to lose if we do not engage in this movement.”

The contest was inspired by the upcoming 15th Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark, in December, which will witness a gathering of 15,000 officials from 192 countries.

“Climate change has no respect for borders, and so the media’s role in documenting how people in different parts of the world are coping with its effects is very important, as it can also inspire action in others,” said Robert Holloway, Director of the AFP Foundation. “We at the AFP Foundation are encouraged by the images produced in this contest, both by the professional and amateur photographers, and look forward to collaborating further with them.”

The photo contest jurors were Nobel Peace Prize winner and Kenyan environmentalist Wangari Maathai and four professional photojournalists, including Peter Magubane, one of South Africa’s most internationally acclaimed photographers, and John Isaac, Olympus Visionary photographer, and who also was a photojournalist with the United Nations for nearly 30 years.

Protecting the environment and working to mitigate the effects of climate change lie at the heart of UNDP’s mandate. We help developing countries adapt to climate change while reducing poverty through improving disaster coping methods, strengthening institutions and charting a low-carbon development path because climate change demands that we grow in a different way.

For more information on the winners and the photo contest, see: http://www.undp.org/picturethis

Olympus Corporation: Established in 1919, Olympus Corp., Tokyo, Japan, manufactures and sells precision machinery and instruments for medical and healthcare, imaging and information, and industrial applications. Its core competency is Opto-digital technology, which is a fusion of traditional optical technology with advanced digital and fine processing technologies. For more information, visit: www.olympus.com.

The AFP Foundation was set up by Agence France-Presse in 2007 to train young photographers and reporters, especially in developing countries. It exists in the belief that free, independent and responsible media can help people make informed decisions about their lives and thus help reduce poverty, promote development and defend human rights. It seeks to raise journalists' professional standards in accordance with its code of conduct and to promote press freedom. The AFP Foundation supports efforts to improve the working conditions of journalists and the protection of those working in combat zones and other dangerous areas, especially freelance reporters and photographers. It also supports efforts to elevate the status of women in the news media. For more information, visit: http://fondation.afp.com/english/

UNDP is the UN's global development network, advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. We are on the ground in 166 countries, working with them on their own solutions to global and national development challenges. As they develop local capacity, they draw on the people of UNDP and our wide range of partners. For more information, visit: www.undp.org

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New Zeiss ZF.2 lenses series

Maximum image quality meets the comfort of automatic control

Carl Zeiss presents a new series of lenses: ZF.2 for F bayonet

Thornwood, NY – Optics specialist Carl Zeiss today announced its introduction of a new series of lenses for the semi-professional market: the ZF.2 with F bayonet for digital SLRs. Thanks to its electronic interface (CPU), these new ZEISS lenses support all-important operations such as the automatic mechanisms for time, aperture setting and program. The CPU also supports manual exposure settings, including those for camera casings that are not AI-compatible. Since the lens now transmits the EXIF data such as manufacturer, date, metering system and exposure to the camera, photographers no longer need to set the parameters manually. These quicker and faster handling capabilities of the ZF.2 lenses are especially useful under hectic shooting conditions.

ZEISS lenses truly come into their own in situations that demand extreme photographic creativity and maximum image quality. Carl Zeiss’ established fixed focal length lenses are known for their high light sensitivity and precise manual handling, leaving the photographer in full control. The new ZF.2 series will be especially interesting for photo enthusiasts who value creative, high-quality images combined with the comfort of automatic settings.



Martin Klottig, Marketing Manager of the Camera Lens Division at Carl Zeiss AG: “The ZF.2 lenses are ideal tools for photographers who want to concentrate more on the subject than on their camera equipment. Whether at a wedding, a toddler’s first steps or impressions from faraway countries, these lenses are perfect for photographers who want to capture once-only moments quickly and accurately. These situations demand first-class technology that captures spontaneous actions without too much effort and delivers fantastic images each time.”



The ZF.2 lenses are available in eight focal lengths, six of which will be available from the end of November: 3,5/18, 2,8/21, 2/35, 1,4/50, 2/50 and 1,4/85. The Distagon T* 2/28 ZF.2 and Makro-Planar T* 2/100 ZF.2 will be introduced in Spring 2010. “We are currently reworking and optimizing the Distagon T* 2.8/25 ZF. As a result, it will be available for other mounts somewhat later,“ says Klottig.



The prices for these new lenses will fall between $725 and $1,843.



With the new ZF.2 series, Carl Zeiss extends its acclaimed ZF family of lenses, for which there is still high demand and possibly long waiting times. “We will offer the ZF series as long as the demand lasts,” stresses Klottig.



For more information, visit www.zeiss.com/photo. Product photos are available for download at: http://zeiss.smartimagine.com/pindownload/login.do?pin=8VL4X



A list of compatible camera models is available under: http://www.zeiss.com/C12567A8003B58B9/ContentsWWWIntern/90A1B4054F3696A1C125743600416478



About Carl Zeiss AG

Carl Zeiss AG is a leading group of companies operating worldwide in the optical and opto-electronic industry. The five independently operating business groups are active in the future-oriented markets of Medical and Research Solutions, Industrial Solutions and Lifestyle Products. Founded in 1846 in Jena, the company is headquartered in Oberkochen, Germany. The company has been a technological pioneer in optical innovation for more than 160 years.


Carl Zeiss develops and distributes products and services under the ZEISS brand name for biomedical research and medical technology, as well as for the semiconductor, automotive and mechanical engineering industries. Planetariums, binoculars, and camera and cine lenses are valued by millions of users around the world. The eyeglass business is now bundled in Carl Zeiss Vision International GmbH, the number two eyeglass provider in the world.


Carl Zeiss AG is fully owned by the Carl Zeiss Stiftung (Carl Zeiss Foundation). During fiscal year 2007/08 (ended Sept. 30), the company generated revenues of EUR 2,731 million. Carl Zeiss has around 13,000 employees in more than 30 countries, including more than 8,000 in Germany.



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Panasonic wins Props from Popular Science "Best of whats new"

PANASONIC ONE-INCH THIN PLASMA AND LUMIX DIGITAL CAMERA WIN POPULAR SCIENCE MAGAZINE’S “THE BEST OF WHAT’S NEW”

Annual Popular Science Award Names Panasonic TC-P54Z1 Plasma and

LUMIX GF1 Digital Camera the 2009 “Gadget” Winners

Secaucus, NJ (November 18, 2009) – Popular Science Magazine has named two Panasonic products, the TC-P54Z1 Ultra-thin VIERA Plasma and the LUMIX GF1 digital camera, the magazine’s 2009 “The Best of What’s New” winners in the Home Entertainment and Gadgets categories, respectfully. Both Panasonic products will be featured in the December 2009 issue of Popular Science Magazine.

“For 22 years, Popular Science has honored the innovations that surprise and amaze us − those that make a positive impact on our world today and challenge our views of what’s possible in the future.” said Mark Jannot, Editor-in-Chief of Popular Science. “The Best of What’s New Award is the magazine’s top honor, and the 100 winners − chosen from among thousands of entrants − represent the highest level of achievement in their fields.”





The Panasonic TC-P54Z1 VIERA Plasma uses innovative wireless technology and features an ultra-thin 1” profile, making this HDTV Plasma a truly unique High Definition display. The wireless technology allows for flexible installations and the thin profile makes it easy to fit in any setting. The Panasonic TC-P54Z1 Plasma uses millimeter wave wireless technology established by the Wireless HD Consortium and has a maximum transmission rate of approximately 4Gbs, which enables full-HD uncompressed video and audio signals to be transmitted up to 30 feet from the TV.



Furthermore, the remote is RF, so the external box that houses all the electronics and connections can be placed out of sight. The TC-P54Z1 also features Panasonic's proprietary VIERA CAST™ technology that provides targeted internet content, including Amazon VOD and You Tube™. The TC-P54Z1 also includes 600Hz Sub-field drive that produces full 1080 lines of motion resolution - in prior years, Plasmas produced approximately 900 lines of motion resolution. The TC-P54Z1 is also one of a select few high definition displays to achieve THX® certification, an audio and video standard set by THX Ltd., a company founded by George Lucas to recreate the audio and video ambiance that filmmakers intended.



The Panasonic LUMIX GF1 is the world’s smallest and lightest system digital camera with built-in flash* and packs powerful DSLR-like features and High Definition video capabilities into a sleek and easy-to-use compact body. The LUMIX GF1 builds on Panasonic’s success with the revolutionary LUMIX G Series of digital interchangeable lens system cameras based on the Micro Four Thirds system standard. The Micro Four Thirds system boldly removes the very same mirror box that traditionally defined a “Single Lens Reflex” camera, thus resulting in a much smaller camera body and lenses; while not compromising photo quality or performance. The LUMIX GF1 is Panasonic’s most compact LUMIX G Series digital camera and offers features appropriate for both new and more advanced photographers.



For instance, the LUMIX DMC-GF1 includes the new My Color mode, which includes seven preset effects – Expressive, Retro, Pure, Elegant, Monochrome, Dynamic Art, Silhouette and Custom – all of which let users manually set the color, brightness and saturation levels. With the Live View function, users can see how these settings will affect the photo before they shoot, making it easier to capture the exact mood or atmosphere desired. For even more elaborate effects, users can choose from a total of nine Film modes, and set the contrast, sharpness and saturation levels for each. A custom function lets users store their favorite settings in memory. Furthermore, the exposure meter can be displayed in other shooting modes and the correlation between shutter speed and aperture is shown, with a color-coded warning that alerts users when the settings are not in the proper range.



“Panasonic has a longstanding history of being an innovative company that provides cutting-edge products and because of that, has been a consistent industry leader, so the Popular Science “Best of What’s New Honor” provides great validation that we are indeed leaders in two important categories for our company: High Definition Plasmas and digital cameras,” said Robert Perry, Executive Vice President, Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company. “We are honored by the recognition and will continue to manufacture products that are not only innovative, but also benefit the consumer who will be using them.”



For more information on the TC-P54Z1 and the LUMIX GF1 visit www.panasonic.com.



*As as of September 2, 2009


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.

For more than 20 years, Panasonic has been proud to support the Olympic Movement as an Official Worldwide Olympic Partner in the Audio and Visual Equipment category and, beginning in 2009, in the Digital Imaging category as well. Panasonic has also renewed its partnership with the International Olympic Committee for an additional eight years through the 2016 Summer Games. For more information, visit http://panasonic.net/olympic/.



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NIKON LAUNCHES ONLINE FESTIVAL

CELEBRATING HD VIDEO AS PART OF NEW INTEGRATED MARKETING CAMPAIGN

"Nikon Festival (www.NikonFestival.com) challenges everyone to capture their experience in short-form video – 140-seconds or less – and share their art with celebrities, friends, and the country. Think Sundance gone completely viral, thanks to the strides being made in consumer cameras.

Really a trend story and how camera manufacturers are taking a role in the marketplace and placing more emphasis on video: Nikon is a camera maker now creating a film festival; also about importance of social media in everyday life: videos are limited to 140-seconds a la Twitter. Great judges: The Office’s Rainn Wilson, internet personality iJustine, and photographer/videographer Chase Jarvis.

It’s a cool opportunity and gets people interested in what they can do with their cameras (D5000, D90, D300s and D3S are all Nikon SLRs that do HD video; the COOLPIX S70 also does HD)." ~Nikon PR

Actor Rainn Wilson, Photographer Chase Jarvis and Internet Evangelist “iJustine” to Judge 140-second Video Submissions
Winner Given Chance to Pursue Their Dream with $100,000 Award

MELVILLE, N.Y. (Nov. 10, 2009) –Nikon Inc. today announced the launch of a new integrated marketing campaign that includes the first ever “Nikon Festival” to celebrate, inspire and harness the current popularity of content creation shared through social media.

As a progressive social media innovator and D-SLR market leader, Nikon is challenging budding filmmakers to upload 140 second short-form video with the theme “A Day through Your Lens” to www.NikonFestival.com and follow @nikonfestival on Twitter for a chance to win up to $100,000 and Nikon equipment to pursue and chronicle their dreams.

Nikon advertising star, Ashton Kutcher, will contribute to the Nikon Festival by sharing his personally shot video taken with the D5000, which captures his recent visit to Africa. The Festival will be supported by a national TV broadcast and online advertising campaign and will run through the end of the year. The Festival video submission period begins November 10 and will be open for entries for a six-week period.

“The Nikon Festival represents the progressive nature of our brand in merging social media with innovative products as a way to engage and empower aspiring photographers and filmmakers,” said Lisa Baxt, Senior Communications Manager for Nikon Inc. "Nikon is committed to advancing HD video with the D5000 and other products and supporting it with an integrated marketing program that has a strong impact and is viral in nature. As part of this campaign, the Festival presents the opportunity for current and future Nikon customers to tell their story with HD video.”

Nikon has also enlisted influencers from TV, photography and social media to serve as official Festival judges. Each will also share personal videos shot with a Nikon D-SLR camera, including actor/writer Rainn Wilson, Internet personality Justine Ezarik (iJustine), and visionary photographer Chase Jarvis. The Nikon Festival entries will be judged in December and winners will be announced in January.

“As an actor and avid writer, I applaud Nikon’s creation of this Festival to advance the accessibility of thought-sharing and self expression to aspiring filmmakers and photographers,” said Rainn Wilson. “I think this is a unique way for people to initiate dialogue on topics they care about, while gaining exposure for their work. I’m excited to check out the videos people submit and will be tweeting throughout the Festival.”

Upload “A Day through Your Lens” Video As guided by the video submissions of Ashton Kutcher and Festival judges, entrants are challenged to create videos in 140 seconds or less, capturing the essence of a day in their life, whether funny, profound or inspirational. As videos are uploaded, they can be automatically shared with entrants’ social networks, including Twitter and Facebook, allowing instantaneous campaigning for views and votes. Although entrants are not required to use a specific camera, judges will be providing direction to meet the criteria of image quality, originality and ability to capture a day through their lens in 140 seconds.

Change Your Life in 140 Seconds or Less Festival entrants will have the opportunity to win one of two awards: an audience award and a judges’ award. The winning video selected by the Festival judges will be awarded $100,000 and Nikon equipment to pursue and chronicle their dreams. Additionally, the video getting the highest average rating and most audience views will be awarded the $25,000 Audience Award and Nikon equipment. Entrants of the Festival, found at www.NikonFestival.com, are encouraged to use social media platforms, including Twitter and Facebook, to share submissions and gain views and votes. Terms and conditions can be found at www.NikonFestival.com.

For more information on the Nikon Festival and other information on products from Nikon, please visit http://www.nikonusa.com. Follow the Festival on Twitter at the address: @nikonfestival.

All product and company names herein may be trademarks of their registered owners.

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New Spyder3Studio SR and Spyder3Print SR

We announced our new Spyder3Studio SR and Spyder3Print SR

products at PhotoPlus Expo last month. The new Spyder3Print SR is our newest printer profiling device which is now a strip reading device. This means no more clicking on every patch to get perfect prints! The new Strip Reading spectrocolorimeter was designed to help photographers create and produce professional prints quickly, accurately and without expensive trial-and-error testing. This standalone Spyder3Print SR (Strip Reader) has all new software for an exceptional easy user experience and will ship in November.

Our new complete color management studio, Spyder3Studio SR comes with the new strip reader and software plus our SpyderCube for RAW calibration and our award winning monitor calibration product, Spyder3Elite. This package gives you all the tools you need for great color from shoot, to edit to print. Check out our video tour of the product with pro photographer, Frank Veronsky (On Location & In Studio with Spyder3Studio SR).

What is the SpyderCube, you say?? We asked people on the street, and some of the responses were pretty funny.

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Drobo and NiK join forces to offer more!

Are you a photographer or creative professional that uses images in your design work? You may currently be using Drobo to back up your irreplaceable images and we thought you might also be interested to know that we think very highly of Nik Software. We encourage you to learn more about their powerful, creative and easy-to-use imaging solutions that will help you take your images to the next level, even if you’re using stock photography.

The award-winning Nik Software tools quickly and easily solve common photographic problems such as noise reduction, color and light control, skin retouching, and sharpening while also offering a multitude of creative enhancements and the best fine art black and white conversion in the business.

All products feature Nik Software's patented U Point® technology that gives creative professionals the most powerful tools for precise and natural photographic enhancements and corrections without the need for complicated selections or layer masks. Widely used by pros worldwide, you’ll find yourself turning to these powerful tools over and over again to help take your photos and images to the next level!

Nik Software is allowing us to offer our customers an exclusive 20% off discount on all Nik Software products, excluding 3rd party products. Simply use coupon code DROBO20 at Nik Software store.

For more info on Nik Software, over 70 brief lesson videos, free training webinars, and free trial versions to use on your own images, please visit www.niksoftware.com/drobo.

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Announcing the brand new Spyder3Express™

If you find yourself working on an uncalibrated monitor, chances are it is because you find the process of calibrating too technical, difficult or time consuming. Wouldn't it be nice if you could purchase a device that would calibrate your monitor to a beautiful, accurate image without all the technical hassle?

Well look no further! With the introduction of the new Spyder3Express™, Datacolor has created a calibration unit that is as accurate as the rest of the Spyder™ line, but is also very simple to use. With true one step calibration, you can now calibrate your monitor without having to make any technical decisions. You only have to tell the software if you are calibrating a notebook/LCD or a CRT monitor and the rest is automated. It's that simple!

A calibrated monitor not only brings you the correct color and contrast, but it produces a much more beautiful image, saves energy and increase the life of your monitor. The Spyder3Express™ is made for the casual user that uses the computer for digital photography, home videos or web browsing. It has never been easier to achieve correct colors and take full benefit of your digital camera or camcorder.

Spyder3Express is now available at $89 plus S/H.

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Winner Announced in the Olympus VisionAge Photo Contest!

After receiving over 350 images, the Olympus VisionAge September & October contest has been judged and the winner has been announced. Click here to see if you have won the Olympus EVOLT E-520 and view the new “Best of September & October” slideshow featuring the most compelling submissions to date. You may register for the November & December 2009 contest at www.visionagecontest.com, and compete to win another Olympus E-520 digital SLR plus 14-42mm lens (or comparable prize of equal value), awarded every two months. All professional, advanced amateur and amateur photographers are invited to contribute original photographs—and registered users can return every two months to upload new entries. There is no cost to enter.

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FUJIFILM’S SEEHERE.COM DONATES $25,000 FOR DISABLED VETs

TO FURNISH NEW SPECIALLY ADAPTED HOUSE BUILT BY HOMES FOR OUR TROOPS

VALHALLA, N.Y., November 12, 2009 – FUJIFILM U.S.A., Inc. presented a check for $25,000 to Corporal Visnu Gonzalez as part of its new sponsorship of Homes For Our Troops (www.HomesForOurTroops.org), a national non-profit organization that builds barrier-free specially adapted homes for severely injured veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The houses built by Homes For Our Troops (HFOT) allow veterans suffering from paralysis and double amputations to maintain independence, comfort and safety at home. On Tuesday HFOT presented Cpl. Gonzalez with the keys for a new Hillsdale, NJ home, and yesterday Fujifilm SeeHere.com held a “housewarming party” along the New York City Veterans Day parade route to honor Cpl. Gonzalez, his friends, family and the volunteers involved in building his new house. SeeHere.com’s surprise gift of $25,000 will help to furnish the home.

As part of the sponsorship, SeeHere.com – Fujifilm’s online photo printing, sharing, storage and gifting website – is committed to generating awareness for the cause and providing a way for customers to help through its “Home of the Free” campaign. SeeHere.com will donate a portion of proceeds from the sale of all travel mugs, tote bags and hooded sweatshirts, including those specially designed with the HFOT logo, to the organization.

For video footage, please go to: http://newsinfusion.com/video_details.php?videoId=382

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Protect what's yours. With Xerox.

Lock the front door, back door ... and don’t forget the windows. See how we can help keep your documents safe in this quick, funny video. > Watch the video now.

Bring in security fit for the White House. Xerox multifunction systems are the highest-speed devices in the industry to receive Common Criteria Certification, the international security standard for IT technology. > Learn more and browse our certified products.

Tap into document security expertise. What exactly are you trying to protect? From whom? Brush up on the latest information security issues facing companies today in a short video from the Xerox Security Summit. > View the video now.

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PANASONIC Debuts Mulltimedia Audio System PHOTO FRAME

Secaucus, NJ (November 12, 2009) – Panasonic today announced the debut of its first audio system with iPod dock and photo frame. The MW-10 combines several components into one sleek system, making it the ultimate multimedia solution for den, office, bedroom, dorm room or living room.


Sporting an elegant silhouette, the MW-10 sounds as good as it looks. It pumps out audiophile-quality sound from its built-in CD player, and its FM/AM radio tuner has 45-station (30-FM/15-AM) Preset Memory. The speaker is constructed with rigid, low-density bamboo cones to achieve pure sound and crisp dialogue. Special diffusers installed in front of the speaker units disperse sound over a wide listening area. For robust bass sounds, the D.Bass function enhances bass in conjunction with the volume level.




The Universal Dock for iPod* plays music and video downloads. The MW-10 even has an included remote control which makes it easy to operate the iPod from a distance.



Boasting a 9-inch WVGA LCD, the MW-10 can display photos from a CD, SD Memory Card and internal memory. The 4 GB of internal memory stores image data for up to 6,000** photos and provides hours of viewing and listening enjoyment. With the CD playing background music, it can display a photo slideshow. In addition to a full-screen photo slideshow, the advanced display offers a versatile combination of screen options: clock and iPod track menu, calendar and photos, clock and photos, and audio and calendar.



An SD Memory Card slot and USB connectivity offer easy transfer of data from a PC or CD-R/RW. The MW-10 is Energy Star® qualified, and its UniPhier® LSI integrates all video signal processing circuits onto a single chip, which lowers power consumption and reduces the number of components.



Panasonic’s MW-10 will be available in December 2009 with a suggested retail price of $299.95.



* iPod is a trademark of Apple Computer, Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.

** Actual storage capacity will vary based on image content.
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.

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FUJIFILM ANNOUNCES SPONSORSHIP OF HOMES FOR OUR TROOPS

Supports National Effort to Help Build Homes for Disabled Veterans Through SeeHere.com’s “Home of the Free”

Fujifilm announced a new venture with Homes For Our Troops, a national non-profit organization that builds homes for severely injured veterans who have returned home from Iraq and Afghanistan.As part of the sponsorship, Fujifilm SeeHere.com, the company’s printing, photo sharing, storage and gifting website, has made a commitment through its “Home of the Free” campaign, to donate a portion of the proceeds from the sale of all travel mugs, tote bags and hooded sweatshirts to the organization.

Additionally, as part of Fujifilm SeeHere.com’s “Home of the Free” campaign, Fujifilm SeeHere announced that consumers have until March 31, 2010, to enjoy free standard shipping on all photo gift products. SeeHere.com’s “Home of the Free” celebrates the independence people can enjoy at SeeHere.com and offers users a unique free-form design tool, free photo storage, full size photo downloads, and the new Share Projects option. In addition, users can now order their prints online and pick them up at local retail locations in as little as one hour.



VALHALLA, N.Y., November 10, 2009 – FUJIFILM U.S.A., Inc. announced a new venture with Homes For Our Troops (www.HomesForOurTroops.org), a national non-profit organization based in Taunton, MA. Homes For Our Troops builds barrier free specially adapted homes for severely injured veterans that have returned home from Iraq and Afghanistan at no cost to the veterans, giving them back their independence and helping them and their families. As part of the sponsorship, Fujifilm SeeHere.com, the company’s printing, photo sharing, storage and gifting website, has made a commitment through its “Home of the Free” campaign, to generate awareness for the cause and provide a way for the general public to help. Fujifilm SeeHere.com will donate a portion of the proceeds from the sale of all travel mugs, tote bags and hooded sweatshirts, including those specially designed with the Homes For Our Troops (HFOT) logo, to the organization.

“Families have always been important to Fujifilm and we feel strongly that our partnership with Homes For Our Troops gives Fujifilm a way to give back to the community, and will resonate with families, especially those who have served or have friends or loved ones in the military,” said Joan Rutherford, vice president, Marketing Web Business and Marketing Communications, FUJIFILM U.S.A. Inc. “Through this program, Fujifilm lets friends and families support veterans by sharing in a different way – with a gift from the heart.”



A Very Special Housewarming

Homes For Our Troops and Fujifilm will celebrate their new relationship at a November 10th ceremony in Hillsdale, New Jersey, where Cpl. Visnu Gonzalez of the U.S. Marines will receive the keys to his specially-adapted LEED-certified home built by HFOT – the first “green” home built by the organization. On November 11th, Veterans Day, Fujifilm SeeHere.com is hosting a housewarming party for Cpl. Gonzalez, his family and the volunteers who built his home. The event will take place at the St. Regis Hotel overlooking the Veterans Day parade route on Fifth Avenue in New York City.

Guests will be treated to a luncheon and a performance by The Crystal Coast Choral Society, directed by Finely Wootson, former marine, and music announcer for WTEB 89.3 FM, Public Radio East's News and Classical Music station.



“Homes For Our Troops welcomes Fujifilm SeeHere.com as a sponsor to help share visual stories of communities throughout the U.S. coming together to help build specially adapted homes for our severely injured veterans,” said John Gonsalves, president, Homes For Our Troops. “With the financial support of Fujifilm and the awareness this unique campaign will create, Homes For Our Troops will be able to help more veterans that have returned home severely injured. We are honored to be able to provide severely injured Servicemen and Servicewomen specially adapted barrier free homes so they can regain some of the independence they lost while serving our country. We appreciate SeeHere.com’s support for our mission.”



Fujifilm SeeHere.com will participate in future HFOT home builds, providing veterans and their families with professional family portraits for their new homes. HFOT beneficiaries will also receive new digital cameras and select photo gifts to chronicle the first year in their new homes, which can be shared through SeeHere.com.



For more information about helping Homes For Our Troops, please visit: www.seehere.com/homesforourtroops.

Home of the Free

Fujifilm SeeHere.com’s Home of the Free campaign is about celebrating the independence people can enjoy at SeeHere.com. Starting with the unique free-form design tool so each product can be designed to be as unique as the person creating them, there is also a new Share Projects capability so that all photo projects can be shared with friends and families, along with free photo storage, and full size photo downloads. In addition, users can now order their prints online and pick them up at local retail locations in as little as one hour. SeeHere.com also lets users create their own personalized photo web pages to share their photos, in as few as three simple steps. And now, consumers have until March 31, 2010, to enjoy free standard shipping on all photo gift products. The service is unmatched in the control it puts in the hands of its customers.





About SeeHere.com

SeeHere.com offers a complete assortment of print and poster sizes, personalized photo gifts, calendars and photo books along with a broad range of contemporary photo cards for all occasions.

About FUJIFILM

FUJIFILM U.S.A. Inc. is a marketing subsidiary of FUJIFILM Corporation, Tokyo, Japan, providing digital and analog photographic Imaging Systems to consumers, professionals and businesses. For more information, please visit www.fujifilmusa.com, or go to www.twitter.com/fujifilmus to follow Fujifilm on Twitter. To receive news and information direct from Fujifilm U.S.A. via RSS, subscribe free at www.fujifilmusa.com/rss.



FUJIFILM Corporation brings continuous innovation and leading-edge products to a broad spectrum of industries, including electronic imaging, photofinishing equipment, medical systems, life sciences, graphic arts, flat panel display materials, and office products, based on a vast portfolio of digital, optical, fine chemical and thin film coating technologies. The company was among the top 15 companies around the world granted U.S. patents in 2008, employs more than 70,000 people worldwide and in the year ended March 31, 2009, had global revenues of $24 billion. Fujifilm is committed to environmental stewardship and good corporate citizenship. For more information, please visit www.fujifilmholdings.com.



About Homes for Our Troops

Homes for Our Troops is a national non-profit 501(c) 3 organization based in Taunton, MA founded by John Gonsalves in 2004. Homes for Our Troops’ mission is to build specially adapted homes for severely injured veterans who have returned from Iraq and Afghanistan. All specially adapted homes are built at no cost to the veteran thanks to donations from thousands of individuals, foundation grants, corporate sponsors, professional tradespeople and generous support from countless volunteers.



Homes for Our Troops is proud to be listed in the American Institute of Philanthropy’s top rated Veterans & Military Charities where it enjoys an A rating. It has received a Four Star Rating from Charity Navigator. Homes for Our Troops is a member of the Green Building Council. For more information about Homes for Our Troops please visit www.homesforourtroops.org



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All product and company names herein may be trademarks of their registered owners.

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FotoWeekDC 2009

By Mel B.
FotoWeekDC put out a call to area photographers to get out there and shoot. Nightvisions, an all night shooting and downloading event took place from 6:00 P.M. November 7, 2009, to 6:00 A.M. November 8, 2009. Participating photographers went out to capture the D.C. area at night, then proceed to FotoWeek Central 1 to download and submit up to five images for the judges to select from. One image from each photographer was selected to be printed as an 11x14 and be displayed for the duration of the FotoWeek DC celebration.
For more information on the rest of FotoWeekDC's happenings see www.fotoweekdc.org. The even runs through November 14, 2009.




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Olympus Announces Expansion of Micro Four Thirds System with Two New Zoom Lenses

Lenses Maximize Design Advantages of Micro Four Thirds System Standard; Offer Outstanding Optical Performance in an Unprecedented Compact, Lightweight Package

CENTER VALLEY, Pa., November 5, 2009 – Olympus announces today that it will introduce two new Micro Four Thirds System lenses in the first half of 2010. The new super wide-angle zoom M. ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 9-18mm f4.0-5.6 lens (18-36mm equivalent) and high-power wide to telephoto zoom M. ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 14-150mm f4.0-5.6 lens (28-300mm equivalent) offer amazing optical performance in an extraordinarily compact and lightweight design that translates into taking your PEN camera anywhere for DSLR-quality images and unmatched freedom and creativity.



The Micro Four Thirds System standard meets the telecentric requirements of the 100 percent dedicated digital design, where light rays must strike the imaging sensor nearly head-on for optimum edge-to-edge image reproduction. This is achieved using a much smaller design than the Four Thirds System standard by reducing the outer diameter of the lens mount by 6mm, and the distance from the lens mount to the focal plane (the flange back distance) by approximately half.

The super wide-angle zoom lens currently in development will maximize the advantages of compact Micro Four Thirds System design with a length of only about 50mm (less than two inches), making it significantly smaller than the Olympus ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 9-18mm F4.0-5.6 (designed for the Four Thirds standard), which has an identical zoom range. In the same manner, the high-power wide to telephoto zoom lens currently in development will be extremely compact, with an exceptionally small lens barrel diameter of only about 65mm (2.5 inches). Offering a zoom range that covers the most commonly used focal lengths, the lens will be compact enough to conveniently leave mounted on the camera all the time.

Both lenses will use ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass elements to suppress the color aberration that can degrade image quality, particularly at wide-angle focal lengths. As a result, they will offer truly uncompromising image quality and brightness in an extremely compact package.

The two new lenses are being designed for use with the Olympus PEN E-P1, which was introduced in June to an overwhelmingly positive response, and the E-P2, which was also announced today, as well as any other current and future cameras that comply with the Micro Four Thirds System standard. When mounting the lenses on any Olympus PEN camera, users also can take advantage of the camera’s in-body Image Stabilization system, which offers effective camera shake compensation at all focal lengths.

The Olympus E-System, based on the Four Thirds and Micro Four Thirds standards, is designed with revolutionary features that expand the frontiers of digital photography. The ZUIKO and M. ZUIKO lenses offer a 100 percent digital design for edge-to-edge sharpness in a durable yet portable system. Olympus pioneered Full-Time Live View, Dust Reduction and other innovative technologies, leading where others have followed. Proof that Olympus enables consumers to capture it all.

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New Olympus E-P2 Video

Thanks to Olympus for the video preview/overview
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