Rangefinder Magazine
December 2004

Click Here for printable version of this article.

New Products

Specifications in these listings are condensed from information provided by manufacturers and suppliers. For more information about these new products or processes, see our new feature, “Where To Find It,” on pages 120 and 121. When contacting the companies direct, please mention Rangefinder.

Sinar’s CaptureShop version 5.0 is now available for download on the Sinar Bron web site (www.sinarbron.com). Sinarback digital backs will gain a significant increase in performance with CaptureShop 5.0. New features include an Image Browser with a clear overview, faster image manipulation by using previews, faster shooting frequency and open ICC workflow. All registered owners of Sinar equipment can download this OS-X-compatible program from Sinar’s web site free of charge. You will need the last four digits of your Sinarback serial number to access the download. At this time, CaptureShop 5.0 is recommended for all Single-Shot Sinarbacks. It is recommended that multi-shot backs continue to use CaptureShop 4.1 Sinar CaptureShop version 5.0 may only be used with MAC OS-X version 10.3.5 (Panther and higher).

Timestone Software has introduced CompositeBuilder, which allows photographers to design, edit and proof their digital composite pages prior to sending the job to their lab for printing. “CompositeBuilder has enormous benefits for both the photographer and the lab,” commented Dino Apolito, Timestone Software’s general manager. “It gives the photographer the full power of Timestone’s NeoComposite program, arguably our most popular application, at a fraction of the cost. At the same time it provides the lab with a ready to print and proof file, saving time and money on revisions and template changes,” he added. Labs will require NeoComposite to print the job. With CompositeBuilder, images can be imported, edited and matched to data before forming composite pages within the photographer’s own layout templates. After providing the customer with a copy-protected, full size composite page for proofing, photographers can create a single zip file containing everything the lab needs to print the job. Once the lab receives the file, they need only open the file in NeoComposite and print. CompositeBuilder is licensed at $380 per year. This includes all upgrades and support. To download a free demo version, visit the Company’s web site at www.timestonesoftware.com/.

Eclipse Digital Albums, from General Products L.L.C., offer a great solution for quick, easy design of professional coffee table albums at a great value. Eclipse Digital Albums, designed with Eclipse ProAlbum Software, feature robust templates and 100% drag-and-drop ease. The software makes professional design a breeze. No Photoshop is needed. Create pages with Eclipse templates, place full-page images, or custom design pages. Make custom images into backgrounds, or choose from those provided. Save your album design to CD or DVD, and let General Products do the rest. Eclipse pages are engineered to utilize the latest in true digital offset technology. The two-sided prints are encapsulated in a high-quality UV filtering lamination to ensure an archival life. The prints are also resistant to damage from moisture and light. Since Eclipse pages are less bulky, you can utilize hundreds of additional images from every event. Eclipse packages offer duplicate albums to optimize your sales opportunity. The Eclipse Lunar Package includes: one each 15x12-inch, two each 10x8-inch and four each 7x5-inch albums. The Eclipse Solar Package includes three each 15x12-inch and eight each 7x5-inch albums.

The Epson P-2000 Multimedia Storage Viewer offers a 40GB hard drive and beautiful 3.8-inch LCD with Epson Photo Fine Technology for brilliant color and exceptional detail. The P-2000 Multimedia Storage Viewer offers the ultimate in portable freedom for digital photographers. The Epson P-2000 not only enables users to view, store and playback photos, videos and music, but also has a 3.8-inch Epson Photo Fine LCD screen, which offers amazingly clear image quality. The Epson P-2000 can store thousands of photos from digital cameras with its 40GB hard drive. With its built-in memory card slots it can also transfer files quickly without having to connect to a computer. “The Epson P-2000 is the perfect companion for any digital enthusiast and provides a new level of freedom and flexibility with its incredible screen quality, fast downloads and large storage capacity,” said Grace Huang, product manager, digital input products, Epson. “Whether you are a photographer viewing the photos from the day’s shoot, a small business owner showing your portfolio to a client, or a parent showing off pictures of your children, this versatile and convenient device will display amazing images whenever or wherever you want.” Both Windows® and Macintosh® compatible, the EPSON P-2000 features an intuitive menu that enables users to create folders to categorize and group files for easy access and viewing. The P-2000 will be available by the time you read this. MSRP is $499, and it can be purchased on the Epson retail Web site (www.epsonstore.com/).

Phase One a leader in digital camera backs and DSLR RAW conversion software, welcomes Adobe’s latest initiative, the Digital Negative Specification (DNG), as an important step in facilitating the wider usage of RAW formats. Phase One announced the support of the Adobe DNG specification in upcoming releases of its highly respected C1-RAW Workflow Software in 2005. Today, the C1 range of RAW workflow software has native support for most professional DSLR cameras. Adding the DNG format, Phase One will be able to offer end users yet another option in RAW file captures and building an efficient RAW workflow. Phase One will continue to support the native RAW format of existing professional DSLR cameras as well as future DSLR cameras; however, the company looks to the DNG format as a means of bringing additional camera support to C1 users in a more timely fashion, while maintaining the image quality that Phase One is known for. For more information visit Phase One’s web site at www.phaseone.com/.

Profoto has introduced a new addition to its D4 flash line—the D4 4800. With the addition of the D4 4800, Profoto is now offering a high power flash unit for studio photographers. This new Profoto generator is an excellent main light source for studios specializing in furniture, automobile and large still life photography. Because of the extensive power adjustment range and high efficiency, the new D4 4800 is also perfectly suited for bigger set-ups where just one flash generator can be used. The D4 offers four fully asymmetric lamp outlets—like having four generators in one. The entire eight f-stop power range is controlled in 1⁄10 f-stop increments. Extremely high light output, coupled with color and color spectrum stability from flash to flash gives the user high productivity and reliable results. The extreme stability of the D4 results from a new hybrid flash technology that uses a combination of capacitor groups, voltage regulation and advanced microprocessors to regulate and fine-tune the output. The result is a generator with power variations of less than 1⁄100 of an f-stop. The D4 family consists of three fully asymmetrical generators (1200, 2400 or 4800Ws). Visit Profoto on the Web at: www.Profoto-USA.com/.