Roundup: What's Next in Photo Imaging

LAS VEGAS--From multimegapixel digital cameras to software for easily editing the shots to slick color printers for producing prints of them, electronic imaging gear is everywhere at the annual convention of the Photo Marketing Association (PMA) here.

Don't stop with still images; a chorus line of camcorders is on display as well. Devices for storing the images continue to shrink, while their capacity grows. Space-saving combination units scan, print, and fax all in one box. Best of all, most of these new products are headed for retail stores within weeks.

Here's an overview of what we found in imaging heaven.

Printing Options

Epson is showing an upgrade package for the newest member of its Stylus printer family, the Color Photo 960, which lets you print directly onto CDs and DVDs without having to use paper labels.

The upgrade began shipping as part of the printer package in February. It includes a CD printing tray, new printer drivers, a print CD application, and a link to an online Photoshop template. Anyone who bought the printer before the CD printing features were added can order the upgrade free online from Epson.

Meanwhile, Kodak is enhancing its printers, too, showing the new EasyShare Printer Dock 6000, a combination photo printer and camera dock. You place an EasyShare 6000/600 series camera on the dock and press a button to produce prints.

Kodak bundles a sample media kit containing a Kodak Color Cartridge and sufficient photo paper for ten prints. The Kodak EasyShare Printer Dock 6000 is scheduled to ship in May with a price tag of $199.

Also new is a redesigned Kodak EasyShare Camera Dock 6000, smaller than its predecessor and equipped with a new tilt function for easier LCD viewing. Via the dock, you can view images in your camera and upload your choices to your PC. This dock costs $80.

Both of these products, of course work with Kodak's new digicams: The $329 EasyShare DX6340 Zoom digital camera is due to ship in May, and the $399 EasyShare LS633 Zoom digital camera should come out in April.

HP's Imaging Wares

Hewlett-Packard is unveiling all-in-one printing and imaging devices, including one that the company calls the smallest flatbed all-in-one yet. HP is also showing a pair of new Photosmart digital cameras and a new camera dock.

The HP PSC 1210 all-in-one device handles color printing, scanning, and copying, at 4800 by 1200 dots per inch. Priced at $149, it's expected to ship within weeks.

HP's Officejet 7100 series, aimed at small businesses and home offices, has built-in networking capabilities and is compatible with HP's Jetdirect 280m and 200m connectivity accessories.

The devices handle color printing, copying, scanning, and faxing. You can print photos directly, thanks to a built-in card slot that accepts CompactFlash, Secure Digital, MultiMediaCard, Sony Memory Stick, and SmartMedia. They are expected to ship in March and should range in price from $399 to $699.

Both of HP's new digicams offer a choice of automatic or manual controls and have 3X optical lenses. They also support HP Instant Share, which lets you link the digicam to a PC and send images to an online address, such as an e-mail account, a networked printer, or a Web site.

The 5.3-megapixel Photosmart 935 comes with a 32-MB SD card. It is scheduled to ship in mid-April at about $449, according to HP.

The HP Photosmart 735, a 3.2-megapixel camera, replaces the Photosmart 720. It comes with 16MB of internal memory and an SD memory card slot. It is scheduled to ship in June and to sell for about $299.

The HP Photosmart 8886 camera dock is compatible with both the Photosmart 935 and Photosmart 735 digital cameras, as well as with other 2003 models. When you place a camera in the dock, it recharges the camera's batteries and can easily print or transmit stored images. The Photosmart 8886 camera dock can produce a digital photo slide show on a TV via its wireless remote. It costs $79.

Dual Duties

JVC is trying to become a bigger player in the U.S. market with its introduction of a trio of entry-level digital cameras that also offer video capture functions.

Both the compact GC-A55 ($160) and the ultracompact GC-A50 ($150) are 1.3-megapixel models, but the former includes a 1.5-inch full-color LCD. A third model, the GC-A33 ($100), is an entry-level camera with a resolution of 640 by 480 pixels.

JVC is also showing a preproduction pocket PC with 64MB of onboard RAM, a USB port, and built-in Wi-Fi for connecting to a home network. Along with the expected Pocket PC functions (such as calendar, e-mail, and personal digital assistant tools), the company is touting the new unit's capacity to act as a streaming media server, but only for JVC camcorders with MPEG4 video.

The PocketPC has an audio/video remote for home theater setups and a remote for controlling digital video cameras. It's expected to ship this summer with a street price $649.

Sony's Digicam Deluge

Sony is showing nine new digital still cameras, seven of them Cybershot models, including the first in a new V series. The two new Mavica models can record images onto CDs.

Almost all of the new models have a 3X optical zoom, and resolutions in the new line start at 3 megapixels.

The 5-megapixel DSC-V1 is Sony's new top-of-the-line compact digital still camera. It has a 4X optical zoom lens and targets serious amateur photographers. Like the Sony F717, the DSC-V1 supports the company's Nightshot and Nightframing functions designed for photography in darkness or very low light conditions. It also comes with a hot-shoe to accommodate an external flash unit. The DSC-V1 is scheduled to ship in May for an estimated price of $700.

Sony has also updated its point-and-shoot P series with four new basic models, all scheduled to ship in April. The P32, P52, and P72 feature 3.2-megapixel CCD image sensors and represent updates of the P31, P51, and P71, respectively. Prices are $230 for the P32, $280 for the P52, and $330 for the P72.

The fourth new model, the P92 ($500), is a 5-megapixel version of the P72, but it has no optical zoom. The P52 packs a 2X lens, and the P72 and P92 have 3X lenses.

Sony has refreshed the compact models in the P series, too, introducing the P8 and P10, both of which carry a 3X optical zoom lens.

The $400 P8, a successor to the P7, has a 3.2-megapixel CCD. It is scheduled to ship in April. The $600 P10, successor to the P9, has a 5-megapixel CCD. It's scheduled to ship in May.

Sony is also previewing two new Mavica models, which record images directly onto 8-centimeter CD-R or CD-RW discs. Both the 3.2-megapixel MVC-CD350 and the 5-megapixel MVC-CD500 have 3X optical zoom. The cameras are slated for release in April; the MVC-CD350 is priced at $500, and the MVC-CD500 at $700.

Software and Services

Also new at PMA are announcements from Preclick and DigitalCustom.

Preclick is announcing its Lifetime Photo Organizer, a full-featured version of its free Preclick Photo Organizer. The technology is also available on several photo processing sites for posting digital albums.

The application provides digital photo management and organization tools, including tools to categorize, sort, and search photos, attach captions, and set up a photo show. Users can actually attach notes to the digital images through metadata.

The downloadable Preclick Lifetime Photo Organizer will be available this spring for an introductory price of $10, including upgrades for one year; the price rises to $30 this summer, according to the company.

DigitalCustom is launching a professional photo-editing service, building on its existing consumer service and photo repair and restoration experience.

Peggy Watt, Tracey Capen, and Frank Thorsberg of PCWorld.com and Martyn Williams of the IDG News Service contributed to this report.