The new EOS 50D offers 15.1 Megapixel Resolution, Expanded ISO Range and Enhanced Noise Reduction

With the demand for digital SLR cameras reaching unprecedented levels, Canon is answering the call with the announcement of the next evolution in advanced amateur digital SLR photography, the EOS 50D Digital SLR Camera with 15.1 megapixel resolution and Canon's new DIGIC 4 image processor. Designed to offer superb quality and image control for the advanced photographer, the Canon EOS 50D includes an expanded ISO range, improved noise reduction, and new in-camera photo editing features. Canon has loaded the EOS 50D camera with a number of enhancements and some trickle-down technology from Canon's professional EOS-1 digital SLR cameras, as well as a new Creative Auto Mode (CA) that gives users more creative flexibility to make image setting adjustments conveniently without the need to be a photo expert.

Canon has built upon the success of the popular EOS 40D model – which will remain in Canon's line – with the EOS 50D Digital SLR camera. Expected to be the camera body of choice for advanced amateur photographers this holiday season, the 50D carries over the 40D's 14-bit Analog-to-Digital conversion process for smooth tones, and also includes enhanced noise reduction, especially at higher ISO ranges which will help bring those nighttime shots into greater focus and clarity. Capable of shooting 6.3 frames per second, the 50D is ideal for shooting in almost any environment.  read more »

Questions just keep rolling in at Verbatim’s user information site www.photostorageguide.com. General questions from people on how to gather, save, protect their family moments/memories photos and videos.

Here are answers to some of the latest questions (and answers) on archiving photos:

Q. Why are CDs and DVDs the best way to archive?

A. Since it is estimated that one out of seven computer hard drives "crash" within the first year, it could be dangerous to rely on storing irreplaceable photos on a hard drive alone. Optical discs (CD, DVD) are a very economical and reliable way to archive photos. For added security, write-once CD-Rs and DVD-Rs should be used and extra copies should be made that can be stored at another location. Users can add to the disc but cannot alter the content stored on the discs. The portability of CDs and DVDs also makes them easy to take with you in the event of an environmental disaster.  read more »

Oosah is a relatively new web-based service that lets you store and manage all of your photo, video, and music content from services like Flickr, Picasa, Facebook and YouTube (MySpace and Photobucket coming soon) in one place. Have photos on your camera? Upload them directly from your digital camera to Oosah without having to transfer it to a PC or Mac first. It is a fully web-based file management system that lets you create file folders, and file folder hierarchies, just like you can do on your desktop system. And with a desktop-like look and feel (including use of standard drag-and-drop and keyboard commands), creating slideshows and galleries is simple.

Want to share your photo? Oosah has more sharing options than most sites, including email, RSS, linking/embedding, SMS, podcasting, and even downloading and burning to CD/DVD, and local high resolution printing of photos.  read more »

I just saw the new PENTAX Optio W60 compact digital camera. True to form, PENTAX has upped the ante again, offering an advanced, lightweight and fully waterproof, pocket-sized digital camera. The Optio W60 features 10 megapixels and a 5X zoom lens with 28mm wide-angle capability. The enhanced design of the Optio W60 allows the camera to operate up to 13 feet underwater for two hours and at extreme temperatures well below freezing.

Perfect for photography in adventurous as well as everyday settings, the 5X optical zoom refraction lens never protrudes from the Optio W60, yet it covers focal lengths from 5mm to 25mm (approximately 28mm to 140mm in 35mm format). This range allows the camera to capture a wide variety of scenes including expansive landscapes, architecture, and group photos in confined spaces as well as close-up telephoto shots of subjects. Another neat feature is a digital wide function which merges two shots into one image for ultra-wide-angle image capture (equivalent to a focal length of 21mm in 35mm format). I really enjoyed this aspect of the camera's performance, as I did not get an opportunity to test it out in cold water (or weather).  read more »