Digital Camera News: Shutterfly and HSN, Block Digital Images, Thinnest Camera Phone, Finepix S3 Pro Firrmware Update

Shutterfly Hits the Home Shopping Network

Shutterfly has announced a partnership with the Home Shopping Network.  Shutterfly services and products will now be bundled with digital camera and scrapbook supply products sold on the Home Shopping Network.  Not only will Shutterfly products show up on TV, but they'll be available on hsn.com.

Expect to see free 4x6 and 5x7 prints, photo calendars and other personalized products from Shutterfly bundled with the HSN products.

Digital Camera Blocking Technology

Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have come up with a device that can detect a digital camera up to 33 feet away and fire a directed light beam at it to disrupt any image capture.

A video camera detects the reflection of infrared light from a digital camera lens.  The coating on digital camera lenses makes it stick out from a crowd of other reflective surfaces, like eyeglasses.  Once a digital camera is located a neutralizing light is pointed in its direction until the "detector" doesn't see a camera lens reflection anymore.

For more, see this article at Cnet

NEC Launches Thinnest Folding Camera Phone

NEC has launched the NEC L1.  At 11.9 mm thick when folded, it is the thinnest folding camera phone.  The 1.9 inch color display can display images taken with its 1.3 megapixel camera.  The phone also features PictBridge compliance, Bluetooth, MP3 playback and Java.

Fujfilm Finepix S3 Pro Firmware Update

Fujiilm now has an update for the S3 Pro.  To get the update, see their support page for the S3 Pro.  Below are the details of the update:

 This Firmware update (Ver.2.18) will revise the internal software of the FinePix S3 Pro digital camera. Installation of this update is optional. It incorporates the following enhancements:

- When upgrading from ver.2.16:
1) Updates for the setting of the sharpness for JPEG images in the PC control mode.

- When upgrading from ver.2.12 these additional enhancements are made:
2) Improves color accuracy at slow shutter speeds when using Nikon flash units.
3) Updates for custom white balance function and exposure control function in the PC control mode.

- When upgrading from ver.1.00 these additional enhancements are made:
4) Adds PC control function (needed to update Hyper- Utility Software HS-V2 Ver.3.1)
5) Updates AUTO ROTATE function
6) Updates the function for AF-S Nikon and AF-VR Nikon lens. (Will function properly even if the power switch is on when the lens is attached)
7) Updates the compatibility for high capacity of storage media.

You may upgrade directly from ver.1.00 to ver.2.18.