Digital Camera News: Pentax K10D Firmware Update, MS Photo Info, Sharp Unveils 1/2.5-Inch 8 Megapixel Sensor

Pentax K10D Firmware Update

Pentax has has released version 1.10 firmware for the K10D digital SLR. The firmware updates the following:

• Using the camera's built-in flash, you can now wirelessly control external Pentax flashes. Previously, you needed an accessory flash mounted in your camera's hot shoe, but now the built-in flash can act as a control flash.
• In autofocus select mode, you can program the AF button to instantly return to the center autofocus point.
• In Tv or Av mode, you can now program the second e-dial to adjust your ISO setting.
• In any exposure mode except Sv and TAv, you can change your ISO setting with the front e-dial while pressing the OK button. The camera will display your ISO in the viewfinder and on the top LCD panel as you adjust your setting.
• In TAv mode, you can program the green button to return to the camera's program line. Previously this functionality was only available in M mode.
• You now have additional options for programming your e-dials in P mode.
• Pressing the green button while adjusting flash exposure compensation will now return you to the default value.
• Corrected an issue in some rare cases where a long exposure might produce a vertical stripe.
• Corrected an issue where the battery charge indicator would sometimes show empty in bulb exposure mode.

Installation instructions

Microsoft Photo Info Tool Released

Microsoft's Rich Media Group has released a tool called Microsoft Photo Tool that lets you view and edit "metadata" about an image (or a batch of images). It does so without editing the pixel data of the images. Once installed (on 32-bit versions of Windows Vista or Windows XP with Service Pack 2 or later and the Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 runtime installed), you can start the tool by right-clicking on a supported image and clicking the new "Photo Info" entry in the context-sensitive menu.

Here is the list of features:

• View or edit photo metadata from inside Windows Explorer. Now, advanced image properties are at your fingertips from within Windows.
• Edit images individually, or as a collection. Photo Info has two edit modes: individual and collection, making it easy to update many images at the same time.
• Quick recall of recent entries. For some properties, Photo Info remembers the most recent entries you have typed. To recall a recent entry, click on the drop down arrow and select it from the list.
• Generate copyright notice automatically. Photo Info can generate a standard copyright notice automatically from the Author and date Created information, if present.
• Quick recall of location details. To help save time when entering location information, Photo Info can save location details under a name you provide. Recall these details by selecting the location name from the drop-down menu.
• Correct EXIF capture date / time information. Photo Info can optionally update the EXIF date/time information as recorded in the image file by your camera. You can use this feature to correct the file capture date if your camera's clock was set incorrectly (for example, to the wrong time zone).
• View EXIF properties. Click on the Details tab to view common EXIF properties. Click on More properties for additional details.
• Preview the image. To see a larger preview of the image, double-click on the thumbnail.
• Enhanced hover tips. Hover tips have been enhanced for JPEG, TIFF and other supported file types in Windows Explorer.
• Custom column properties. In Windows Explorer when viewing a folder in Details view, additional sort properties are available for supported image types.

More information (and download)...

Sharp Announces 8 Megapixel 1/2.5-inch Imaging Sensor

Sharp has announced an 1/2.5-inch CCD that is capable of capturing 8.28 megapixels. The new chip is constructed with 1.75 μm x 1.75 μm pixel cells - claimed to be the smallest in its class. Sensor samples will be available at the end of January with full production beginning in April 2007. Sample pricing is ¥4,000 (about $33USD).

The sensor package measures 10.0 x 10.0 x 3.5 mm, about 60% of Sharp's previous model.

[Full NikkeiBP article]