Eye on Imaging - Vol 5, No. 2 - March 2008
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Welcome to the I3A “Eye on Imaging” newsletter, which is issued every other month. We will keep you informed and up-to-date on key I3A and industry activities and breaking news, as well as highlight the accomplishments of the individuals whose efforts keep our organization humming. If you have comments or questions, please send a message to Editor@I3A.org. |
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The President’s FocusEvents, can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em…
A Slice of PIE At PIE, one of the two interesting things I noticed was that virtually every attendee carrying a camera possessed a serious camera: digital SLRs, analog SLRs and not a camera phone in sight. I actually became self-conscious about the point-and-shoot camera I was carrying! The second most noticeable thing was the proliferation of models there. I guess that explains the presence of all those serious cameras. I'm not sure whose booth this was… don't think anyone cared.
I did have some free time to visit a couple of the large camera stores in Tokyo, Bic Camera and Yodobashi. I was accompanied by PMAI Executive Director Ted Fox and President Allen Showalter. Ted put up a good college try at navigating the Tokyo subway system. All in all, he did very well; we only resorted to a cab once. The Bic Camera store is interesting, having everything from the latest DSLR to golf clubs to 103" TVs. And though we saw few of them at the PIE show, camera phones were in abundance in the camera stores, with 5 megapixel models common.
Conferences – Still Relevant! Events are opportunities to share ideas, open yourself to perspectives beyond those you hear day-to-day, learn about market trends and new technologies. Ideally, you leave a conference inspired to act on the new and varied ideas you encounter. In the Internet age, there is still a need to get your hands on new products if you are evaluating them. One of the most significant reasons however, is to meet others in the industry, to interact, and gain new ideas on how to improve your business. The I3A Annual Conference
The emphasis at the I3A Annual Conference is quality rather than quantity. We aren't looking to achieve the highest attendance figures. We don't offer hype or sales pitches. Just an opportunity to see where the future technology is going, and an opportunity to recognize, in advance, the industry infrastructure issues lying ahead, together with a group of bright, dedicated people ready to go to work on growing a profitable market. If taking action to improve your business in a productive, enjoyable environment is of interest to you, please make plans to join us in Vancouver, BC, June 4-6, 2008. Nikon's Makoto Kimura Wins I3A's 2008 Leadership Award
I3A conferred its prestigious annual Leadership Award upon Makoto Kimura, President, Nikon Imaging Company, and Senior Executive Officer, Nikon Corporation. Mr. Kimura received the honor in person, at I3A's yearly Spotlight Reception. At the presentation ceremony, Lisa Walker said: “We are honored to present this year's award to Makoto Kimura. We admire his steadfast leadership throughout the transition to digital imaging, as well as the breakthrough products launched under his guidance, which demonstrate the important role Nikon continues to play in the continuing evolution of our industry. Thank you, Kimura-san, for joining us in person to accept this symbol of our appreciation." While Mr. Kimura has been at the helm, Nikon became one of the first companies to take compact digital cameras seriously, bringing a revolution in picture-taking to consumers with the affordable, easy-to-use Nikon Coolpix line of cameras, some now with the ability to wirelessly transfer images, and its line of digital single lens reflex cameras (DSLRs), with a wide variety of image-quality-defining features. Makoto Kimura joined Nikon in 1974 as a mechanical designer in Tokyo. As his career progressed, he designed the Nikon F3 and other cameras, and he moved on to the Electronic Imaging Division in 1983, where he developed the world's first direct film telephoto transmitter. In 1994 in New York, he launched Nikon's digital imaging business in the United States. In 1998, Mr. Kimura became General Manager, Strategic Planning Department, at the Imaging Company of Nikon, in Tokyo. In 2001 he was named an Executive Officer, and in 2002 he took on the role of President of the Nikon Imaging Company. In 2003, Mr. Kimura also became Managing Director, Member of the Board and Senior Executive Officer, Nikon Corporation, and he was named Senior Managing Director in 2005. In addition to his responsibilities at Nikon, Mr. Kimura has contributed to the imaging industry in other ways, including serving as a Member of the Board of the Camera & Imaging Products Association (CIPA) and of the Photographic Society of Japan. Awarded annually since 1980, I3A's Leadership Award recognizes those individuals in the international imaging community who have exhibited the exemplary qualities and innovative vision of a leader. Recent recipients of the award include Antonio Perez of the Eastman Kodak Company (2007), Fumio Iwai of Konica Minolta Holdings, Inc. (2006), Vyomesh Joshi of HP (2005), Shigetaka Komori of Fuji Photo Film Co. (2004) and Friedrich Hujer of Agfa-Gevaert (2003). Blind Faith or Blind Luck – Saving Digital MemoriesI3A Digital Photo Archiving Technical Forum at PMA 08The industry asked and consumers answered at the I3A Digital Photo Archiving Technical Forum held in Las Vegas on February 1, 2008. The Tech Forum featured a Live Consumer Panel that opened the eyes of many attendees about consumer attitudes, practices and preferences in preserving digital images. The message was clear: they want easy to understand, automated and "safe" methods for organizing and saving their digital images. The panel expressed a confidence in technology for preserving their memories – a trust that many industry experts say needs to be augmented by consumer education. Keynote Speaker Steve Hoffenberg kicked off the Technical Forum with an analysis of digital photo archiving – both in methodologies and the impact of education for the consumer public. Mr. Hoffenberg stressed that without better education most consumers do not realize that their images could be lost forever because of the fragile nature of current storage technologies. He spoke of the need for consumers to prioritize among the tremendous numbers of digital images being captured. The upward trend in image capture means that many users are overwhelmed by the task of organization, prioritization and choice of storage methods. In leading the Consumer Panel, Mr. Hoffenberg asked participants their methods for storage. These ranged from meticulous cataloging and storage in multiple safe locations to simply keeping images unsorted on computer hard drives.
The Consumers were unanimous in their desire for more automation in organizing their images. They expressed frustration in the laborious process of sorting, labeling and cataloging images. Another capability on the "wish list" of the Consumer Panel is the ability to scan multiple older film or digital prints for storage and cataloging. One panel member said that she was trying to become the family archivist but found scanning thousands of images a daunting task. The Panel challenged suppliers to provide better information on the types of storage technologies. During the general question and answer session, attendees were struck by the nearly blind faith consumers have in technology's ability to safeguard their digital memories. A Technology Panel consisting of Dave Bunzel (OSTA), Steve Hagel (DIGINEG), Mark Mizen (Creative Memories), Troy Sechrist (Phanfare) and moderated by Tony Stieber (HP) examined the impact of the plethora of storage technologies on consumers’ ability to save and retrieve their memories. Each storage technology, from online storage, optical media, new film-based storage, to hard copy prints, presents advantages and disadvantages. The panel was clear that education was key in leading consumers to be more aware of where their images reside and how they might retrieve them.
The final presentations from Kevin Connor (Adobe Systems) and Josh Weisberg (Microsoft) focused on how metadata can help solve the preservation issue. Representing both image applications and operating systems, Messrs. Connor and Weisberg stressed the need to preserve metadata throughout the work flow from image capture, manipulation, printing and storage. The fact that metadata is not consistently maintained or shared is the result of competing proprietary approaches. Information is often dropped or ignored moving from one vendor's product to another's.
Mr. Connor indicated that there are multiple sources for metadata – created by the capture device, added by the user and added by an application or service. Both stressed that metadata is fragile and needs to be protected. Both Mr. Connor and Mr. Weisberg gave examples of how applications and operating systems could serve to keep the integrity of metadata from multiple sources. Finally, they stated what photographers and industry should do to preserve metadata. The audience interaction with the Consumer Panel and speakers was lively. The basic trust that consumers have in technology challenges the imaging industry to come up with better ways to keep that trust. Education on and simplification of the storage processes are needed if we do not want to lose what Mr. Hoffenberg characterized as "several generations of memories." The presentations are now available to members online at http://members.i3a.org/Resource.phx/eman/pma2008-techforum.htx. Thanks to our sponsors: We look forward to seeing you at another I3A event soon! Imaging Innovation '08
Imaging Innovation '08 is your opportunity to:
The Imaging Innovation '08 program will raise the curtain on emerging technologies and go deep into new and existing areas of challenge within the imaging industry. Our Keynote speaker, top industry analyst New This Year: Hot Topics for 2008 :
Awards Dinner
Richard Sobol, author/photographer of eight books for young adults dealing with wildlife conservation, politics and world cultures, will be our featured photography speaker. His photographs regularly appear in such publications as The National Geographic, Newsweek, Time, The New York Times Magazine and Photo District News . His photographs have been exhibited at the Guggenheim Museum, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and other major venues. His most recent book project on the endangered mountain gorillas of East Africa, Breakfast in the Rainforest, will be published in the fall of 2008 with a foreword by Leonardo Dicaprio. Sponsorship opportunities available: Annual I3A Achievement AwardThe I3A Achievement Award recognizes, encourages and celebrates outstanding accomplishment by an individual who has provided significant contributions to the advancement or growth of the imaging industry through his or her participation in I3A. Former I3A Chairman George Lynch of HP was the 2007 Annual I3A Achievement Award winner. The I3A Achievement Award is awarded annually in one of two major categories: Standards and Initiatives or Advocacy. Nominations for the I3A Achievement Award may be submitted by any member representative of the Association or its Boards, Councils, and Committees by April 25, 2008. The I3A Achievement Awards Committee, consisting of the I3A Chair, I3A President, the I3A Director of Standards, and one representative from both the I3A Management Committee and Standards Management Board, will evaluate the nominations received. Selection is made based on the comparison of data submitted. For details on how to submit your nominations for the I3A Achievement Award, contact Donna Cohn, +1 (914) 285-4933. 2008 I3A Safety Excellence Award Nominations OpenQualifying I3A Members May Apply Until April 18, 2008The I3A Safety Excellence Award Program was started nine years ago and has been very successful in recognizing outstanding occupational safety and health programs among our member companies. The Program recognizes exemplary occupational and health activities among the Association's member companies. The awards are given to I3A member company sites that demonstrate the best levels of safety performance and leadership. The major purpose of the award program is to assist member companies in bringing about sustainable improvement in all areas of health and safety in the workplace. The 2008 awards will be presented at I3A's 62nd Annual Conference membership dinner on Thursday, June 5, 2008. I3A member companies eligible for this award have business units that manufacture or process digital, imaging, photographic, graphic arts, or medical diagnostic products or equipment, or technology or services. Member companies with distribution (warehouse) centers and photo service operations are also eligible. Qualified members can request an application form from Jeannette Bouthillet at jeannetteb@i3a.org. The deadline for application submission is April 18, 2008. Import Export Report AvailableThe import and export reports for calendar year 2007 have been posted to the members website. To view the reports, please go to http://members.i3a.org/. I3A collects and distributes on a quarterly basis summarized data on the United States imports and exports of photographic/imaging equipment and supplies. These reports look at several categories, including Still Picture Equipment; Motion Picture Equipment; Photocopying and Microfilming Equipment; Sensitized Film, Paper & Plates; and Prepared Photographic Chemicals. The reports also contain a Digital Cameras and Printers section. The reports utilize the International Harmonized Code and description and show the quantity and value in thousands. The reports are free for members. If you are an I3A member, please log into the members website and click on "MarketPlace" to download your copy. Claim Your Free Subscription to Executive Information ServiceAll I3A members are entitled to receive at least (depending on membership level) one free subscription to the Executive Information Service (EIS), which includes both the Future Image Report monthly and the Future Image Weekly Briefing delivered via email. These reports, which are widely viewed as required reading for executives in the digital imaging industry, feature trends analysis, market research reports, and exclusive conversations with industry leaders, information on high-level job openings, and major transitions at imaging companies. You will find that the EIS is a truly great value as you chart the course of our industry and its rapidly evolving trends. Contact Jeannette Bouthillet for more information about starting your subscription. Share Your Best Shots With I3AThe I3A community is stocked with great photographers and people who appreciate great photography. A new feature of the I3A Web site will be a place for I3A members to show and share their favorite shots. Members are especially invited to submit photos taken at I3A events. Send your photos to editor@i3a.org. Member Soapbox – Have Your SayTo the outside world, the development of standards may seem, well, boring. To insiders, who know what's at stake, the world of international standards development is alive with dynamic and strongly-held opinions, vital discussion, and advocates of 'diverse' approaches. Do you have stories to tell? Thoughts about a controversial issue? Air them here in a new newsletter feature, The Member Soapbox. We look forward to your contributions. Send your story to editor@i3a.org. I3A MarketPlaceThe MarketPlace is a service for I3A members. There you will find I3A's http://members.i3a.org/. Industry BriefsEd Wagner, Photo Publishing Pioneer, Dies at 87 Book Captures Snapshot of Photography History Appeals Court Freezes FCC Ruling on E-911 California Senate Passes SB 509 – a consumer notice bill Perfluorooctanoic Acid Suppresses Cable Companies In Talks to Fund WiMax Network HP and Nokia Premier Green Gadgets Motorola Joins Supply Chain Carbon Reduction Group Will Splitting Motorola in Two Help? Polaroid to Close Instant Film Facilities Sprint Decides Kansas Is Home Sprint Will Play Role in Ford Truck Computer
Digital Photography TrendsExploding Digital Data Growth Is a Challenge for IT Net-to-Retail Photo Printing Gaining Popularity Digital Camera Buyer's Guide 2008 Digital Storage Solutions On The Road; Options Galore For The Traveling Photographer Raw Processing Options; A Sampler For Every Camera & Budget Casio Launches Camera for the Shot You Missed FotoNation “ChromaFix” One-Step Auto-Correction Of Chromatic Aberrrations Olympus E-420 Digital SLR Delivers Enhanced Autofocus Live View Picasa Offers Red Eye Fix Sony Shows Hand-Powered Gadgets for Kids Mobile and Camera Phone TrendsCell phones and Smartphones Paper Is Out, Cellphones Are In at the Check-in Counter AT&T: 95% of iPhone Owners Surf the Mobile Web Kodak Announces Improved Camera-phone Chip Nokia Launches WiMAX Tablet Nokia's N-Gage Platform, Social Networking Site Go Live Nokia To Release Advanced Digital Mapping Technology in 2008 Samsung Instinct on Sprint Personal Spotlight —Elaine Jin
Elaine Jin is a principle scientist working for Aptina Imaging (formerly Micron Technology). She has been involved in the I3A CPIQ initiative since she joined Micron Technology in the summer of 2006. She saw in the CPIQ initiative an opportunity to collaborate with top imaging experts from all over the world to enhance the image quality of camera phones and to improve the user experience. Elaine Jin has her academic training in both engineering and social sciences. She received her B.S. and Ph.D. degrees in optical engineering from Zhejiang University in China in 1984 and 1989, respectively. In graduate school she became interested in visual sciences, i.e., how human eyes respond to physical stimulus. In 1992 she came to the United States to pursue an advanced degree in visual sciences, and obtained her second Ph.D. from the University of Chicago in 1998. After graduation from the University of Chicago, she decided to apply her knowledge in optics and visual science in the imaging industry. Her work at Polaroid and Kodak focused mainly on output devices such as electronic displays and printing devices, while her work at Aptina Imaging shifted the focus to capture devices. She found that each element of the imaging chain would bring specific challenges to the system design considerations, and would require unique trade-offs. At Kodak she worked on vision modeling, stereoscopic display systems, regional preferences in color reproduction, and optical modeling of novel display devices. Her favorite project was to develop a user friendly stereoscopic display. Through studies of stereo vision of tens of observers, she learned that individual observers were very different in the range of stereo disparities they were able to fuse and to enjoy the 3-D effect. Based on this understanding, she designed and patented a unique stereoscopic display system that would first measure the user’s fusing capability, and then render the system to suit the needs of the user. Her work at Aptina Imaging focuses on developing perceptually calibrated objective metrics that can be used in system modeling, algorithm tuning, and benchmarking studies. She collaborated with a number of colleagues in designing a cutting-edge testing device for camera phones. This display device has a large format (30inx40in), high luminance (>10K cd/m2), high dynamic range, and true to life spectral reproduction. It enables robust camera testing using a repeatable and large set of life-like indoor and outdoor scenes. I3A's CPIQ Initiative is a joint effort of about two dozen companies from the mobile imaging industry. Aptina Imaging is a CMOS sensor manufacturer and camera phone application is the major market for CMOS sensors. Early on, the Aptina management realized that the direction of the company is aligned with that of the CPIQ Initiative. Therefore, Elaine Jin received strong corporate support for helping CPIQ get on a path of success. Through the participation in CPIQ, Elaine Jin observed a need to havefor an efficient method for subjective evaluation, and a need to define the path going from individual image quality metrics to an overall image quality metric. During the CPIQ face-to-face meeting in San Jose in February this year, Elaine Jins facilitated the invited presentation by Brian Keelan, the chief scientist at Aptina Imaging and author of the book ‘Handbook of Image Quality’. In his presentation, Brian Keelan discussed a robust method to go from individual image quality metrics to overall image quality. In addition, Elaine Jin and her colleagues are working on providing a softcopy ruler method to CPIQ to help the subjective evaluation of test images and the calibration of objective metrics. Elaine Jin has been invited to talk at ICASSP08 in Las Vegas in April this year to review the I3A CPIQ initiative. The paper is entitled "Image quality quantification in camera phone applications." She appreciates help from James Peyton, I3A Standards Director, and a number of CPIQ members for their help providing supporting materials for her presentation. Member Spotlight —Zoran Corporation
Zoran Corporation (NASDAQ:ZRAN) provides digital solutions in the growing digital entertainment and digital imaging markets. In 1983, Zoran was established to develop and deliver DSP (digital signal processing) technologies. Today, Zoran's leading technologies combined with strong expertise in IC design, algorithm development, and system integration allow Zoran to deliver complete solutions for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) producing innovative consumer electronics products. With two decades of expertise, Zoran has pioneered high-performance digital audio and video, imaging applications, and Connect and Share technologies for the digital home. Zoran's proficiency in integration delivers major benefits for OEM customers, including greater capabilities within each product generation, reduced system costs, and shorter time to market. Zoran-based products have received recognition for excellence and are now in millions of homes worldwide. Zoran has focused on delivering high quality products that meet the specific requirements of DVD players and recorders, digital cameras, multimedia mobile phones, audio speakers and receivers, digital televisions and set top boxes, digital printers and other new categories of consumer electronics. Today, Zoran is focused on delivering technologies that allow consumers to connect and share their video and audio files with their families and friends and that improve their digital entertainment experiences in their homes, offices or while traveling. Zoran was first to market with a single chip IC implementing six-channel Dolby Digital surround-sound audio for home and movie theater applications. Zoran licenses its intellectual property solutions to other semiconductor manufacturers. |
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I3A Meetings and EventsTo inquire about attending any of these meetings, please contact the Standards Department at i3astds@i3a.org.
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Back to top Industry EventsAs a service to its members, I3A provides a listing
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