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Want to see what a cool quarter-mil will buy in the digital camera world?  Take a look at this- it's a large-format (48 x 72" scanning bed) Cruse Digital scanning camera, living at Parrot Digigraphic in Billerica, MA. 
 

Sure, sure, it's a big tri-linear CCD on a huge copy stand...  but the real secret to the scanner is the lights.  If you've ever shot copy work you know the issues- first, you want nice,even lighting, and most importantly, no glare.  That doesn't leave much room for control of lighting, or, least of all, creative lighting treatment.  The Cruse opens up a whole new world since it's sampling a very small slice of the original.  The lights are fully programmable and controllable, and you can treat an original for nice, flat, 100% even lighting, or you can use strong side-lighting to enhance the texture of the brush stroke, the collage, or whatever you're shooting.  (Models, perhaps?) 
 

Take a look, really cool stuff!
 

Check it YO! 

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You know, opinions on what’s coming in 2010 are a dime a dozen, and, frankly, worth exactly that. My personal favorite is a list of all the lists of predictions that our friends at 1001 Noisy Cameras put together, here.
 

Anyone who’s not been living in a cave can take a shot at what’s going to happen in 2010. The most telling piece is the Consumer Electronics Show, the big deal that has now grown to include various digital imaging manufacturers and products. Here’s our overview of what to expect, nothing all too earth shattering. It’s not the least bit surprising that the big noise is being made by the Electronics-to-Photography manufacturers like Sony, Panasonic and Samsung.
 

The broad strokes, memory will get bigger and cheaper. (“PANASONIC INTRODUCES NEW 64 GB* AND 48 GB* SDXC MEMORY CARDS”)

Camera companies will offer more models between the lines… adding to the confusion. Here’s the Panasonic site with all the press releases:

…and our own story on the Sony a450. 
 

Computers will get faster, and cheaper. Apple Netbook rumors will continue to persist. iPhones and iPhone-like products will broaden capabilities and expand market share. We should see reports of new Canon Rebel-like additions and a Nikon D800. (Even the D900 is rumored.)
 

I’m not interested in idle gossip, or obvious trends. I’m interested in what’s going to change the game, and I think it’s what is now being called HDSLR, or, HD video capture with a DSLR camera.