Olympus Improves AF on Pen Series

Olympus announced a firmware update that will quicken the auto focus speed of its Digital Pen series of interchangeable lens cameras. The new update also ensures that the E-P1, E-P2, and E-PL1 are compatible with newer Micro Four Thirds lenses.

Adobe Releases CS5

Adobe released its latest version of Photoshop today with a host of new, innovative tools. New additions to Photoshop CS5 include the much-buzzed-about Content Aware Fill tool that was introduced two weeks ago as a “sneak peek” on YouTube. CS5 will retail for $699 or as an upgrade for current owners for $149. CS5 Extended, which includes 3-D tools for video, web, medical, manufacturing, and engineering industries, will retail for $999 or as an upgrade for $349.

Lightroom 2.6 Adds Support

Adobe updated Lightroom today to add support for 20 cameras and to fix problems that a few customers were having with previous versions of the popular photo processing software. In addition to Lightroom 2.6, the most recent Adobe Camera Raw and DNG Converter 5.6 are available for immediate download.

Capture One 5 Pro Software Unveiled

Phase One released its latest RAW workflow software with enhanced features and a design meant to handle large numbers of image files. Capture One 5 Pro is available immediately from the company’s web site.

New Versions of Elements and Picasa

Two photo editing software programs have been upgraded to the marketplace in the form of Adobe Photoshop Elements 8 and Google Picasa version 3.5. Both programs offer improved organization and tagging, but Picasa is available as a free download while Elements costs $99.

Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2.5 Released

Adobe updated its Photoshop Lightroom software today with the release of version 2.5 and Camera Raw v. 5.5. The new version of the photo management and editing software adds support to recently announced DSLRs and fixes a few problems associated with earlier versions of 2.0.

Canon 5D Mark II Firmware Update Allows Manual Control for Movies

Canon has announced a few improvements for the EOS 5D Mark II DSLR. The manufacturer is offering a firmware update which offers users more flexibility with the camera’s HD movie mode. The announcement was made on May 27, and the free upgrade was made available from the camera’s support Web site on June 1.

Ricoh Releases R8 Camera Firmware Update v1.25

Ricoh has launched its latest firmware update, version 1.25, for its Caplio R8 digital camera. The 1.18MB download enhances the gradation reproduction of a high-intensity part of an image.

PictoColor Releases CorrectPhoto 3.1

PictoColor recently released version 3.1 of its CorrectPhoto editing software, which emphasizes quick and simple adjustments for those new to digital photo processing.

Nik Software's Sharpening Tool Returns with New Features

Nik Software recently introduced Sharpener Pro 3.0, an alternative to the stock sharpening tools that are boxed with Adobe Photoshop and Apple Aperture. Sharpener Pro 3.0 adds what the company calls “U Point” technology, allowing editors to touch-up their photos using “control points” instead of setting up selections and layer masks. A new creative sharpening feature is designed to bring out subtle aspects of the image, while a “soft proof” tool supplies a detailed view of the applied work without the expense of test prints — an industry first, according to Nik Software.