Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Ricoh to Pay Kodak $76M to Settle Patent Fight
http://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/money/business/2013/10/24/ricoh-to-pay-kodak-76m-to-settle-patent-fight/3180749/
"Japanese electronics giant Ricoh Co. Ltd. has agreed to pay Eastman Kodak Co. nearly $76 million to settle a legal dispute over patent licenses and royalties.
Rochester-based Kodak sued Ricoh in April 2012, claiming that Ricoh was stiffing it on royalty payments due from its use of Kodak patents.
Among its claims were that once Ricoh bought camera maker Pentax Imaging Systems in 2011, it owed back royalties since Pentax had never signed any digital imaging licensing agreement with Kodak.
In the suit, Kodak sought unspecified dollar damages.Ricoh, for its part, argued that that it had paid Kodak everything owed by the patent license agreement for its own products, and that there's no proof Pentax ever infringed on Kodak's patents.
The case went to trial this week in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, with a jury ruling for Kodak, said company spokesman Christopher Veronda.But in a stipulation signed by the companies this week before the start of the trial, Ricoh and Kodak both agreed that regardless of the trial's outcome, Ricoh would pay Kodak $75.8 million — roughly $69 million to settle various claims, as well as $6.9 million in interest.
Kodak sold its portfolio of roughly 1,100 digital imaging patents in 2012 as part of its Chapter 11 bankruptcy.However, the Ricoh settlement money will go to to it and not the new owners of the patents since Kodak owned them during the nine years between Ricoh first signing a licensing agreement and its Pentax takeover, Veronda said."
"Japanese electronics giant Ricoh Co. Ltd. has agreed to pay Eastman Kodak Co. nearly $76 million to settle a legal dispute over patent licenses and royalties.
Rochester-based Kodak sued Ricoh in April 2012, claiming that Ricoh was stiffing it on royalty payments due from its use of Kodak patents.
Among its claims were that once Ricoh bought camera maker Pentax Imaging Systems in 2011, it owed back royalties since Pentax had never signed any digital imaging licensing agreement with Kodak.
In the suit, Kodak sought unspecified dollar damages.Ricoh, for its part, argued that that it had paid Kodak everything owed by the patent license agreement for its own products, and that there's no proof Pentax ever infringed on Kodak's patents.
The case went to trial this week in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, with a jury ruling for Kodak, said company spokesman Christopher Veronda.But in a stipulation signed by the companies this week before the start of the trial, Ricoh and Kodak both agreed that regardless of the trial's outcome, Ricoh would pay Kodak $75.8 million — roughly $69 million to settle various claims, as well as $6.9 million in interest.
Kodak sold its portfolio of roughly 1,100 digital imaging patents in 2012 as part of its Chapter 11 bankruptcy.However, the Ricoh settlement money will go to to it and not the new owners of the patents since Kodak owned them during the nine years between Ricoh first signing a licensing agreement and its Pentax takeover, Veronda said."
Saturday, October 26, 2013
New Pentax Rumours: FF and 645DII Coming
The Pentax "rumourizer" OGL has made a post about an alleged interview with Pentax Ricoh Russia as cited from another Russia forum post:
http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-news-rumors/240639-pentax-ricoh-russia-answers-ff-ricoh-future.html
So, the following are rumoured:
1. FF will be next year. Not later than Photokina 2014. Maybe, on spring or summer, 2014.
2. New DFA lenses will be offered. New 2.8 zooms will be made.
3. New Limited Zoom will be real.
4. New WR lenses will be launched.
5. K-01 is failed because of design. Mirrorless cameras - Ricoh will offer something new.
6. New 645D will be later. It will be different from 645D. It was plans to launch 645DII this year, but the situation is changed.
7. SMC DA LIMITED are discontinued.
If the first rumour is true, then there is just no reason to buy a K-3 now, which is really a true stop-gap product. So, I believe in that rumour and will keep using my K-5 and wait just for a few months longer! ;-p
http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-news-rumors/240639-pentax-ricoh-russia-answers-ff-ricoh-future.html
So, the following are rumoured:
1. FF will be next year. Not later than Photokina 2014. Maybe, on spring or summer, 2014.
2. New DFA lenses will be offered. New 2.8 zooms will be made.
3. New Limited Zoom will be real.
4. New WR lenses will be launched.
5. K-01 is failed because of design. Mirrorless cameras - Ricoh will offer something new.
6. New 645D will be later. It will be different from 645D. It was plans to launch 645DII this year, but the situation is changed.
7. SMC DA LIMITED are discontinued.
If the first rumour is true, then there is just no reason to buy a K-3 now, which is really a true stop-gap product. So, I believe in that rumour and will keep using my K-5 and wait just for a few months longer! ;-p
Thursday, October 24, 2013
A7R AF and Continuous Shooting Demo Videos
1. AF Demo:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZORc67c--M
2. Continuous Shooting and Shutter Sound/Response:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcJg6Dh-5rE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZORc67c--M
2. Continuous Shooting and Shutter Sound/Response:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcJg6Dh-5rE
K-3 User Manual is Online
http://www.ricoh-imaging.eu/media/b8320cbe10de8415d32b5e0d641b6d19/K3-OPM-EN.pdf
For those who concern.. (me exclusive~)
For those who concern.. (me exclusive~)
Monday, October 21, 2013
Nikon Retro-Style Full Frame DSLR is Coming
See what Nikon Rumors have disclosed:
http://nikonrumors.com/2013/10/20/breaking-new-nikon-full-frame-hybrid-mirrorless-camera-coming-soon.aspx/
With brief rumoured specs as follows:
- Nikon FM2 like design
- Pentaxprism viewfinder
- 16.2MP 36x23,9 full frame sensor (same sensor as the D4's)
- SD memory card
- 2016-pixel RGB image sensor
- 9-cell framing grid display
- 3D color matrix metering II
- Native ISO range: 100-12,800 (incl. ISO 50 and ISO 108,200)
- 5.5 fps for up to 100 shots
- 3.2" LCD screen
- Battery:EN-EL14
- Dimensions: 143.5 x 110 x 66.5mm
- Weight: 765g
- It will come with a new AF-S Nikkor 50mm f/1.8G lens
Well, while this must be a really good camera I have to say, I am rather disappointed this idea was not first adopted by Pentax instead, which I made such a proposition back to 2008, for a retro-type DSLR of K1000D.
Let's Not Forget the Prominent History of Asahi Pentax (Re: Pentax 67 and 645)
While Ricoh continues to ricohize the Pentax camera and lenses (recent examples here, here and here) and dwarf the name of "Pentax" (instead of strengthening it further!), I am glad to see someone still remember Pentax the brand and is yet making a product with the old genuine brand name of Asahi "Pentax" and here it is!
http://www.dodgeandburn.com/collections/shop/products/six-by-seven
I have got one and found that the textile quality is good and it looks cool. Below are two snapshots with my 645N SLR camera (taken with my *Pentax* K-5 + DA35):
Btw, the original Pentax 6x7, together with the original Pentax 645, are recognised as one of the milestone cameras of Pentax by AOHC whilst my 645N is recognised as a masterpiece. So, why not a 645 T-shirt also? Besides, I would want more colours of the T-shirt instead of only that light cyan colour for the background to "select" from, nonetheless.
Related:
True Fanboyism!
20 Millions of Pentax Cameras in 2013
The 645D Kit (Lens) Got Delivered to an End-User, Finally!
http://www.dodgeandburn.com/collections/shop/products/six-by-seven
I have got one and found that the textile quality is good and it looks cool. Below are two snapshots with my 645N SLR camera (taken with my *Pentax* K-5 + DA35):
Btw, the original Pentax 6x7, together with the original Pentax 645, are recognised as one of the milestone cameras of Pentax by AOHC whilst my 645N is recognised as a masterpiece. So, why not a 645 T-shirt also? Besides, I would want more colours of the T-shirt instead of only that light cyan colour for the background to "select" from, nonetheless.
Related:
True Fanboyism!
20 Millions of Pentax Cameras in 2013
The 645D Kit (Lens) Got Delivered to an End-User, Finally!
Saturday, October 19, 2013
Friday, October 18, 2013
A7R Vs A7 Complete ISO Crop Comparisons
http://dcdv.zol.com.cn/404/4049905.html
(in Chinese)
Test pictures were made with the same FE35/2.8 Zeiss lens and then pictures from both cameras were resized to 4,000 pixels in width and then cropped.
It seems the A7R really shines here, for both image details and noise, i.e., both are better than the A7!
In addition, it is highlighted that the A7R has some special new features including special designed micro lens per pixel to tackle diffraction and 4k video output for still image display. Well, on paper, it is shown to be quite attractive, also.
(in Chinese)
Test pictures were made with the same FE35/2.8 Zeiss lens and then pictures from both cameras were resized to 4,000 pixels in width and then cropped.
It seems the A7R really shines here, for both image details and noise, i.e., both are better than the A7!
In addition, it is highlighted that the A7R has some special new features including special designed micro lens per pixel to tackle diffraction and 4k video output for still image display. Well, on paper, it is shown to be quite attractive, also.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)