May 17, 1996

Kodak Enhances Photo CD

Stores CMYK TIFF/IT files, raises quality, enables viewing on Web

Foremost among the enhancements is an upgrade for Photo CD PIW stations, due next month, that will allow users to add CMYK files (in TIFF/IT format) to Photo CD Master or Pro Master discs, in addition to standard ImagePac files. A new scanner model, the Kodak Digital Science 4050, provides higher optical density, hence higher-quality scans. In addition, Kodak soon will deliver a Java applet for Netscape and other Java-enabled browsers for viewing Photo CD images (in all resolutions in the ImagePac) on the World Wide Web.

Conversion kit. The CMYK conversion kit, priced at $8,500, consists of software and custom ASICs for Photo CD PIW models 4220 and 2220 to support scaling, sharpening and color conversion of ImagePac, TIFF and Photo YCC format files to CMYK format using Kodak Color Management System technology (KCMS). Also part of the kit is software release PIW version 7.0 EDP/CMYK, which includes provisions for converting ImagePac, TIFF and Photo YCC files to CMYK, including the ability to store information on contrast, color saturation and balance. It also allows users to truncate ImagePac files during file copying, and to select and customize ImagePac compression levels.

Both of the above-mentioned PIW stations can write either Photo CD Master or Pro Master discs. (The Pro Photo CD Master discs have an optional sixth version of an image at higher, 64 Base or 4,096x6,144-pixel resolution as part of the ImagePac.) The PIW 4220 accommodates film originals up to 4 x5 ; the PIW 2220 handles only 35mm transparencies. Both workstations are based on Sparc 20 computers and include Kodak Digital Science scanners, disc writers, thermal printers and software.

Higher-quality scanner. The Kodak Digital Science 4050 replaces the 4045 scanner for the PIW 4220. The new scanner, like its predecessor, can accommodate color negative and transparent film images in 4 x5 , 120 and 135 formats and scan at a resolution of 4,096x6,144 pixels in about two minutes or at 2,048'3,072 pixels in less than 30 seconds.

Two new features are a density range up to 3.2 (vs. 2.9 in the 4045) for better color fidelity, particularly in shadow areas, and fully automated lens zooming, controlled by the user.

The new 40050 film scanner is priced at $75,000. An upgrade kit for 4045 scanners in the field costs $9,500. Both will be available in July.

Viewing on the Web. At the International World Wide Web conference in Boston last December, Kodak announced it was developing a Java applet with which users can interact with all five standard image resolutions in a Photo CD ImagePac over the Web. The applet will be available in mid-July through the Kodak Web site: www.kodak.com

The ability to zoom, enlarge and crop images is not normally possible using a typical browser (except for Mosaic), although, according to Kodak, there are now a number of prototype Web sites doing so using its new technology, which makes it possible to see new levels of detail in images delivered over the Internet.

To discourage unauthorized use of copyrighted images, Kodak is developing technology to limit access to the higher resolutions of the ImagePac file and let providers watermark their images with identifying words or graphics.