KODAK Offers New Photo CD Disc to Pro Market





KODAK Pro Photo CD Master Disc Meets Needs of Professional Photographers







New York, Aug. 25 - Professional photographers using large-format films will

soon be able to have all their images transferred to a Photo CD disc.  

KODAK's new professional Photo CD format makes available to professional

photographers all the benefits of the standard KODAK Photo CD Master disc.  

It also provides additional features to meet specialized needs.



Like the standard KODAK Photo CD Master format, the KODAK Pro Photo CD 

Master format allows 35mm negatives or slides to be scanned onto compact 

discs at full photographic resolution.  The images can then be viewed on TV 

(using a Photo CD or CD-I player) or input to a desktop computer (using a

Photo CD-compatible CD-ROM XA drive).



In addition, the KODAK Pro Photo CD Master format:



   - Accomodates 35mm, 120, and 4 x 5-inch images, as well as larger formats



   - Supports higher-resolution film scans for the larger sizes, yielding

     images that have the fine detail required by professional photographers



   - Enables professionals to store versions of their images that have been

     electronically edited



   - Helps control how a professional's images are used by offering one 

     copyright and two security features - a special identifier to indicate 

     image ownership and copyright, the ability to place a watermark over an 

     image, and the ability to encrypt high-resolution images to impede 

     unauthorized use





"Since the Photo CD system was first announced, KODAK's professional 

customers have consistently asked for several important capabilities that 

would allow them to take maximum advantage of this new imaging technology,"

said KODAK's David P. Biehn, vice president and general manager, 

Professional Imaging.  "These include the ability to scan multiple film 

formats, greater flexibility in what photographers can write to Photo CD

discs, and assistance in controlling the use of images stored on Photo CD

discs.



"The KODAK Pro Photo CD Master format we're announcing today was created as

a specific response to those needs," Biehn said.  "As a result, we're

providing professional photographers with a 'digital negative' designed to 

meet their requirements.  We believe it will open the door to new business 

opportunities."







About the KODAK Pro Photo CD Master Format





KODAK Pro Photo CD Master discs are compatible with the Photo CD players 

that began appearing in consumer electronics stores in early August.  They 

represent one of four new disc formats KODAK described today, all of which

are compatible with current consumer Phot CD players.  The new formats 

extend benefits of Photo CD technology to new users and markets.



Carrying distinctive trade dress. KODAK Pro Photo CD Master discs can store

film-based images at higher resolutions than can any of the other formats.

They are the only Photo CD discs that allow images to be digitally enhanced

and returned to the disc containing the original film scan.  



Each KODAK Pro Photo CD Master disc can store from 25 to 100 images, which

depends on scanning resolution and film size.  The format will support

8 x 10-inch film image files, and KODAK is considering future products to 

take advantage of this capability.



Images will be scanned onto KODAK Pro Photo CD Master discs using the KODAK

Professional Photo CD film scanner 4045, which handles professional film 

formats up to 4 x 5-inches, and offers 24-bit color scanning resolutions up

to 4K x 6K.  The scanner will be sold as part of the KODAK Professional PIW

4200 and the KODAK Pro Photo CD Master discs will be available in Spring 

1993.



KODAK will offer a more advanced KODAK Professional PIW in the fall of 

1993, with an upgrade available for customers who purchase the initial 

offering.  Additional features will include the ability to employ different 

"film terms" for retaining the subtle differences in professional film 

brands, the ability to adjust each scan to achieve desired results, 

watermarking and encryption software and the ability to edit images.  



Each image on a KODAK Pro Photo CD Master disc is marked with a special 

identifier that can contain the photographer's name and copyright, as well

as other information.  For security, images can be watermarked (with a 

word like "PROOF"), and image files can be encrypted to discourage access by 

unauthorized users.





The encryption is designed to enable photographers to provide a code number

to their customers once the rights to use a particular image have been 

agreed on.  Entering the code number into a desktop computer where the disc 

is accessed through a CD-ROM XA drive will free the image for use.



Many professionals may choose to protect their images, however, simply by

retaining their high-resolution digital originals on KODAK Pro Photo CD 

Master discs and distributing lower-resolution versions of the images for 

review on KODAK Pro Phoo CD Catalog discs.



"KODAK Pro Photo CD Master products give professional photographers the best 

of two worlds," Biehn said.  "Professionals can continue to shoot pictures 

as they always have, taking full advantage of the image quality that only 

film can provide.  And now they have the flexibility and convenience of 

digital technology."



Additional information about the KODAK Pro Photo CD MAster format is 

available through the KODAK Information Center at 1-800-242-2424, ext. 77.







