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Ricoh announces the PENTAX 17 compact film camera

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With a retro-inspired design and half-frame photo format, the PENTAX 17 is the perfect camera for first-time film photographers who want to share their images on social media

PARSIPPANY, N.J., June 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Ricoh Imaging Americas Corporation today announced the highly anticipated PENTAX 17 compact film camera. The PENTAX 17 is a half-frame camera, capturing two 17mm x 24mm pictures within a single 35mm-format (36mm x 24mm) film frame. It produces vertical-format pictures, with similar ratios to those captured by smartphones, for seamless sharing on social media after the film is developed and scans are produced by a film lab.

The popularity of film cameras has grown rapidly in recent years — especially among young photographers — because of the distinctive, somewhat nostalgic experience provided that is so different from using digital cameras. The compound annual growth rate (CAGR) for the global film camera market is projected to be 5.2% through 2030 and a quick search of the hashtag #filmphotography on Instagram pulls up more than 42.6 million posts.

Borne out of the PENTAX Film Camera Project, a concept first announced in December of 2022, the new camera resulted from a close collaboration between Ricoh Imaging and PENTAX experts and younger engineers. The experts shared their vast knowledge and decades of experience in film and imaging technology with the current team members to design a film camera that would allow photographers to express their originality and creativity by leaving some room for manual operation, rather than making it a fully automatic camera.

| Design merges manual operation and ease of use for maximum creative expression |
The design of the PENTAX 17 was inspired by the PENTAX brand’s heritage, incorporating manual operations unique to film photography that are gaining a loyal following in today’s digital world. This includes a selectable zone-focus system, manual film winding, manual film advance lever, and exposure compensation and ISO sensitivity adjustments, each with their own dials. The classic design of the camera body was developed with high-quality materials; the top and bottom covers are made of solid, lightweight magnesium alloy and the 40.5mm filter mounting thread enables the use of a range of filters.

The PENTAX 17 features a newly-developed 25mm F3.5 lens (equivalent to a 37mm lens in the 35mm format). Further building on the PENTAX brand heritage, the lens is based on optics incorporated in the acclaimed PENTAX Espio Mini — which was marketed in 1994 —redesigned to support the half-frame format. The lens is treated with HD (High Definition) coating to optimize the clarity and sharpness of the half-frame photos. In a nod to Ricoh’s rich history in optics and photography, the designers based the lens design on the lens in the RICOH Auto Half – a best-selling half-frame model first marketed in 1962 – incorporating the angle of view and focal length to make casual, everyday picture-taking simple and flawless.

The camera’s zone-focus system is divided into six focus zones that can be selected on the zone focusing ring to capture subjects at a long distance or as close-up as 25 centimeters away in the macro zone. Its bright optical viewfinder features a bright, Albada-type frame finder to facilitate framing a scene as well as a close-up visual field compensation frame to help users more easily compose close-up images. The zone focus marks can be seen directly through the viewfinder to further support composition.

The PENTAX 17 has seven shooting modes to accommodate different applications and scenarios. It automatically adjusts exposure settings based on lighting data collected by its metering sensor. In addition to the Full Auto mode in which all exposure settings are selected by the camera, it provides six other shooting modes including: Slow-speed sync, which is useful in twilight photography; and Bulb, a long-exposure mode useful for photographing nightscapes and fireworks.

The camera supports a wide selection of ISO film speeds and features a note holder on the back cover where the end of the film package can be inserted for at-a-glance confirmation of the film in use, three strap lugs to accommodate both horizontal and vertical suspensions, and compatibility with the optional CS-205 Cable Switch for use in extended-exposure photography in Bulb mode.  

| Industry support for PENTAX 17 |
“Film photography has been growing in popularity over the past decade and especially recently! The new PENTAX 17 film camera is going to kickstart an entirely new generation of film shooters,” said Philip Steblay, Cofounder of The Darkroom, an online film developing service. “This terrific new camera will add to the great pleasure and enjoyment of shooting film. The PENTAX analog functionality, film selection process and thinking more carefully about your shots will enhance the fun of photography. This, coupled with the anticipation that comes with waiting for your images to process, adds to the joy of photography. With new cameras and film coming to market the future of film photography looks bright.”

“The PENTAX 17 is a stunning camera, both in form and function,” said Kyle Depew, founder, Brooklyn Film Camera. “Its design is handsome and classic, yet it features elements that are delightfully unique and innovative. It’s amazing to see modern PENTAX engineering applied towards a new film camera. We couldn’t be more delighted.”

“The film photography community is vibrant and growing, and we are thrilled to see Ricoh Imaging recognizing this and creating new products for this market,” said Meredith Reinker, managing partner, Roberts Distributors LP. “Film photography has been growing in popularity over the last several years and supporting this community is supporting a growing industry as well as supporting the arts. We are honored to be partnering with Ricoh to make this camera available through our distribution channel of independent, local and analog-focused businesses. We look forward to watching the analog community embrace this exciting announcement as we all have a shared goal of keeping film photography alive and accessible.”

“This camera has been a reminder to have fun and not take things too seriously,” said Matt Day, photographer. “It’s fun to shoot with, it’s compact enough to carry anywhere, and double the amount of exposures makes it easier to shoot more.”

“Many photographers were first introduced to the joys of photography using a PENTAX film camera. We’re hoping to introduce a new generation to the world of film photography with the PENTAX 17,” said Ken Curry, president, Ricoh Imaging Americas. “It is an ideal model not only for film camera enthusiasts who have enjoyed film photography for years, but also for photographers who are excited about trying film photography for the first time.”

| Pricing and Availability |
The PENTAX 17 will be available late June at www.us.ricoh-imaging.com as well as at Ricoh Imaging-authorized retail outlets nationwide for a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $499.95.

| About Ricoh Imaging Americas Corporation |
Ricoh Imaging Americas Corporation is a subsidiary of Ricoh Company Ltd., a global technology company specializing in office imaging equipment, production print solutions, document management systems and IT services. Headquartered in Tokyo, Ricoh Company Ltd. is part of Ricoh Group, which operates in about 200 countries and regions.

The company operating now as Ricoh Company Ltd. was originally founded in 1919, under the name Asahi Optical Joint Stock Co. and launched its first SLR camera in the 1950s under the PENTAX name. Today, the company continues to produce the heritage-rich, award-winning line of PENTAX DSLR cameras, lenses and sport optics equipment as well as Ricoh’s offering of stylish and compact digital cameras, known for their wide-ranging, rich set of features.

For further information, please visit www.us.ricoh-imaging.com

© 2024 Ricoh Imaging Americas Corporation. All rights reserved. All referenced product names are the trademarks of their respective companies.

For More Information, Contact:
Stephannie Depa
Breakaway Communications for Ricoh Imaging
+1 530-864-0136 – mobile
sdepa@breakawaycom.com

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SOURCE Ricoh Imaging Americas Corporation

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Best Accounting Software for Medium-Sized Business UK (2026): QuickBooks Advanced Recognised as a Scalable Finance Platform for UK Mid-Market Businesses by Consumer365

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NEW YORK, May 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — As demand for scalable financial tools grows, attention is shifting towards the best accounting software for medium-sized businesses in the UK in 2026, as organisations face increasingly complex accounting requirements. Consumer365 has recognised QuickBooks as a cloud-based platform supporting more structured financial management, reflecting a wider focus on improving automation, visibility, and compliance readiness.

Best Accounting Software for Medium-Sized Business UK

QuickBooks – developed as a cloud-based accounting platform, it enables medium-sized businesses to manage financial operations, automate core accounting processes, and maintain compliance with UK regulatory requirements.

Growing Demand for Scalable Financial Systems in the UK Mid-Market

Medium-sized businesses in the UK are operating in an environment where financial management is becoming increasingly complex. Growth introduces additional reporting layers, heightened regulatory expectations, and the need for consistent financial oversight across departments.

Traditional accounting methods are often no longer sufficient under these conditions. Spreadsheet-based systems and entry-level tools can struggle to deliver accurate, timely insights. This creates visibility gaps that can impact planning and decision-making.

QuickBooks has been identified within this context as a platform designed to support more structured financial management. Its positioning reflects a broader shift towards systems that centralise financial data and reduce fragmentation across business operations.

QuickBooks Positioned as a Scalable Financial Platform

QuickBooks operates as a cloud-based accounting system developed by Intuit. It is designed to support businesses that require more than basic bookkeeping functionality, focusing on helping organisations manage financial processes in a more connected and scalable way.

A key aspect of its design is the ability to consolidate financial information within a single system. This allows businesses to manage invoicing, expenses, reporting, and cash flow tracking without relying on multiple disconnected tools.

The platform is also structured to support growth. As businesses expand, financial operations often become more distributed across teams. QuickBooks enables multiple users to work within the same system while maintaining structured access controls, helping ensure consistency and oversight as complexity increases.

Financial Visibility, Automation, and Operational Control

One of the central functions of QuickBooks is improving financial visibility across business operations. Real-time data access allows organisations to monitor cash flow, expenses, and overall financial performance without waiting for end-of-period reporting cycles.

Automation plays a significant role in reducing manual workload. Financial processes such as invoicing, transaction categorisation, and expense tracking can be streamlined, reducing reliance on repetitive manual input and supporting more consistent financial records.

Operational control is reinforced through structured user permissions. Businesses can assign access levels based on roles, ensuring financial data is managed securely while still enabling collaboration across departments. This structure is particularly relevant for medium-sized organisations where multiple teams interact with financial systems.

Integration, Compliance, and System Connectivity

QuickBooks is designed to integrate with a range of business tools commonly used by UK organisations. These include payroll systems, customer relationship management platforms, and other operational software. This level of connectivity helps ensure that financial data remains consistent across systems.

Compliance is also a core part of the platform’s structure. UK businesses must meet specific regulatory requirements, including VAT reporting and Making Tax Digital standards. QuickBooks includes features that support these obligations within the system, reducing the need for manual compliance processes.

By aligning financial reporting with regulatory standards, the platform helps organisations maintain accurate records while reducing the administrative burden associated with tax and compliance requirements.

Operational Impact and Long-Term Financial Structure

As businesses grow, financial systems often become central to overall operational structure. Decisions related to hiring, investment, and expansion rely on access to accurate and timely financial data. Systems that lack integration or real-time visibility can slow decision-making and introduce inefficiencies.

QuickBooks supports a more structured approach by centralising financial information. This reduces fragmentation and helps ensure consistency across the organisation. It also supports continuity, minimising the need for frequent system changes as businesses scale.

The platform is designed to adapt to increasing complexity over time. As transaction volumes grow and reporting requirements expand, it remains stable while accommodating additional users and workflows.

This approach aligns with the needs of medium-sized businesses transitioning from smaller-scale operations to more advanced financial environments.

Market Context and Financial Management Trends

The recognition of QuickBooks reflects broader developments in financial technology adoption among UK medium-sized businesses. Organisations are increasingly prioritising systems that improve efficiency while reducing operational complexity.

Financial management is no longer limited to recordkeeping. It has become a core business function that influences strategic planning and overall performance. As a result, platforms that provide integrated financial oversight are becoming more relevant across a wide range of industries.

QuickBooks fits within this shift by offering a system that combines core accounting functionality with workflow automation and reporting capabilities. This supports businesses that require both day-to-day financial management and longer-term planning tools.

The emphasis on scalability also reflects changing expectations in the mid-market sector. Businesses are seeking platforms that can grow with them, rather than systems that need to be replaced as operational requirements evolve.

Conclusion

Consumer365 has recognised QuickBooks as a relevant financial platform for medium-sized businesses operating in the UK in 2026. The recognition highlights its focus on scalability, financial visibility, and structured operational control.

The platform is positioned to support organisations as they move beyond basic accounting systems and adopt more integrated financial management structures. Its emphasis on automation, compliance support, and system connectivity aligns with the operational needs of growing businesses.

As financial complexity continues to increase across the mid-market sector, tools that centralise financial data and support real-time decision-making are becoming more widely adopted. QuickBooks represents one of the platforms contributing to this shift towards more structured financial management approaches.

To read the full review, please visit the Consumer365 website.

About Intuit

Intuit is the global financial technology platform that powers prosperity for the people and communities we serve. With approximately 100 million customers worldwide using products such as TurboTax, Credit Karma, QuickBooks and Mailchimp, we believe that everyone should have the opportunity to prosper. We never stop working to find new, innovative ways to make that possible. Please visit us at Intuit.com and find us on social for the latest information about Intuit and our products and services.

About Consumer365.org: Consumer365 provides consumer news and industry insights. As an affiliate, Consumer365 may earn commissions from sales generated using links provided.

Disclaimer

Where AI content is used: This information is intended to outline our general product direction, but represents no obligation and should not be relied on in making a purchasing decision. Additional terms, conditions and fees may apply with certain features and functionality. Eligibility criteria may apply. Product offers, features, functionality are subject to change without notice.

General content disclaimer: This information is provided free of charge and is intended to be helpful to a wide range of businesses. Because of its general nature the information cannot be taken as comprehensive and they do not constitute and should never be used as a substitute for legal, accounting, tax or professional advice. Intuit cannot guarantee that the information applies to the individual circumstances of your business. Despite our best efforts it is possible that some information may be out of date.

Any reliance you place on information found on this site or linked to on other websites will be at your own risk. You should consider seeking the advice of independent advisers and should always check your decisions against your normal business methods and best practice in your field of business.

 

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SOURCE Consumer365.org

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BOE continues to launch new products and solutions in the field of high-end displays

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LOS ANGELES, May 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — 

1、Redefine Visual Experience with Scientific Standards! BOE Releases Core Research Findings on OLED Display Clarity-Legibility Index, Paving the Way for the Industry’s First Transparent Pro Standard to Deliver Supreme Visual Experience

With the rapid popularization of OLED display technology, basic screen indicators including resolution, color gamut and brightness keep improving. Meanwhile, display transparency — a core experience metric that determines visual comfort , image authenticity and premium visual quality — has drawn growing attention across the industry.

Recently, BOE has empowered the launch of the industry’s first flagship high-transparency OLED display panel, setting an industry-leading benchmark in four key dimensions: color, depth , clarity and dynamic range. It ushers high-end display into a new era, shifting from purely numerical technical specifications to ultimate user-centric visual experience.

In addition, BOE officially unveiled its in-depth research achievements on OLED display transparency. It has identified the core underlying factors affecting visual transparency through scientific research, pioneered the industry’s first display transparency index formula, and facilitated the release of the first authoritative evaluation standard for OLED display transparency. This marks an industry’s transformation from specs-oriented to experience-driven development. This marks a full-process breakthrough covering underlying technical analysis, scientifically guided image quality development and mass production application.

At present, the group standard 《Standard of Associations Organic light emitting diode display —Evaluation method for display clarity》, led and formulated by BOE based on relevant research outcomes, has been officially issued. As the world’s first dedicated evaluation standard focusing on OLED display transparency, it fills the long-standing industry gap in correlating subjective visual perception with objective image quality parameters.

Leveraging this standard and transparency research results, BOE has assisted partners in developing the industry’s first flagship high-transparency OLED screen. The company has built a comprehensive technical system for OLED visual transparency. Supported by cutting-edge technologies such as tandem, LTPO and high-precision Demura crosstalk optimization algorithms, BOE and its partners have carried out full-link optimization from display panels to end devices.

Going forward, BOE will continue to deepen research on display human factors engineering and visual experience. Through technological innovation and standard leadership, it will bring more ultimate, high-transparency premium display experiences to users worldwide.

2、BOE Beneficial “Natural” Light Technology (BNL): Solving Visual Health Pain Points and Leading the Display Industry Trend

In an era of ubiquitous displays, users are spending increasingly longer hours on screens. Nevertheless, the luminous properties of conventional displays poorly align with the human visual system, sparking widespread consumer concerns over visual health. To address such challenges, BOE draws inspiration from natural light. By deeply analyzing natural light and extracting beneficial features highly consistent with health and comfort, BOE established the Beneficial “Natural” Light Technology (BNL) architecture. Evolving from single technical upgrades to a systematic solution, BNL replicates the merits of natural light across four core dimensions: Depolarization Adjustment, Spectrum Optimization, Light Profile Optimization and Time-varying Adaptation, advancing display technology toward healthy viewing.

BNL & Visual Health

Depolarization Adjustment: The linearly polarized light of traditional displays causes targeted stimulation to retinal lutein, resulting in dry eyes, eyelid redness and other discomforts. Based on the mainstream Circular Polarization (QWP) solution, BOE BNL has developed a series of technologies like BSF/RDF Random Depolarization technology and un-Polarization,which convert linearly polarized light into randomly polarized light, enabling balanced lutein utilization across the entire visual field, and deliver natural-light-level eye protection.

Spectrum Optimization: Conventional narrow-band RGB spectra feature poor continuity and imbalanced energy distribution, with excessive high-energy blue light that induces eye strain and increases risks of macular damage. Beyond Low Blue Light solutions, BOE BNL has developed Natural-like Spectrum, Beneficial Red Light, Infrared Light and Circadian Rhythm technologies. Multiple clinical studies have verified that Beneficial Red Light and Infrared Light can effectively inhibit axial elongation and accelerate eye microcirculation.  BOE takes the lead in integrating such optics into displays,achieving a spectral distribution matching degree of over 60%, an energy ratio of Beneficial Red Light (650–670 nm) exceeding 50%, and independent on/off switching and energy adjustment of Infrared Light. Meanwhile, Circadian Rhythm technology regulates melatonin secretion to safeguard sleep quality. Shifting from passive harm reduction to active eye benefits, BOE BNL delivers all-round visual health protection.

Light Profile Optimization: Conventional screens are prone to surface reflection and glare, which interfere with visual recognition and cause cumulative eye fatigue. Powered by industry-leading Anti-Glare, Low Reflection and Wide Viewing Angle technologies, BOE BNL accurately simulates the diffuse reflection of natural light to deliver consistent visual comfort across diverse viewing angles. For instance, BOE UB Cell technology achieves a DGR value below 5 with negligible glare and reflection, ensuring sustained visual comfort.

Time-varying Adaptation: Conventional displays tend to produce low-frequency flicker and fixed brightness and color temperature that fail to adapt to ambient changes, forcing frequent eye muscle adjustments and leading to discomfort. By adopting Flicker Free and Light Self-adaptive technologies, BOE BNL delivers stable, ultra-smooth visuals that replicate the comfort of natural light.

SID 2026: BOE Launches New BNL Display Products

At SID Display Week 2026, BOE launched new BNL health display products. The highlight product is the industry’s first 13.8-inch BNL health display tablet. It integrates all four core dimensions,supported by 7 core BNL technologies, to deliver a healthy and comfortable visual experience.

As a global leader in the display industry, BOE has led the development and officially issued the world’s first “Natural Light” display standard via the Zhongguancun Standardization Association,and has jointly issued the White Paper on Natural Light Display Technologies (Engineering Considerations, Application Value and Challenges) with TÜV Rheinland to drive standardized and high-quality industrial development. In the future, BOE will continue to iterate on technologies, diversify product forms and application scenarios, advance the grading standards for Beneficial “Natural” Light displays, and protect users’ visual health.

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SOURCE BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd.

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BitradeX BXC First Two Subscription Rounds Sell Out, Total Subscriptions Exceed 14M USDT

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LONDON, May 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — BitradeX Capital’s ecosystem equity token, BXC, has completed its first and second subscription rounds, selling a total of 50 million BXC with subscriptions exceeding 14 million USDT. The first round sold out in 90 seconds, while the second closed within 48 hours.

While the fundraising size is not unusually large by crypto standards, the structure of the sale has attracted market attention. The first two rounds were not open to the public, but limited to high-tier BitradeX users. The first round was available only to V5 users and above, while the second round expanded access to V3 users and above.

According to BitradeX’s tier system, V3+ users typically have higher recurring investment activity through AiBot, longer platform usage history, and stronger ecosystem participation. This means the early BXC allocation was absorbed mainly by the platform’s internal high-value user base, rather than short-term speculative participants.

This approach differs from many token fundraising campaigns that prioritize broad public participation and market hype. BitradeX instead adopted a more selective, staged model, gradually lowering the participation threshold while keeping the sale within its active ecosystem community.

BXC is positioned as more than a standard platform token. Its value framework is linked to BitradeX Capital’s broader ecosystem, including its exchange business, AiBot quantitative strategies, BTX Card payments, and Labs incubation platform. Public information indicates that BXC holders may receive staking rewards, benefit from ecosystem buybacks and burns, and gain priority access to Launchpad projects and governance participation.

The third subscription round is launched on April 30 at $0.35 USDT per BXC, with a total supply of 100 million BXC. It is now open to users participating in AiBot recurring investment. The fourth round price is expected to rise to $0.45 USDT.

The long-term value of BXC will ultimately depend on the growth of BitradeX’s underlying businesses, including exchange profitability, AiBot user expansion, and BTX Card adoption. However, the rapid sellout of the first two rounds suggests that BitradeX’s core user base has already shown strong confidence in the ecosystem’s future.

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SOURCE BitradeX Capital

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