May 28
The best lenses for short money has got to be the
50 f/1.8 II, for a little more money the
35 f/2.0. For a little more money the
85 f/1.8 or the
100 f/2.0. For a little more money the
200 f/2.8. Then you start getting into the range where some of the L-zooms are the better value for their flexibility. Of course this list only relates to Canon lenses, there are some third
party lenses that are highly rated
May 27
Pentax
and Nikon release firmware updates
Pentax and Nikon have released firmware updates for the Optio H90, I-10, W90, X90 and Coolpix S230 compact cameras. The updates to version 1.0.1 for all Pentax compacts offer additional settings while using Eye-Fi wireless memory cards. The firmware v1.1 for the Nikon S230 fixes a minor bug. The latest versions are available for immediate download from the Pentax and Nikon websites
Lexar Media ships 16GB, 32GB Professional 133x SDHC memory cards
Lexar Media, Fremont, Calif., is shipping Lexar Professional 133x Secure Digital High Capacity (SDHC)
memory cards in 16GB and 32GB capacities to retail outlets.
May 26
Samsung
releases firmware update for NX10
Samsung has posted a firmware update for its NX10 mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. Version 1.15 adds features including selectable manual focus assist. It also claims to enhance overall stability of the camera amongst other improvements. The firmware is currently available via the Samsung Imaging website and requires users to register before downloading. As firmware v1.15 addresses some of the criticisms raised in our review of the camera, we plan to revise the review to reflect this
Sigma
updates firmware for the DP2 & DP2s digital cameras
Sigma has released firmware updates for its DP2 and DP2s large-sensor digital compact cameras. Both updates promise improved image quality at ISO 400. Version 1.05 for the DP2 and firmware v1.01 for the DP2s are available for immediate download from Sigma's website.
ay 25
Canon Firmware Update for the EOS 5D Mark II digital SLR
Canon releases firmware updates for the EOS 5D Mark II digital SLR. Firmware v2.0.7 for the Canon 5D Mark II fixes bugs pertaining to movie mode, differences between LCD and viewfinder information in manual mode, and the use of wireless file transmitters.
1. Fixes a phenomenon in which the aperture exhibits abnormal movement when shooting movies in manual exposure mode and Aperture Priority AE (Av mode) using some Canon lenses (such as macro lenses).
2. Fixes a phenomenon in which the exposure level shown in the LCD panel differs from what is shown in the viewfinder when shooting still images in manual exposure mode.
3. Fixes a phenomenon in which the Wireless File Transmitter (WFT-E4 or WFT-E4 II) may not automatically power off when used for FTP transfers.
These phenomenon only occur with the Version 2.0.4 and Version 2.0.3 firmware.
Phase One acquires Microsoft's Expression Media software
Phase One has announced its acquisition of Microsoft's Expression Media digital asset management software. The software enables users to import, browse, organize and share images and videos. The company is running a special offer for users of its Capture One 5 image editing software and existing users of Expression Media entitling each to a copy of the other piece of software until June 30th.
Press Release:
Phase One, a Digital Photography Leader,
Acquires Microsoft’s Expression Media Product
Agreement focuses on strong customer support throughout transition.
Fujifilm HS10 / HS11 Firmware Update
The firmware v1.02 for the Fujifilm HS10 also fixes a few bugs.
1. In Raw data a line is visible where colors slightly change when developed by Raw File Converter.
2. Battery indicator turns on too early.
3. When "Image Disp." in set-up menu is set to "Zoom", sometimes image corrupts.
The updates are available for immediate download from the Canon and Fujifilm websites
May 24
Absolute 4 Best Buys in Nikon Camera lenses
Nikon fast "normal" lens for
DX format cameras. The
AF-S DX NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8 lens
(35mm equivalent: 52mm) gives users of smaller-sensor DX format cameras the advantages of a standard
prime lens with a wide aperture. As with 50mm lenses that have been with 35mm SLRs (and, more recently,
full-frame sensor DSLRs), the 35mm f/1.8 lets users shoot in low light relatively unobtrusively, and provides the focus control advantages of a wide aperture. The lens's seven aperture blades will be rounded, resulting in more natural-looking out-of-focus areas (
Bokeh). Current cameras that will
accept this lens include the Nikon D60, D90, and D40x. The AF-S Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G
is around $199.95.
Weight: 7oz. (200g)
NIKKOR 50mm f/1.8D AF-
Nikon's Best.
A supremely lightweight lens that offers the more economical f/1.8 aperture (compared to the 50mm f/1.4 D), yet still retains the great advantages of the D distance technology. Ideal for scenery or full-length portraits. Weighs just
5.5oz., making it great for travel while still offering excellent low light gathering properties. Stops down to f/22 for wonderful control of depth of field. Accepts 52mm filters and the HR-2 lens hood.
Typical internet price: $129.00.
NIKKOR 85mm f/1.8D AF
Lens. Autofocus capability for easy indoor or outdoor portraiture. Exceptionally compact for a telephoto lens. Focuses down to 36 inches. An excellent choice for your first telephoto lens.
Every now and again, it is possible to find a REAL bargain, the Nikon
85/1.8D AF Nikkor is a fast ”pro quality” short telephoto lens that will consistently deliver slides and negatives with tack sharp resolution, excellent contrast, absolute color fidelity, and superb Bokeh,
at a price that is quite reasonable, especially when compared with other “pro”
quality optics. Weighs only 13.2 oz. Typical internet price: $449.00. I just bought a used one from ebay for $349.00
NIKKOR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G
AF-S DX VR - features Nikon's Vibration Reduction (VR) optical image stabilization technology. The compact 3x zoom is designed for use with
Nikon's DX-format digital SLRs
and is included in several camera kits. From family gatherings to sunny vacation beaches, the NIKKOR 18-55mm VR lens produces stunning results with vivid color and incredible sharpness. The 3x optical zoom offers users of
Nikon DX-format D-SLR cameras including the D40, D40x, D80 and new D300 with a versatile picture angle perspective ranging from
wide angle for dramatic
landscapes and interiors, to
moderate telephoto that is ideal for
flattering portraits.
Weighs just 9.3 oz. Typical internet price: $130.00.
Total weight equals 2.13 pounds, total prices equal $807,95. Compared to just
one Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 VRII lens
at $2,239.95 internet price and a weight of 3.4 pounds, it seems if you want to
travel light and save money, you could save $1,432 and 1.21 pounds in your
camera bag.
May 22
Leica 90mm f/2.5 Summarit-M Manual Focus Lens.
A fast telephoto lens that is part of
the Summarit-M class of affordable rangefinder lenses. This lens is ideal for portraiture and photojournalism, or for quick snapshots when you want to take pictures inconspicuously from a distance.
Summarit-M lenses are designed to offer traditional Leica optical and mechanical excellence, while positioned at a price level below the current M ASPH
lenses. With a maximum aperture of f/2.5, and by applying classical and proven
spherical lens designs, these lenses provide excellent quality. These features
also result in a very compact design. (Black). Typical On-line price $1,695
May 21
Voigtländer Apo-Lanthar 90mm SL II lens now available in Europe
Voigtländer has announced the European price and availability of its Apo-Lanthar 90mm F3.5 SL II close focus lens in Canon, Nikon and Pentax mounts. Announced in February 2010, the lens is priced at €549 for all the three mounts. In the UK market it is priced at £487.62 for the Canon EF mount and £464.12 for the Nikon Ai-S and Pentax KA mounts. The lens has been redesigned with a smaller body while maintaining the same optical construction and 50cm minimum focusing distance of the previous, SL version.
May 20
Tamron returns to black with stronger lens sales
Tamron Co. Ltd. said it returned to black in the January-March first quarter on stronger sales of photographic lenses in particular, according to JPEA Photo Electro News. It posted a net profit of 447 million yen (US$4.97 million) for the first quarter, compared with a net loss of 677 million yen in the same period a year earlier, on total sales of 11.1 billion yen (US$123 million), up 20.7 percent year-on-year.
Its imaging business unit handling photographic interchangeable lenses posted an operating profit of 537 million yen (US$5.96 mln), up 162 percent from the same period a year earlier, on total sales of 6.72 billion yen (US$74.6 million), up 37.5 percent. Sales of high power-zoom lenses under its own brand as well as private house brands were brisk.
Reading Your Image Histogram
Image histograms are present on many modern
digital
and DSLR cameras. Photographers can use them as an aid to show the distribution of tones captured, and whether image detail has been lost to blown-out highlights or blacked-out shadows.
The horizontal axis of the graph represents the tonal variations, while the vertical axis represents the number of pixels in that particular tone. The left side of the horizontal axis represents the black and dark areas, the middle represents medium grey and the right hand side represents light and pure white areas. The vertical axis, on the other hand, represents the size of the area which is captured in each one of these zones.
May 19
Review:
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 12.1MP Digital Camera with 18x POWER Optical Image
Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD. The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 features AVCHD Lite, High Definition (HD) video recording capability, combined with a powerful 27mm wide-angle, 18x optical zoom Leica DC lens. A successor to the popular FZ28, the FZ35 packs enhanced creative features combined with the power to shoot HD videos, including motion zoom capabilities to take full advantage of the 18x zoom. The operational layout of the FZ35 includes a dedicated video record button, making it a true hybrid--a single model that performs seamlessly at capturing both still and motion images--while still providing smooth and easy operation in either mode.
•
Review:
Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR1 12.1MP Digital Camera with 8x POWER Optical Image
Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD The compact body of the ZR1 houses a LEICA DC Vario-Elmar lens that ranges from 25mm wide-angle all the way to 200mm telephoto. In addition to its superb image rendering, the Leica DC lens lets you capture photos clearly without having to worry about hand-shake in all kinds of travel situations, thanks to the double corrective power of POWER O.I.S. as compared to previous models. Model: Lumix DMC-ZR1 12.1MP Digital Camera , Megapixels: 12.1,
LCD: 2.7 inch, Optical Stabilized: Yes, Optical Zoom: 8x, Colors: Red,
Silver, Blue, Black, Typical Web Price: $280, Viewfinder: No •
Review:
Sony CyberShot DSC-HX1 9.1 MP Digital Camera
-
The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 combines
the high quality and flexibility of Sony's Alpha SLR system with the ease of a point-and-shoot camera. The razor-sharp 20x optical zoom lens captures everything from the beauty of landscapes to the excitement of sports action with remarkable color, clarity, and brilliance. For active subjects, the 10 frames-per-second High Speed Continuous Shooting mode ensures that you'll never miss the perfect moment. Driven by Sony's all-new Exmor CMOS image sensor, the HX1 even delivers life-like colors and incredible detail under low-light conditions.
Street price $479.99
• Announced Mar 2, 2009
Review:
The 12.4MP Kodak EasyShare M381 Digital Camera features an innovative Smart Capture
feature which automatically identifies a scene and takes care of focus, flash, and exposure to deliver great picture in just about any environment.
Powered by a long-life lithium-ion battery, the M381 captures VGA quality motion video with audio, and still images can be viewed in high definition on a HDTV or other HD devices. Built-in multimedia functionality displays your photos on the camera and even has pre-loaded sound themes and creative transitions. The included Kodak EasyShare Software makes sharing content on the Kodak Gallery and YouTube fast and intuitive. Fun to use and easy to carry, the Kodak EasyShare M381 is the perfect digital camera to meet the needs of your digital lifestyle.
•
May 18
Digital Camera Magic
A digital camera, as opposed to a film or videotape camera, uses an electronic sensor to transform images (or video) into electronic data. Modern digital cameras are typically multifunctional and the same device can take photographs, video, and/or sound.
As of May 2010,, digital cameras have pushed traditional film cameras out of the
majority of markets. Shrinking device sizes have recently allowed miniaturized digital cameras to be included in multifunctional devices, such as cell phones and PDAs.
Digital cameras can be classified into several groups:
Review:
Ricoh Caplio GX200 Compact 12MP Digital Camera
Kit with VF1 Removable LCD Viewfinder - U.S.A. Warranty. The GX200 is a high-end 24mm ultra-wide-angle optical zoom digital compact featuring high resolution 12 megapixel CCD coupled with the latest imaging engine SIE III the GX200 is capable to reproduce high quality images from edge-to-edge with low noise and natural gradation. This camera succeeds the award winning Caplio
GX100 Digital Camera Review by Gene Wright introduced in April 2007. Street price $489
May 17
Ricoh announces firmware updates for GXR & GR Digital III
Ricoh has announced firmware updates, adding functions to its GXR and GR Digital III cameras. To be released on May 19, updates for both include two more noise reduction settings and an additional incandescent white balance preset. Both cameras will also feature an Auto Shutter Speed Shift function in shutter priority mode, which when selected changes the shutter speed where it would otherwise have no choice but to over or underexpose. There are also further improvements and additional features available for individual cameras.
May 16
Lowepro SlingShot 100 All-Weather Digital Camera Backpack
Perfect for photojournalists, the SlingShot 100 AW uses a unique sling design to go from “carry mode” to “ready mode” in just seconds. Carried comfortably on the back, it easily rotates to the front so you can get to your camera quickly. The SlingShot 100 AW holds an SLR with mid-range zoom lens attached 1 – 2 extra lenses, cables and accessories and has a full access lid to make loading it a snap. This feature-rich bag also includes a built-in memory card pouch, More >>
May 14
Sigma to ship 120-400mm f/4.5-5.6 for Sony & Pentax
Sigma UK has announced its APO 120-400mm f/4.5-5.6 DG OS HSM optically stabilized lens will be available soon in Sony and Pentax mounts. Currently available in Canon, Nikon and Sigma mounts, the Pentax version will start shipping from May 21, 2010 followed by the Sony version from May 28, 2010
his lens is equipped with a rear focus system that minimizes the fluctuation of
aberration caused by focusing. It provides optimum image quality throughout the
entire zoom range. The super multi-layer coating reduces flare and ghosting.
High image quality is assured throughout the entire zoom range.
Making the Most of Digital Camera Memory
Digital cameras are revolutionizing the world of home and professional
photography, but they are married to memory cards just as traditional cameras are married to film. Making the best use of
memory cards can have a very big impact on your enjoyment of
digital photography. Choosing the right memory card for the job can be as important as choosing the right film for a traditional camera.
If you are new to digital cameras, the digital camera memory cards are the most important parts of any digital camera, without which they may not work at all. So if you are handling a digital camera or planning a purchase, you must know more about the memory cards used in these cameras.
May 13
Sony
releases faster Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo HX cards
Sony has created Memory Stick-Pro HG Duo HX cards with read speeds increased to up to 30MB/s, from 20MB/s. The write speed remains at a minimum of 15MB/s (on HG-compatible devices), as per the previous generation cards. The faster read rates will speed up processes such as the transfer of large images or playback of HD video. The latest cards are available in 8GB, 16GB and 32GB capacities.
Ricoh posts firmware update for CX3 digital compact
Ricoh has released a firmware update for its CX3 digital compact a month after posting the previous version. Firmware v1.09 for the back-lit CMOS based camera fixes a minor bug pertaining to movie playback. The firmware is available for immediate download from Ricoh's website
May 12
Sony Announces Mirrorless NEX-5 and NEX-3 cameras
Sony joins the Digital Interchangeable Lens (DIL, aka mirrorless DSLR) camera rank with the NEX-3 and NEX-5, both using a 14.2MP EXMOR APS HD CMOS sensor. The advantages are indisputable: DSLR image quality and performance in a smaller and lighter body. The NEX5 even accomplishes what many traditional DSLR camera manufacturers have been telling us for years was technically impossible to accomplish: a less than 1 inch distance from lens mount to image sensor plane. The
NEX-3 captures 720p HD recording while the
NEX-5 adds Full HD (1920 x 1080i) video in high-quality AVCHD. A 3.0-in. XtraFine LCD (921k-dot) with TruBlack technology tilts up or down for comfortable viewing in any shooting position.
Hasselblad releases Phocus 2.5 for Mac with third party file support
Hasselblad has released a Mac update for its Phocus image processing software which extends RAW support to third party camera files. Version 2.5 allows processing of files from manufacturers including Canon, Nikon, Leica, Sony, Fujifilm and Olympus. It also includes a host of new features, and supports common file formats such as JPEG, DNG, PNG and TIFF. The company says that the Windows version of Phocus 2.5 will be released by mid-June and will include all the latest improvements excluding support for third party files. The Mac version will be available as a free download from May 19th from Hasselblad's website
May 11
Leica releases Summarit-S 35mm f/2.5 ASPH lens for S2
Leica has announced the Summarit-S 35mm f/2.5 ASPH lens for its S2 professional DSLR. The first wide angle lens designed for its S system offers a 28mm equivalent field of view. It joins the existing 70mm f/2.5 ASPH and 180mm f/2.5 lenses. Leica says it will available from May 2010 at a suggested retail price of £3,780 GBP.
Canon SD4000 IS digicam with 10MP with 720p HD & HDMI Announced
Canon has added another Digital Camera Review by Gene Wright to its line up with the launch of the Canon Ixus 300HS. The Canon
Sd4000 IS features a 10 megapixel CMOS sensor with a Canon Digic 4 Processor, which is designed for enhanced low light performance and high-speed shooting.
It also features a f/2.0 wide-angle lens which is designed to produce faster shutter speeds, and it features a number of manual setting which are designed to offer artistic flexibility.
Trusting Digital Camera Reviews
Digital camera reviews are abundant not just online but also in the newspapers, magazines and even TV shows. We often wonder why most digital camera reviews always praise all the digital camera out in the market, that’s why we end up getting confused on which product to buy or get our loved ones.
Here’s one thing you should never trust regarding digital camera reviews – never
trust press releases or reviews that are directly from the manufacturer or
advertising office that is directly connected with producer of the digital
camera. Why?
May 10
SteadePod Review
What do you do when you are not allowed to use a tripod or even a monopod? There are some indoor venues, such as Museums and photo galleries, where the use of a tripod (and flash) is forbidden. Trying to stand perfectly still like the statue you are trying to photograph in low light rarely works and leaning on that stuffed tiger for stability is so not allowed.
Fear not, for
Gentec International believes it has the answer with the SteadePod , billed as “a compact camera stabilizer for still and video cameras.”
DxO Labs updates DxO Optics Pro v6.2 for Win & Mac
DxO Labs has
released its DxO Optics Pro raw converter to version 6.2 for both Windows and Mac. The latest versions add support for the Canon 550D and Sony Alpha DSLR-A450 in both Standard and Elite editions. The Elite edition also supports the Canon EOS 1D Mark IV and Nikon D3s, and comes with 85 additional optical modules. Versions for both operating systems also offer a number of new features including automatic noise reduction and a default sharpening preset
Panasonic announces firmware for G1, GH1 & GF1
Firmware updates for the DMC-GF1, DMC-GH1 and DMC-G1 Micro Four-Thirds cameras are now available for download. These promise improved autofocus performance with third-party lenses and recognition of the new 14-42mm kit zoom, plus enhanced flash performance for the GH1 and G1. The updates can be downloaded via Panasonic's website
May 9
Peephole Camera
The traditional optical peephole security gadget is now over 40 years old; time for an update.
This newly designed peephole has a small camera that fits through your door, a screen replaces the eye piece allowing you to view who is at your door from a distance without letting the person knocking know you are there.
The normal peephole was good but it has a few flaws
May 8
Avoiding Camera Shake
Most instances of camera shake occur during hand held photography. This, as you have probably noticed, is a very popular way to take photographs so it is wise to know when you are likely to fall victim to camera shake. Like using a fast enough shutter speed to freeze movement in a photograph you must also use a fast enough shutter speed to freeze any movement of the camera. The actual shutter speed you use to combat camera shake is generally determined by a couple of factors.
The bottom image has image stabilization enabled and exhibits less camera shake than the top image.
To avoid images suffering from camera shake when hand holding a camera, photographers use the following rule of thumb: shutter time must be shorter than 1/focal length
Review:
Polaroid t1235 12MP Touchscreen Digital Camera. Get all the bells and whistles you’d expect in a
professional camera, in this easy-to-use point-and-shoot t1235 12 Megapixel Digital Camera from Polaroid. The touchscreen
allows you to add captions to your photos, add icons, and personalize any image.
With a 3x optical and 4x digital zoom, you'll get closer to the action than ever
before. And you can use the huge 3.0" color LCD screen to preview images before
you shoot, letting you frame your subject for perfect photos every time. The
audio tag lets you put names with faces when you're capturing memories at a
family reunion or wedding. Also lets you take video clips with audio, and the
32MB built-in storage is expandable with SD cards for complete photo storage.
Shoot manually or choose from various scene modes for customized images. Get
yours today and take your photography to the next level! Typical Internet Price
$110.
Review:
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T90 12 MP Digital Camera with 4x Optical Zoom and Super Steady Shot
Image Stabilization. Combines style with power and intelligence. At just under 5/8" (15mm) thin, the T90 comes in 5 sophisticated colors and has a stylish look. With the T90 taking great pictures is now easier than ever. The iAuto mode goes beyond the traditional auto mode, thinking and working for you; recognizing scenes, lighting conditions, faces, and automatically adjusts camera settings resulting in clearer images, and faces with more natural skin tones and less blur.
Typical Internet Price $ 238.99 •
May 11
Review:
Canon EF 100mm f/2.0
USM
Canon's Best.
Despite the large maximum aperture, this lens remains compact. Lens group 5 moves for rear focusing, and sharp, crisp pictures are obtained at all apertures. The background blur is ideal for portraits. The USM autofocuses the lens quickly and quietly. Enjoy all the benefits of the Canon Telephoto EF 100mm f/2.0 USM
Autofocus Lens.
Macro Photography
Macro photography is close-up
photography. The classical definition is that the image projected on the "film plane"
(i.e., film or a
digital sensor) is close to the same size as the subject. On
35mm film (for example), the lens is
typically optimized to focus sharply on a small area approaching the size of the film frame. Most 35mm format macro
lenses achieve at least 1:2, that is to say, the image on the film is 1/2 the size of the object being photographed.
Many 35mm macro lenses are 1:1, meaning the image on the film is the same size as the object being photographed.
Another important distinction is that lenses designed for macro are usually at their sharpest at macro focus distances
and are not quite as sharp at other focus distances.
May 6
Topaz Labs Announces DeNoise 4
Topaz
Labs has announced the latest version of its DeNoise noise reduction plug-in for Adobe Photoshop. It incorporates the company's latest 'IntelliNoise' noise reduction technology that aims to remove noise from images while maintaining detail. It is available as a free upgrade for existing users or $79.99 for first-time buyers.
Click for more information or to
download a 30 day trial
Epson announces Perfection V33, V330 Photo scanners
Budget-proced scanners are aimed at families and scrapbookers
The Perfection V33 scanner ($89) offers color restoration capabilities; V330 offers both reflective and transparency scanning capabilities for film, photos, 3D objects and oversized documents for $119.
An especially valuable software program that comes bundled with these scanners is ArcSoft
Scan-n-Stitch™ Deluxe. This convenient and intelligent program enables users to
scan multiple images such as panoramas, oversized artwork, documents, and
scrapbook pages (to name a few) which it stitches together automatically.
NIKKOR 24mm f/2.8D AF
Prime Lens Review - Standard
wide-angle lens is exceptionally light, weighing only 9.5 oz. The Close Range Correction (CRC) system provides high performance at both near and far focusing distances, making it ideal for
candid's, portraits and travel photographs. This auto-focusing 24mm f2.8 Nikkor lens is optically unchanged from the manual focusing 24mm f2.8 Nikkor lens. This speaks rather well for this design, which was the first ever made with Nikon's CRC
(floating element) feature. Typical internet price: $340.00.
May 5
Canon Pixma Ip4200
Printer Review
Slow off the line.
Canon printers are usually fairly quick when it comes to page per minute counts. The Canon Pixma printers, however, takes a few seconds to get it moving. Once it is all warmed up it can meet its 56 second 4×6 claim but it has to work to get there.
There is no computer cable included in the price of the unit so be forewarned and buy one before the unit gets through your front door. Anyway, there does appear to be an issue with the unit talking to PC printer drivers. Many have complained that they did not have the compatible drivers for the unit. The problem is easily solved by visiting the Canon printers’ website but it is just another little thing, in what seems to be a long line of “little things” that keep you from hooking the unit up and printing in five minutes. If your original intent was to use the unit for digital camera snaps you might be advised to just forget about the PC and keep the unit separate. Don’t get me wrong the Canon Pixma iP4200 printer works great once you get it set and stretched out but you just have to get it there.
David Busch's Quick Snap Guide to Using Digital SLR Lenses
Are you ready to go beyond the basics with your digital SLR camera but are unsure which
interchangeable lens or two to buy and more importantly, how and when to use each lens? "David Busch’s Quick Snap Guide to Using Digital SLR
Lenses" offers focused, concise information and techniques on how to use
different lenses to take great photographs. You’ll begin with a quick overview
of how lenses work and the types of lenses available, including normal,
telephoto, wide-angle, prime, and zoom. Then you’ll explore typical lens
controls and features such as focus rings, depth-of-field scales, and image
stabilization, and how particular settings can help improve your photography.
Print Your Own Quality Photos
Today's digital cameras provide image data files allowing large-format
output at high resolution. At the same time, printing technology has moved forward at an equally fast pace bringing us new inkjet systems capable of printing in high precision at a very fine resolution, providing an amazing tonality range and longtime stability of inks.
Moreover, these systems are now affordable to the serious photographer. In the hands of knowledgeable and experienced photographers, these new inkjet printers can help create prints comparable to the highest quality darkroom prints on photographic paper.
May 4
Morpheus Photo Morpher
Morpheus is powerful and easy-to-use morphing software for the creation 
of fantastic photo morphing pictures and sophisticated animation effects. With
a revolutionary rendering engine and a super-friendly user interface, creating morphing pictures and action sequences from still images has never been easier and faster! Morpheus is a superior one-stop picture morphing software program that empowers users with the tools to add unique and exciting visual effects to screen savers, web graphics, music videos, advertisements, movies, educational software, presentations, email, greeting cards, and various other electronic documents. Use your amazing morph movies and morphing pictures in countless ways. You won't be disappointed with the professional quality of your Morpheus projects. Morpheus is professional photo-animation software, and yes it's also a valuable and sophisticated toy for personal entertainment.
Web price $29,95
Traveling Light with
JoeMcNally
Home now. Recently did 10 stops in 14 days for Nikon Europe’s Speed of Light Tour. Been doing this in various shapes and sizes now for 4 years. It’s really Annie’s doing. She’s routinely adored by her colleagues both here in the US and abroad. (Trust me, I understand.)
But she rarely gets to see her mates from Europe and Asia, save at big international events, like what just occurred up Vancouver way. So I think they dreamed this up a few years ago just so they could get to see her over on the continent on a yearly basis. Beyond the likability factor, she also commands enormous respect for her knowledge of all things digital, her ability to communicate and teach well, and her non-stop force of nature work ethic, and, well, you get the idea.
Me? I’m, like, you know, happy baggage.
May 3
The Right Gadgets for Digital Photography
Digital cameras are in vogue today and almost everyone carries one everywhere. It reminds one of the Japanese tourists in Europe or America decades ago who became the best ambassadors of Canon, Ikon, Yashika and other famous brands. Today the same companies are manufacturing digital photography equipment and competing with other digital firms around the world. Good and sharp results have always been the requirements of the
photographer and digital products do offer the best there is in the world today.
But it is not only about digital cameras alone! One also need several other equipment as ancillaries before your collection of a digital studio or even that small hobby room is complete. With computers controlling the processing and printing of
photographs, it is essential to learn a bit of information technology as well to be successful in the use of digital photography equipment.
.
Opteka Voyeur Right
Angle Spy Lens -
Point your camera one way and shoot the other with this
right angle lens attachment. This lens will allow you to film directly to the right or left of where your camera appears to be pointing. Built-in rotating barrel to allow height adjustments. People will think you are shooting somewhere else. This lens can be a valuable asset when shooting video (or still pictures) at the beach, pool, and other public places. This lens provides bright, crisp, distortion free images. It is sized to accommodate all viewing distances from near wide-angle to full zoom.
May 1
SD, CF, SDHC, What's the difference?
Secure Digital (SD)
cards
are much smaller and lighter than
Compact Flash (CF) cards.
They have a 9 pin interface. (SD cards have a 50 pin interface) and this
limits them to 4-bit data transfer bus rather than the 16-bit data
transfer bus of CF cards. In principle this makes their maximum possible
transfer speed slower, but in practice there is little difference when
used with current digital cameras. In the past SD cards were more
expensive than CF cards and were not available in as high a capacity
versions, but this no longer applies.
Rokinon 85mm f/1.4 Manual Focus Telephoto
Lens
The Rokinon 85mm f/1.4 Manual Focus Lens is a special effort in the independent lens
manufacturer world, being a popular focal length for serious portraiture combined with an extra large f/1.4 maximum aperture. Most independent manufacturer lenses are either zooms or very short or long focal length fixed lenses.
With the appropriate mount, this lens is appropriate for
Canon, Pentax, Sony and Nikon FX "full frame" cameras in addition to their 15.6 x 23.7mm "APS-C" style digital 'DX' SLR cameras, and works similarly upon the cameras as later-model Nikon manual focus lenses. This lens is precision manufactured in South Korea.
Typical internet price: $257.00
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