Roulette wheel cake for Granma's 93 birthday
Monday, August 28, 2006
Sunday, July 30, 2006
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
Sunday, July 23, 2006
Saturday, July 22, 2006
Monday, July 10, 2006
Monday, July 03, 2006
pixmantec
pixmantec: "Adobe Further Extends Leadership in Digital Photography RAW File Workflows
Adobe Acquires Technology Assets of Pixmantec ApS
SAN JOSE, Calif. — June 26, 2006 — Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) today announced it has acquired the technology assets of Pixmantec ApS, makers of digital imaging software that provides advanced workflow management and processing capabilities for digital camera RAW files. The acquisition strengthens Adobe's leadership position in RAW processing.
Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.
'With high quality digital cameras now within reach of every photographer, customers are gravitating to RAW file formats that allow them to get more control over final results,' said John Loiacono, senior vice president of Creative Solutions at Adobe�. 'By combining Pixmantec's raw processing technology and expertise with our own, we're continuing to deliver on the promise that even your existing RAW files can be processed with increasing quality as our software technology evolves.'
Pixmantec is a privately held company headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark and currently ships the RawShooter� line of digital photography software products. Adobe plans to integrate Pixmantec RAW processing technologies into Lightroom™ and wherever customers will be working with RAW files.
In preparation for this integration, the Pixmantec RawShooter Premium product is being discontinued, though the free RawShooter Essentials product will continue to be available until the Lightroom public beta program is completed. Existing Pixmantec customers will continue to be supported by Adobe and will be provided with an upgrade path to the Adobe digital imaging product family.
Adobe believes this acquisition will not have a material financial impact on the company.
"
Adobe Acquires Technology Assets of Pixmantec ApS
SAN JOSE, Calif. — June 26, 2006 — Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) today announced it has acquired the technology assets of Pixmantec ApS, makers of digital imaging software that provides advanced workflow management and processing capabilities for digital camera RAW files. The acquisition strengthens Adobe's leadership position in RAW processing.
Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.
'With high quality digital cameras now within reach of every photographer, customers are gravitating to RAW file formats that allow them to get more control over final results,' said John Loiacono, senior vice president of Creative Solutions at Adobe�. 'By combining Pixmantec's raw processing technology and expertise with our own, we're continuing to deliver on the promise that even your existing RAW files can be processed with increasing quality as our software technology evolves.'
Pixmantec is a privately held company headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark and currently ships the RawShooter� line of digital photography software products. Adobe plans to integrate Pixmantec RAW processing technologies into Lightroom™ and wherever customers will be working with RAW files.
In preparation for this integration, the Pixmantec RawShooter Premium product is being discontinued, though the free RawShooter Essentials product will continue to be available until the Lightroom public beta program is completed. Existing Pixmantec customers will continue to be supported by Adobe and will be provided with an upgrade path to the Adobe digital imaging product family.
Adobe believes this acquisition will not have a material financial impact on the company.
"
Friday, June 09, 2006
Monday, May 29, 2006
Canon may halt development of film cameras: Digital Photography Review
Canon may halt development of film cameras: Digital Photography Review: "What a difference a word can make, in this case it's the word 'considers'. An earlier Reuters UK news article stated 'Canon to halt film camera development', shortly afterwards Reuters were forced to correct this and replace the word 'to' with 'considers', hence 'Canon considers halt to film camera development'. With this subtle change (and some edits in the article itself) the news is, well, nothing definite. A Canon spokesman has essentially stated that they are currently trying to decide if there is a need to keep developing compact and SLR film cameras because of the shrinking market."
Sunday, May 28, 2006
Thursday, May 25, 2006
Saturday, April 29, 2006
Sigma - Lenses
Sigma - Lenses: "70-300mm F4-5.6 APO DG MACRO
MSRP: $300.00 USD
Telephoto zoom lenses with tele-macro function, optimized for digital cameras.
The high performance telephoto zoom lens is ideal for digital SLR cameras. This lens has two SLD glass elements in the front lens group and one in the rear lens group It is able to shoot with maximum magnification 1:2 at the focal length of 300 mm. It’s the ideal lens for portraits, sports photography, nature photography, and other types of photography that frequently use the telephoto range.
New coating reduces Ghost and Flare.
The new multi layer lens coating and lens design reduce flare and ghost, which is a common problem with digital cameras and also creates an optimum color balance through the entire zoom range.
It is equipped with three pieces of SLD glass for high image quality
This lens has two SLD (Special Low Dispersion) glass elements in the front lens group and one in the rear lens group, the lens has excellent correction of chromatic aberration through the entire zoom range.
Macro shooting with maximum magnification 1:2
High optical performance is demonstrated throughout the entire zoom range. It also has a switch that converts the lens to macro photography at focal lengths between 200mm and 300mm with a minimum focusing distance of 95cm (37.4 inches). In normal mode the minimum focusing distance is 150cm (59.1 inches) at all zoom settings. Maximum magnification between 200mm and 300mm is 1:2.9 to 1:2.
No alt"
MSRP: $300.00 USD
Telephoto zoom lenses with tele-macro function, optimized for digital cameras.
The high performance telephoto zoom lens is ideal for digital SLR cameras. This lens has two SLD glass elements in the front lens group and one in the rear lens group It is able to shoot with maximum magnification 1:2 at the focal length of 300 mm. It’s the ideal lens for portraits, sports photography, nature photography, and other types of photography that frequently use the telephoto range.
New coating reduces Ghost and Flare.
The new multi layer lens coating and lens design reduce flare and ghost, which is a common problem with digital cameras and also creates an optimum color balance through the entire zoom range.
It is equipped with three pieces of SLD glass for high image quality
This lens has two SLD (Special Low Dispersion) glass elements in the front lens group and one in the rear lens group, the lens has excellent correction of chromatic aberration through the entire zoom range.
Macro shooting with maximum magnification 1:2
High optical performance is demonstrated throughout the entire zoom range. It also has a switch that converts the lens to macro photography at focal lengths between 200mm and 300mm with a minimum focusing distance of 95cm (37.4 inches). In normal mode the minimum focusing distance is 150cm (59.1 inches) at all zoom settings. Maximum magnification between 200mm and 300mm is 1:2.9 to 1:2.
No alt"
Think Secret - Aperture future in question as Apple axes bulk of team
Think Secret - Aperture future in question as Apple axes bulk of team: "Aperture future in question as Apple axes bulk of team
By Ryan Katz, Senior Editor
April 27, 2006 - Apple recently asked the engineering team behind its Aperture photo editing and management software to leave, Think Secret has learned. The move, which resulted in the departure of several engineers while others were transferred to different projects inside Apple, raises questions about the future of Aperture, Apple's most heavily criticized and bug-ridden pro software release in recent years.
advertisement
Sources familiar with Apple's professional software strategy said they were not surprised by the move, describing Aperture's development as a 'mess' and the worst they had witnessed at Apple.
Aperture's problems stem not from any particular area that can be easily remedied but rather from the application's entire underlying architecture. In the run-up to Aperture's November release last year, for example, sources report that responsibility for the application's image processing pipeline was taken away from the Aperture team and given to the Shake and Motion team 'to fix as best they can.' Some of those enhancements emerged in the recently released Aperture 1.1 update, which saw its release delayed for about two weeks as a result of the extra work needed to bring it up to spec.
In tandem with the 1.1 update, Apple dropped Aperture's price tag from $499 to $299 and offered owners of version 1.0 a $200 coupon for the Apple Store. Industry watchers and users alike have viewed the price cut as a maneuver to stave off competition from Adobe's forthcoming LightRoom software, a beta of which is available for Mac OS X users, and see the Apple Store coupon as a concession for early adopters who collectively appear to have been expecting more from Apple.
Perhaps the greatest hope for Aperture's future is that the application's problems are said to be so extensive that any version 2.0 would require major portions of code to be entirely rewritten. With that in mind, the bell may not yet be tolling for Aperture; an entirely new engineering team could salvage the software and bring it up to Apple's usual standards."
By Ryan Katz, Senior Editor
April 27, 2006 - Apple recently asked the engineering team behind its Aperture photo editing and management software to leave, Think Secret has learned. The move, which resulted in the departure of several engineers while others were transferred to different projects inside Apple, raises questions about the future of Aperture, Apple's most heavily criticized and bug-ridden pro software release in recent years.
advertisement
Sources familiar with Apple's professional software strategy said they were not surprised by the move, describing Aperture's development as a 'mess' and the worst they had witnessed at Apple.
Aperture's problems stem not from any particular area that can be easily remedied but rather from the application's entire underlying architecture. In the run-up to Aperture's November release last year, for example, sources report that responsibility for the application's image processing pipeline was taken away from the Aperture team and given to the Shake and Motion team 'to fix as best they can.' Some of those enhancements emerged in the recently released Aperture 1.1 update, which saw its release delayed for about two weeks as a result of the extra work needed to bring it up to spec.
In tandem with the 1.1 update, Apple dropped Aperture's price tag from $499 to $299 and offered owners of version 1.0 a $200 coupon for the Apple Store. Industry watchers and users alike have viewed the price cut as a maneuver to stave off competition from Adobe's forthcoming LightRoom software, a beta of which is available for Mac OS X users, and see the Apple Store coupon as a concession for early adopters who collectively appear to have been expecting more from Apple.
Perhaps the greatest hope for Aperture's future is that the application's problems are said to be so extensive that any version 2.0 would require major portions of code to be entirely rewritten. With that in mind, the bell may not yet be tolling for Aperture; an entirely new engineering team could salvage the software and bring it up to Apple's usual standards."
Wednesday, April 26, 2006
Bibble updated to version 4.7: Digital Photography Review
Bibble updated to version 4.7: Digital Photography Review: "Bibble Labs has today announced an update to its professional RAW workflow and conversion software with version 4.7. Bibble 4.7 fully integrates Athentech's award winning Perfectly Clear� automatic image correction technology into the raw workflow. Bibble 4.7 also includes new camera support for the Canon 30D, Olympus Evolt E330 and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ30 and a new Vibrancy control for selective enhancement of image saturation.
Press Release:"
Press Release:"
Thursday, March 30, 2006
Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Friday, March 17, 2006
Sunday, March 12, 2006
Monday, March 06, 2006
Sunday, March 05, 2006
Fun in the Dark by Andy Heatwole
Fun in the Dark
by Andy Heatwole
Category: Shooting Technique
Introduction
Not that long ago, night photography and long exposures in general required the use of film. However, today's high-end and prosumer digital cameras are more than capable of producing quality images at night. Exposures consisting of many minutes or hours are still film's domain but with some simple digital tricks, we can extend the camera's capabilities in this area quite a bit.
So what's the difference between night photography and day photography? No, it's not a trick question. When I take a photograph during the day I'm reasonably sure of what that image is going to look like. Not so at night. Clouds dance, lights streak, water blurs, and flashlights become paintbrushes. It's a great time to be out and it gives you an excuse to stay up late.
The ability to shoot digitally at night is truly a godsend because the image preview allows me to instantly see if my exposure settings are correct. With film, determining the correct exposure settings often required a good measure of luck on top of a whole lot of experience. For me, this ability to preview my shots has improved my night photography tremendously and made it a much more enjoyable experience. It also gives me much more freedom and incentive to experiment.
Moonrise over the ocean.
What You'll Need
A camera capable of taking long exposures. Most digital SLR's have a bulb mode setting that allows you to make exposures of any length you want. Even if your camera doesn't have this feature, as long as it has a timed shutter speed of 30 seconds or more you can still do a lot. My first digital camera had a maximum shutter speed of 30 seconds and I found that, while somewhat limited, it was still useful for most night applications. Also important is the ability to manually set the exposure. If you camera doesn't offer this feature you can still use it but you'll be somewhat more limited.
A sturdy tripod. This is an absolute must in night photography.
A shutter release. Sometimes called a remote switch, this handy device is basically a cable attached to the camera that duplicates the shutter button's functions. It allows you to take a picture without physically touching the camera which eliminates camera shake. This becomes especially critical in bulb mode where the shutter button must be continually depressed during the exposure.
A small flashlight. While not critical, it makes it a lot easier to see what your doing while adjusting camera settings. I have a LED key chain light that works great for me.
Basic Technique
Your exposure settings will vary greatly depending on your subject and available light. Personally, I try to shoot at ISO 100 to keep noise levels to a minimum but certain situations require a higher setting. If the scene you're photographing falls within your camera's metering capabilities or you have a hand held light meter, start with those settings and verify the exposure on the LCD screen (gotta love instant feedback). If not you'll need to experiment a little to get the correct shutter speed and aperture. Start off with an aperture that's fairly wide to allow more light to enter the camera. I tend to start off with an aperture setting of 5.6 and a shutter speed of 15 to 30 seconds. I know that 5.6 isn't exactly wide open but keep in mind that depth of field is still a factor. If you're shooting landscapes, which I tend to do, a smaller aperture will keep things nice and sharp.
After the shot, look at the image on the LCD screen. If it's underexposed, increase the length of the exposure or the aperture size. If it's overexposed, decrease the exposure time or the aperture size. I know this is a very rudimentary method for determining exposure but with experience you'll develop a feel for what exposure settings work best in various situations.
Painting with Light
Just as the title says, you can use just about just any light source to "paint" light into your images. I use a Mag flashlight because it allows me to adjust the width of the beam but any strong flashlight will do. Some people also use high powered spotlights which can be useful when illuminating distant subjects.
Personally, I like to perform this technique just before complete darkness which adds some nice ambient light to the scene. The exposure time for this technique will vary depending on the available light but generally 30 seconds to 2 minutes is sufficient.
This image was illuminated with only a flashlight.
Place your camera on a tripod and start the exposure. With the shutter open, move your flashlight in broad sweeping motions across the scene. You can try to paint the entire scene or use the flashlight to highlight certain elements. The amount of time required to illuminate a particular scene or element depends on the strength of the light and the effect desired. This is where experimentation comes in to play. Light painting is my favorite form of night photography because you never really know what you're going to get.
If your feeling adventurous, add some fire to your images but ALWAYS be careful. One way to do this is to tape a Zippo lighter to the end of an unraveled metal coat hanger. This allows you to move the flame throughout the scene without the risk of getting burned. Also, if you're fast enough, you can usually move throughout the scene without being exposed in the final image.
I used a Zippo lighter attached to a coat hanger to create the flame in this image.
Lightning
I'm fascinated by lightning and capturing it with the camera can be a thrill like no other. Fortunately, it's also very easy to shoot. The first rule of lightning photography is BE CAREFUL! Standing on your roof in the middle of a thunderstorm with a metal tripod is not a good idea and I know that now ;-).
I've always shoot lightning at ISO 100. This helps increase the time I can leave the shutter open to catch a strike before the ambient light overexposes the scene. I generally start off with my aperture set at 5.6 and an exposure of 15-30 seconds, depending on available light. If the lightning is close, you'll probably need a smaller aperture. If it's further away, open it up a bit.
Place the camera on a tripod and focus on an area where lightning is occurring. If a strike occurs near the beginning of the exposure, leave the shutter open a bit longer to expose for the ambient light. If it occurs near the end of the exposure, it's probably a good idea to close the shutter after the strike to avoid overexposing. If you're using a timed exposure, place the lens cap or your hand over the lens until it's finished. Remember, lightning is very bright (it's nature's flash) and will expose the entire scene very quickly. You can leave the shutter open to capture multiple strikes but you run the risk of overexposure.
These strikes were shot from my front porch.
The best storms are those that are very active and produce lots of lightning. This gives you a chance to get multiple shots and adjust your exposure settings as needed.
The Blue Hour
The "blue hour" is the period of time after sunset but before complete darkness when the sky takes on a deep, rich blue. To the naked eye, it can look almost black but the camera sees things differently. This is my favorite time to shoot because instead of getting a dark, featureless sky, you get one that's beautiful and vibrant in a way that's unique to this time of day. Unfortunately, the blue hour tends to be very short, especially in winter so you have to be ready for it.
A typical blue hour sky.
Extending the Camera's Capabilities
I've shot exposures of 5 to 10 minutes with my 20D without any problems. But what happens if you want shoot something like star trails which can require an hour or more? Well, you can go back to film or you can use a post processing technique called image stacking. This technique utilizes multiple shots of the same scene. For our star trails example, say you wanted to create the equivalent of an hour long exposure. You could shoot 60 one-minute exposures one right after the other which would give you an hour's worth of shots. You can then "stack" those images in a program like Photoshop to create the illusion of one continuous exposure.
Here's how it works. Open the first image in Photoshop or a similar image editing application. This will create our "base" or background image. Then, open the next image in the series. Copy this image and paste it into a new layer on the base image. Change the blend mode of the new layer to "lighten". This has the effect of only showing the pixels on the layer that are brighter (the star trails) than the layer underneath it. You've now created the illusion of a two minute exposure.
At this point you can close the image you copied from (make sure you leave the base image open). Then, open the next image in the series and repeat the process. As your star trails grow, you'll also notice the number of layers growing as well. I would recommend flattening the image after every 4 or 5 layers you add to keep the overall image size down. A good example of this technique can be seen here.
Additional Resources
If you need some inspiration or just want to see what's possible I highly recommend the Nocturnes website.
*****
Andy Heatwole lives in San Marcos, a thriving little town in the heart of the Texas Hill Country.
"I was inspired to get into photography about five years ago after seeing some night shots on the Internet. My father-in-law, a long-time photographer, supplied me with my first SLR a fully manual Minolta XE-7. Almost overnight, I developed a passion for image making. After learning the basics, I switched to digital and have never looked back. I enjoy all types of photography but shooting at night is still my favorite."
You can see more of Andy's work online at http://www.bluehourphoto.com
by Andy Heatwole
Category: Shooting Technique
Introduction
Not that long ago, night photography and long exposures in general required the use of film. However, today's high-end and prosumer digital cameras are more than capable of producing quality images at night. Exposures consisting of many minutes or hours are still film's domain but with some simple digital tricks, we can extend the camera's capabilities in this area quite a bit.
So what's the difference between night photography and day photography? No, it's not a trick question. When I take a photograph during the day I'm reasonably sure of what that image is going to look like. Not so at night. Clouds dance, lights streak, water blurs, and flashlights become paintbrushes. It's a great time to be out and it gives you an excuse to stay up late.
The ability to shoot digitally at night is truly a godsend because the image preview allows me to instantly see if my exposure settings are correct. With film, determining the correct exposure settings often required a good measure of luck on top of a whole lot of experience. For me, this ability to preview my shots has improved my night photography tremendously and made it a much more enjoyable experience. It also gives me much more freedom and incentive to experiment.
Moonrise over the ocean.
What You'll Need
A camera capable of taking long exposures. Most digital SLR's have a bulb mode setting that allows you to make exposures of any length you want. Even if your camera doesn't have this feature, as long as it has a timed shutter speed of 30 seconds or more you can still do a lot. My first digital camera had a maximum shutter speed of 30 seconds and I found that, while somewhat limited, it was still useful for most night applications. Also important is the ability to manually set the exposure. If you camera doesn't offer this feature you can still use it but you'll be somewhat more limited.
A sturdy tripod. This is an absolute must in night photography.
A shutter release. Sometimes called a remote switch, this handy device is basically a cable attached to the camera that duplicates the shutter button's functions. It allows you to take a picture without physically touching the camera which eliminates camera shake. This becomes especially critical in bulb mode where the shutter button must be continually depressed during the exposure.
A small flashlight. While not critical, it makes it a lot easier to see what your doing while adjusting camera settings. I have a LED key chain light that works great for me.
Basic Technique
Your exposure settings will vary greatly depending on your subject and available light. Personally, I try to shoot at ISO 100 to keep noise levels to a minimum but certain situations require a higher setting. If the scene you're photographing falls within your camera's metering capabilities or you have a hand held light meter, start with those settings and verify the exposure on the LCD screen (gotta love instant feedback). If not you'll need to experiment a little to get the correct shutter speed and aperture. Start off with an aperture that's fairly wide to allow more light to enter the camera. I tend to start off with an aperture setting of 5.6 and a shutter speed of 15 to 30 seconds. I know that 5.6 isn't exactly wide open but keep in mind that depth of field is still a factor. If you're shooting landscapes, which I tend to do, a smaller aperture will keep things nice and sharp.
After the shot, look at the image on the LCD screen. If it's underexposed, increase the length of the exposure or the aperture size. If it's overexposed, decrease the exposure time or the aperture size. I know this is a very rudimentary method for determining exposure but with experience you'll develop a feel for what exposure settings work best in various situations.
Painting with Light
Just as the title says, you can use just about just any light source to "paint" light into your images. I use a Mag flashlight because it allows me to adjust the width of the beam but any strong flashlight will do. Some people also use high powered spotlights which can be useful when illuminating distant subjects.
Personally, I like to perform this technique just before complete darkness which adds some nice ambient light to the scene. The exposure time for this technique will vary depending on the available light but generally 30 seconds to 2 minutes is sufficient.
This image was illuminated with only a flashlight.
Place your camera on a tripod and start the exposure. With the shutter open, move your flashlight in broad sweeping motions across the scene. You can try to paint the entire scene or use the flashlight to highlight certain elements. The amount of time required to illuminate a particular scene or element depends on the strength of the light and the effect desired. This is where experimentation comes in to play. Light painting is my favorite form of night photography because you never really know what you're going to get.
If your feeling adventurous, add some fire to your images but ALWAYS be careful. One way to do this is to tape a Zippo lighter to the end of an unraveled metal coat hanger. This allows you to move the flame throughout the scene without the risk of getting burned. Also, if you're fast enough, you can usually move throughout the scene without being exposed in the final image.
I used a Zippo lighter attached to a coat hanger to create the flame in this image.
Lightning
I'm fascinated by lightning and capturing it with the camera can be a thrill like no other. Fortunately, it's also very easy to shoot. The first rule of lightning photography is BE CAREFUL! Standing on your roof in the middle of a thunderstorm with a metal tripod is not a good idea and I know that now ;-).
I've always shoot lightning at ISO 100. This helps increase the time I can leave the shutter open to catch a strike before the ambient light overexposes the scene. I generally start off with my aperture set at 5.6 and an exposure of 15-30 seconds, depending on available light. If the lightning is close, you'll probably need a smaller aperture. If it's further away, open it up a bit.
Place the camera on a tripod and focus on an area where lightning is occurring. If a strike occurs near the beginning of the exposure, leave the shutter open a bit longer to expose for the ambient light. If it occurs near the end of the exposure, it's probably a good idea to close the shutter after the strike to avoid overexposing. If you're using a timed exposure, place the lens cap or your hand over the lens until it's finished. Remember, lightning is very bright (it's nature's flash) and will expose the entire scene very quickly. You can leave the shutter open to capture multiple strikes but you run the risk of overexposure.
These strikes were shot from my front porch.
The best storms are those that are very active and produce lots of lightning. This gives you a chance to get multiple shots and adjust your exposure settings as needed.
The Blue Hour
The "blue hour" is the period of time after sunset but before complete darkness when the sky takes on a deep, rich blue. To the naked eye, it can look almost black but the camera sees things differently. This is my favorite time to shoot because instead of getting a dark, featureless sky, you get one that's beautiful and vibrant in a way that's unique to this time of day. Unfortunately, the blue hour tends to be very short, especially in winter so you have to be ready for it.
A typical blue hour sky.
Extending the Camera's Capabilities
I've shot exposures of 5 to 10 minutes with my 20D without any problems. But what happens if you want shoot something like star trails which can require an hour or more? Well, you can go back to film or you can use a post processing technique called image stacking. This technique utilizes multiple shots of the same scene. For our star trails example, say you wanted to create the equivalent of an hour long exposure. You could shoot 60 one-minute exposures one right after the other which would give you an hour's worth of shots. You can then "stack" those images in a program like Photoshop to create the illusion of one continuous exposure.
Here's how it works. Open the first image in Photoshop or a similar image editing application. This will create our "base" or background image. Then, open the next image in the series. Copy this image and paste it into a new layer on the base image. Change the blend mode of the new layer to "lighten". This has the effect of only showing the pixels on the layer that are brighter (the star trails) than the layer underneath it. You've now created the illusion of a two minute exposure.
At this point you can close the image you copied from (make sure you leave the base image open). Then, open the next image in the series and repeat the process. As your star trails grow, you'll also notice the number of layers growing as well. I would recommend flattening the image after every 4 or 5 layers you add to keep the overall image size down. A good example of this technique can be seen here.
Additional Resources
If you need some inspiration or just want to see what's possible I highly recommend the Nocturnes website.
*****
Andy Heatwole lives in San Marcos, a thriving little town in the heart of the Texas Hill Country.
"I was inspired to get into photography about five years ago after seeing some night shots on the Internet. My father-in-law, a long-time photographer, supplied me with my first SLR a fully manual Minolta XE-7. Almost overnight, I developed a passion for image making. After learning the basics, I switched to digital and have never looked back. I enjoy all types of photography but shooting at night is still my favorite."
You can see more of Andy's work online at http://www.bluehourphoto.com
The Daily Shooter - Photographer of the Month Kathleen Connally
The Daily Shooter - Photographer of the Month Kathleen Connally
Unbelievable. One of the best photographers I have ever seen.
Unbelievable. One of the best photographers I have ever seen.
Saturday, March 04, 2006
Friday, March 03, 2006
Nature and Wildlife Photography by Ilia Shalamaev
Nature and Wildlife Photography by Ilia Shalamaev Great Wildlife photography site.
Monday, February 27, 2006
color control - PANTONE� huey
color control - PANTONE� huey
Color calibration tool. Gets good reviews at a reasonable price
Color calibration tool. Gets good reviews at a reasonable price
Digital Darkroom Forum: Photoshop Raw Plugin vs. Nikon Editor?
Digital Darkroom Forum: Photoshop Raw Plugin vs. Nikon Editor?
A discussion on Camera raw conversion software
A discussion on Camera raw conversion software
Saturday, February 25, 2006
Got the New Nikon D50
Well, Abes of Maine came through with flying colors. We got the new camera yesterday and I have been taking the time to get familiar with it. I highly recommend Abes if you are looking for a new camera at very reasonable prices. We got all the parts and a free 512mb memory card to boot.
Thursday, February 23, 2006
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
PMA 2006 Report - PhotographyBLOG
PMA 2006 Report - PhotographyBLOG
Official Press Releases by company.
Official Press Releases by company.
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
If you remember an earlier post - New Nikon on the way
I read all the reviews, I read where the New York camera shops will bait and switch. Get you to buy then tell you that it will take two weeks or more for the camera to ship. Or they high pressure you to buy accessories and better yet, extended warranties. I was careful but I didn't entirely believe the stories. I thought that the whinners were inexperienced at online purchases or just easy to con. NOPE - all the stories were true. Here is how it went.
First I shopped all the sites. I used all my search tricks to find the very lowest prices on the Minolta 5D that I wanted. (Yes, this all started with a Minolta). After all Konika-Minolta had gone out of the camera business and the prices should be dropping. Well, they did for a while. I finally found the camera, body only, at for just $399. WOW, that was a great price, but surely it would come down more? No, it went up $50 so then I started shopping again. I found it at for $399 a couple of days later so I decided that I should quit messing around and place the order. I placed the order with "Best Price Cameras" and didn't get a response. Nothing until the next day when I got an email from "Steve" saying that the order is not complete until I talk to him via telephone. Email orders are not complete until he comfirms it. I called the next day and it took over 3 hours to get him on the phone. First he tried to sell me a battery (was supposed to be part of the package) then a memory card ( 3 to 4 times the price of other sites) then he hit me with the extended warranty. After I convenced him that I didn't need any of these things he said that the price had gone up since I placed the order (over a $100 uncrease). I had looked at their site before I called and I was ready for the change. I told him to cancel the Minolta and make the order for the Nikon D50 with the 18-55 lens that I saw for $485. I got 3 day shipping putting the total at $527.50. More than I wanted to spend but I was caught a little off guard and I wanted a camera in the worst way. Steve then said that the "that" camera wasn't in stock and it would take two week to get it. Crap! Send it any how. I was mad, and worried that in two weeks something else was going to happen. Sure enough it did. I emailed Steve last night to find out where the camera was. Some one else called back this afternoon and said that the "Minolta" was ready to ship. What Minolta, I had ordered a Nikon. "Oh, the Nikon is still back ordered but the Minolta (at the higher price) was ready to ship." Great, I canceled the order!
Back to the beginning. I started shopping again. Found another "good deal" by using at Prestige Camera, by this time I was willing to pay a little more to keep from getting jerked around again. The price at Prestige through Digitalsaver.com was $585 which included ground shipping for $25. Long story short, by the time I finished the checkout the price was $612. Now I'm pissed. Cancelled order.
Back to shopping. Finally found Abes of Maine (really New York too). Place the entire order on line (so far) the price of $622.89 includes 2 day air shipping, full US warranty, a free 512mb memory card and all the manufacturer supplied accessories listed. Believe it or not that IS a big deal. The memory card, the battery and charger would have cost me at least $100 more with the other guys. So I lucked into actually getting a better deal. (I hope) I let you know.
First I shopped all the sites. I used all my search tricks to find the very lowest prices on the Minolta 5D that I wanted. (Yes, this all started with a Minolta). After all Konika-Minolta had gone out of the camera business and the prices should be dropping. Well, they did for a while. I finally found the camera, body only, at for just $399. WOW, that was a great price, but surely it would come down more? No, it went up $50 so then I started shopping again. I found it at for $399 a couple of days later so I decided that I should quit messing around and place the order. I placed the order with "Best Price Cameras" and didn't get a response. Nothing until the next day when I got an email from "Steve" saying that the order is not complete until I talk to him via telephone. Email orders are not complete until he comfirms it. I called the next day and it took over 3 hours to get him on the phone. First he tried to sell me a battery (was supposed to be part of the package) then a memory card ( 3 to 4 times the price of other sites) then he hit me with the extended warranty. After I convenced him that I didn't need any of these things he said that the price had gone up since I placed the order (over a $100 uncrease). I had looked at their site before I called and I was ready for the change. I told him to cancel the Minolta and make the order for the Nikon D50 with the 18-55 lens that I saw for $485. I got 3 day shipping putting the total at $527.50. More than I wanted to spend but I was caught a little off guard and I wanted a camera in the worst way. Steve then said that the "that" camera wasn't in stock and it would take two week to get it. Crap! Send it any how. I was mad, and worried that in two weeks something else was going to happen. Sure enough it did. I emailed Steve last night to find out where the camera was. Some one else called back this afternoon and said that the "Minolta" was ready to ship. What Minolta, I had ordered a Nikon. "Oh, the Nikon is still back ordered but the Minolta (at the higher price) was ready to ship." Great, I canceled the order!
Back to the beginning. I started shopping again. Found another "good deal" by using at Prestige Camera, by this time I was willing to pay a little more to keep from getting jerked around again. The price at Prestige through Digitalsaver.com was $585 which included ground shipping for $25. Long story short, by the time I finished the checkout the price was $612. Now I'm pissed. Cancelled order.
Back to shopping. Finally found Abes of Maine (really New York too). Place the entire order on line (so far) the price of $622.89 includes 2 day air shipping, full US warranty, a free 512mb memory card and all the manufacturer supplied accessories listed. Believe it or not that IS a big deal. The memory card, the battery and charger would have cost me at least $100 more with the other guys. So I lucked into actually getting a better deal. (I hope) I let you know.
Digital Cameras at ABES of Maine: Digital Camera, Camera, Cameras, Digital Camera Reviews
Digital Cameras at ABES of Maine: Digital Camera, Camera, Cameras, Digital Camera Reviews
Well this purchase of a new camera has been HELL. Stay tuned for a summary.
Well this purchase of a new camera has been HELL. Stay tuned for a summary.
Saturday, February 18, 2006
Digital Camera Cleaning Techniques and Products
Digital Camera Cleaning Techniques and Products
Instructions on how to clean your digital camera and sensor.
Instructions on how to clean your digital camera and sensor.
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
Planet82 SMPD Image Sensor to Spell the End of Flash? - PhotographyBLOG
Planet82 SMPD Image Sensor to Spell the End of Flash? - PhotographyBLOG
Planet82 Demonstrates World’s First Image Sensor That Takes Digital Pictures in the Dark, Without a Flash - First Nanotechnology-Based Image Sensor Debuts in the United States at CES
LAS VEGAS, NV—(MARKET WIRE)—01/05/2006—Planet82 Inc., a global leader of nanotechnology, announced today the first U.S. demonstration of its innovative and highly sensitive image sensor, Single Carrier Modulation Photo Detector (SMPD), which uses nanotechnology to enable cameras to take high resolution photos or video in the dark—without a flash.
The world’s first chip of its kind, Planet82’s SMPD image sensor is 2,000 times more sensitive to light than other image sensors. Until now, taking a picture in the dark without a flash or taking a picture of a candle-lit birthday cake without any other light in the room would yield a dark photograph. Planet82 makes it possible to take clear images even when the light level is less than 1 lux (or up to 0.1 lux). One lux is equivalent to the brightness from one candle one meter away in a dark room. Human eyes can barely distinguish images at less than 1 lux.
“Planet82’s SMPD image sensor will change how professional and amateur photographers and videographers capture images and video,” said Dr. Hoon Kim, Ph.D., and chief technology officer for Planet82 and director of the Nano Scale Quantum Devices Research Center at the Korea Electronics Technology Institute (KETI). “We’re thrilled to bring our technology to the United States, and show how effective it truly is at taking pictures and video without any light.”
Current image sensors generally need hundreds of thousands of photons to perceive light. Planet82’s SMPD image sensor is designed to perceive light using only a handful of photons. To make this possible, Planet82 applied the principles of quantum mechanics to produce thousands of electrons out of one photon. It also minimized the aperture ratio and increased the number of pixels per unit density on the chip—boasting low unit production cost and power consumption.
Planet82’s SMPD image sensor can be mass-produced using standard CMOS process without additional investment for facilities. It is half the size of the current CCD image sensor used in digital cameras and closed circuit television cameras (CCTVs), and CMOS image sensors used in camera phones. Additionally, digital cameras and camera phones have low sensitivity to dim light, therefore making it difficult to take a picture in the dark without a flash. As the market for these devices continues to grow exponentially, so too will the market for image sensors. iSuppli estimates that the global image sensor market will reach $9.4 billion by 2008.
Planet82 expects SMPD image sensor will firstly be available in CCTVs, camera phones and vehicle rear-view sensors in Q1/Q2 2006. The SMPD technology also makes it ideally suited for applications in healthcare, the military, environmental industries and more, as well as electrical appliances such as digital cameras or camcorders.
About Planet82
Headquartered in Seoul, Korea, Planet82 is a global leader of nanotechnology. In 2003, Planet82 acquired the patent and intellectual property rights to mass produce nano photodiode and nano biotechnology services from the Korea Electronics Technology Institute (KETI). Today, Planet82 leads the development of the world’s first Single Carrier Modulation Photo Detector image sensor (SMPD) image sensor, enabling cameras to take high resolution photos or video in the dark—without a flash. Planet82 is listed on KOSDAQ.
Planet82 Demonstrates World’s First Image Sensor That Takes Digital Pictures in the Dark, Without a Flash - First Nanotechnology-Based Image Sensor Debuts in the United States at CES
LAS VEGAS, NV—(MARKET WIRE)—01/05/2006—Planet82 Inc., a global leader of nanotechnology, announced today the first U.S. demonstration of its innovative and highly sensitive image sensor, Single Carrier Modulation Photo Detector (SMPD), which uses nanotechnology to enable cameras to take high resolution photos or video in the dark—without a flash.
The world’s first chip of its kind, Planet82’s SMPD image sensor is 2,000 times more sensitive to light than other image sensors. Until now, taking a picture in the dark without a flash or taking a picture of a candle-lit birthday cake without any other light in the room would yield a dark photograph. Planet82 makes it possible to take clear images even when the light level is less than 1 lux (or up to 0.1 lux). One lux is equivalent to the brightness from one candle one meter away in a dark room. Human eyes can barely distinguish images at less than 1 lux.
“Planet82’s SMPD image sensor will change how professional and amateur photographers and videographers capture images and video,” said Dr. Hoon Kim, Ph.D., and chief technology officer for Planet82 and director of the Nano Scale Quantum Devices Research Center at the Korea Electronics Technology Institute (KETI). “We’re thrilled to bring our technology to the United States, and show how effective it truly is at taking pictures and video without any light.”
Current image sensors generally need hundreds of thousands of photons to perceive light. Planet82’s SMPD image sensor is designed to perceive light using only a handful of photons. To make this possible, Planet82 applied the principles of quantum mechanics to produce thousands of electrons out of one photon. It also minimized the aperture ratio and increased the number of pixels per unit density on the chip—boasting low unit production cost and power consumption.
Planet82’s SMPD image sensor can be mass-produced using standard CMOS process without additional investment for facilities. It is half the size of the current CCD image sensor used in digital cameras and closed circuit television cameras (CCTVs), and CMOS image sensors used in camera phones. Additionally, digital cameras and camera phones have low sensitivity to dim light, therefore making it difficult to take a picture in the dark without a flash. As the market for these devices continues to grow exponentially, so too will the market for image sensors. iSuppli estimates that the global image sensor market will reach $9.4 billion by 2008.
Planet82 expects SMPD image sensor will firstly be available in CCTVs, camera phones and vehicle rear-view sensors in Q1/Q2 2006. The SMPD technology also makes it ideally suited for applications in healthcare, the military, environmental industries and more, as well as electrical appliances such as digital cameras or camcorders.
About Planet82
Headquartered in Seoul, Korea, Planet82 is a global leader of nanotechnology. In 2003, Planet82 acquired the patent and intellectual property rights to mass produce nano photodiode and nano biotechnology services from the Korea Electronics Technology Institute (KETI). Today, Planet82 leads the development of the world’s first Single Carrier Modulation Photo Detector image sensor (SMPD) image sensor, enabling cameras to take high resolution photos or video in the dark—without a flash. Planet82 is listed on KOSDAQ.
Tuesday, February 14, 2006
New Nikon on the way!
This is the Camera we have ordered. Supposed to be here in a little over a week. I shopped the web and ended up buying at BestPrice Cameras. I originally wanted the Minolta 5D but before I could order it the price had risen $100. The Nikon's price is still going down. I saw the body only for $319 this morning. Oh well. All of these New Jersey based mail order companies are alike, if not the same company. They take the batteries and charger out of the factory package and then try to sell them back to you at 2 or 3 times the price you could buy it on the web at another site. You'll get a decent price but you'll get bare bones and will have to shop around for the other parts. The biggest thing they try to sell is extended warranties. Huge dollars.
Lens acronyms for Nikon
This is a great article about Nikon Lens acronyms and which cameras the lens are compatible to.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)