Digital Camera News, Reviews and Tips
Imaging Resource has a preview of the new Olympus E-420, breaking down all the details of the three types of autofocus and showing off some sample images.
It certainly looks like Olympus did their homework though, and came up with a number of really nice enhancements over the already very capable E-410.
For more, check out Photography Bay’s Olympus E-420 Reviews and Resource page.
Canon and Nikon have surprised us all today with news of a cooperative effort in a DSLR 
project. Details are scant, but it looks like Canon and Nikon are working on an open format standard for DSLRs, including a 40-megapixel behemoth. We’ll keep you posted as more news develops, but for now see the press release below. [Read more…]
Nikon introduced entry-level D60, a follow up to the D40x, in January 2008 at PMA. The 10.2 megapixel Nikon D60 then became the third entry-level DSLR that Nikon has brought to the market in just over a one year period. This is a stark change in the market life of DSLRs over the past several years. Generally speaking, camera makers have introduced replacements in their various lines approximately every 18 months. However, Nikon has seen great success in the entry-level DSLR market since the introduction of the 6 megapixel D40 at the end of 2006, which was followed by the 10.2 megapixel D40x in Spring 2007.
The Nikon D60 is really more of an evolution of the D40/D40x line than a revolutionary update. Slated toward the entry-level market, the Nikon D60 brings some powerful and exciting features to the table that give entry-level users plenty of room to grow with the camera. [Read more…]
A quick heads up to those shooting with the Nikon D3, (this presumably effects the other Nikons too?)…If you are shooting with Image Authentication turned on, the buffer clearance times are increased. With my Extreme IV card it took an extra 10 seconds to dump a full buffer to the card.
Despite it being mentioned in one spot in the manual (but not in the image authentication section) most people I have talked to were unaware of this and as it could mean missing shots (especially for sports shooters) it is worth spreading the word.
This post on Nikon D3 Image Authentication and Buffer Clearance Issues is by UK based photographer and Nikon D3 shooter Richard Costin.
Forum members at www.pentaxforums.com plan to shoot locally on that day and submit images to a central website. Named “PENTAX WORLD DAY,” the global shoot is not intended as a competition (there are no prizes), and it is organized just for the satisfaction of shooting and sharing images with other forum members.
Images must be captured on PENTAX Day (April 5, 2008) between midnight and midnight. Photographers may submit up to three photos. Photos must be taken with a PENTAX camera and should be between 800 and 850 pixels wide or tall, depending on orientation. Photos may be no larger than one megabyte in size. Please leave all EXIF information intact. Images may be submitted from 4/5/2008 to 4/19/2008. After this period, only viewing will be allowed for this category.
Complete details are available here.
Apple has released an updated version of Aperture, which features open plug-in compatibility. This means that you can expect to see third-party plug-ins like Nik’s Viveza and PictureCode’s Noise Ninja in Aperture soon. It’s great to see a streamlined RAW-processing program like Aperture opened up. Hopefully, Adobe will do the same with Lightroom soon. [Read more…]
Below are some of the best photography links from other sites that I came across this week. Enjoy!
Photo Industry Braces for Another Revolution – Steven Shankland over at Cnet’s Underexposed reports in an insightful article about the next wave of technological breakthroughs in photography and post-processing.
Lose the Smile for More Versatile Headshots – David Hobby of Strobist digs deep into Platon‘s portrait of Eliot Spitzer, which appeared in this week’s issue of Time, and includes some very specific and educational reverse engineering of the lighting used.
Photography 101 – Lenses, Light and Magnification – Digital Photography School continues its Photography 101 series with an examination the basics of lenses, how they interact with light and magnify images.
You Suck at Photoshop #9 – Donnie over at My Damn Channel gives us some more weird and insulting instructions on how to use Photoshop. This episode’s lesson: Curves.
Building Your Wedding Business Series (Part 1 of 4) – Professional photographer David Ziser gives his insights to budding wedding photographers with 11 ways to better portfolio development and presentation.
Important Lightroom 1.4 and Camera Raw 4.4 Update – Adobe recalls the updates to Lightroom and Camera Raw due to some bugs, and they’re sorry for the mishap.
Adobe has released Photoshop Express in beta to the public. The above video that Scott Kelby placed on YouTube does a good job of explaining what it does and doesn’t do. Additionally, here’s a brief description from Adobe:
During the public beta period, Adobe will solicit Photoshop Express user feedback on product features and functionality, which will continue to evolve over time. As the newest addition to the Photoshop family line, Photoshop Express has taken much of Adobe’s best image editing technology and made it simple and accessible to a new online audience. Photoshop Express allows users to store up to 2 gigabytes of images online for free, make edits to their photos, and share them online in creative ways, including downloading and uploading photos from popular social networking sites like Facebook.
Adobe Photoshop Express beta is available now for free via any Web browser at http://www.photoshop.com/express.
Photography BLOG has posted a review of the new Sony A200.
If you have no investment in a DSLR system and you’re looking for an entry-level model, the Sony A200 is a real alternative to the likes of the Nikon D60, Canon EOS 450D and Olympus E-510. It may not be the most exciting camera on paper, with no Live View and “only” a 10 megapixel sensor, but in practice it’s an easy-to-use, solid proposition from which you can confidently upgrade in the future to a more feature-rich model.
For the latest news and reviews, be sure to visit Photography Bay’s Sony A200 Reviews and Resources.
Last weekend, my wife asked me if I wanted to shoot her brother’s yearbook pictures. I said, “Sure,” without really knowing what to expect. She told me they would be less formal than a traditional high school’s yearbook photos because, in his home school group, it’s up to the parents to get the photos done and to the yearbook editors. “Something nice in the backyard,” she said. Upon my arrival, however, the in-laws wanted a more traditional/formal shot for the yearbook.
I don’t really have a great portrait setup, so my next question was, “Do you have a couple of shoeboxes?” [Read more…]
