Photography Bay

Digital Camera News, Reviews and Tips

Archives for October 2009

New iMacs and Macbook . . . and Some Weekend Thoughts About Apple Stuff

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Apple 27-inch iMac

No bones about it, Apple makes some nice computers.  The new iMacs offer a very sleek package and take up a tiny footprint compared to the typical desktop.  Additionally, the new MacBook adds the popular unibody design of the Macbook Pro laptops and keeps the same smidgen-under-$1000 price tag.

Photographers seem to love Macs.  Sure, there are plenty of “Windows photographers” out there, but the thought of a 27″ backlit LCD screen on the new iMac powering Photoshop Lightroom or CS4 makes us all a little giddy inside, right?  While I opted for a Windows-based computer on my last update, the recurrence of driver issues and small niggling bugs lately has prompted me to consider another Mac.  I still have my 1st-gen 17″ G5 iMac on the desk that sees occasional use; however, it’s begging for more horsepower when it comes to processing images nowadays. [Read more…]

 

Gigapan Epic Does 2,904 Megapixels at 2009 World Series

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Bergman 2009 World Series Gigapan

Image Credit: David Bergman (used with permission)

David Bergman took a prototype version of the Gigapan Epic to the World Series Game 1 and used it to create an enormous 2,904-megapixel image from 675 photos.

David explains the process that he used to capture this image with a Nikon D700 and 400mm focal length on his blog.  For instance, the white band in the center of the image is from rain that came and went while capturing all those shots – the process took almost an hour.  You can read about it here.

Additionally, the entire image is on MLB.com, where you can zoom in to see the faces of almost every fan and player at the stadium.  It’s pretty amazing that you can clearly make out Alec Baldwin sitting behind home plate (you know you’re going to check that out now…).

Bergman says he plans on capturing another mega-pano with the Gigapan Epic during the World Series.  Hopefully, he’ll get through it without rain next time.

Canon G11 ISO Test

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The Canon G11 is the latest in a long line of solid compact cameras.  One of the big buzz features about the G11 was Canon’s decision to drop from 14.7-megapixels in the G10 down to 10-megapixels in the G11.  It finally seems like the marketing department has listened a bit to the cries from the prosumer audience who say that more megapixels is not necessarily the answer.  Canon has embraced the growing voice of critics with the launch of the G11 stating, “You asked, and Canon not only listened, but delivered big-time.”  So, does Canon deliver big-time in the noise department with the G11? [Read more…]

Manfrotto 732CY Carbon Fiber Tripod

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The Manfrotto 732CY is the latest addition to the M-Y family of tripods.  The 732CY uses carbon fiber to reduce weight down near the two-pound threshold.

Key specs of the Manfrotto 732CY include the following:

  • 52.95″ max height
  • 16.73″ closed height
  • 2.09 lbs.
  • 7.7 lbs. max capacity

The Manfrotto 732CY carries an initial retail price of $200.

More details in the press release below. [Read more…]

Elinchrom Ranger Quadra

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At PhotoPlus last week, Elinchrom introduced the Ranger Quadra, which is a portable battery flash system offering built-in Skyport triggering, Eye-Cell (prevents triggering during pre-flash allowing the system to work in conjunction with a TTL-system like Nikon’s CLS) and several othere unique features.

More details in the press release below. [Read more…]

Kata Auxiliary Belt and Pouch System

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Kata has developed a belt and harness system with various pouches for DSLRs, lenses, flashes and accessories.  As you can see from the above image, the system is customizable to allow photographers to carry the appropriate amount of gear on a given outing.

More details on the system can be found in Kata’s press release below. [Read more…]