Digital Camera News, Reviews and Tips
The Nikon Coolpix P100 is a 10.3 megapixel camera with a massive 26x zoom range, covering an equivalent focal length of 26-678mm. The P100 is packed with features and cool shooting modes that help set it apart from other cameras on shelf. To see whether all these features add up to a camera that’s right for you, read on. [Read more…]
Bruce Dorn, over at the iDC Photo and Video blog, has announced the new iDC Run & Gun kit for the Canon Rebel T2i. The iDC Run & Gun kits, as the name implies, are designed for lightweight and mobile video capture with HDSLRs such as the Rebel T2i, 7D and 5D Mark II.
The Rebel T2i Run & Gun kit includes a follow focus and loupe, as well as the underlying mount for tying the kit together. The full kit will set you back $488 in the iDC Photo Store. Here’s the link.
Carl Zeiss has unveiled new Lightweight Zoom designed for PL cine cameras and HDSLRs with APS-C format sensors like the Canon 7D, Rebel T2i, Nikon D300s and D90. While the press release from Zeiss does not provide a zoom range, it appears to be the same as the former LWZ-1 lens at 15.5-45mm. The LWZ.2 comes with interchangeable mounts in PL, EF and F-mount flavors, which allows a triple purpose for those working with different cameras on a project or across projects.
More details in the press release below. [Read more…]
The Adobe CS5 suite is designed to take advantage of hardware improvements like 64-bit processing, additional RAM and GPU-accelerated features. Maingear has just launched a killer workstation designed with CS5 in mind to fully take advantage of the additional hardware support in the new software suite.
Get the full rundown of the Maingear Quantum Shift in the press release below. [Read more…]
Adobe has launched Photoshop CS5, which has incredible advances in content-aware fill, as well as improvements in complex selections and HDR. Other new features include new paint effects, automatic lens correction (which makes adjustments for barrel distortion, chromatic aberration and vignetting), native 64-bit support on PC and Mac, puppet warp (for rearranging individual elements within photos), and the list goes on.
Along with Photoshop CS5 will come Camera Raw 6, which should mirror the improvements in noise reduction and sharpening that we’ve seen in the Lightroom 3 betas.
Lots of folks are foaming at the mouth to get their hands on Photoshop CS5 after seeing the sneak peek into the content-aware fill demo. While you can’t download it yet, you should be able to do so by mid-May. You can pre-order/upgrade on Adobe’s website now.
In the mean time there’s plenty of free training on the new features in Photoshop CS5. See earlier posts regarding creativeLIVE and NAPP Photoshop CS5 training.
More details on CS5 below. [Read more…]
The Fuji HS10 is one of the most anticipated cameras for this Spring – at least according to the questions I’ve received about this camera via email, comments and Facebook messages. The HS10 features a 10MP sensor and a 30x zoom range (24-720mm equivalent). It also shoots 1080p HD video and has an impressive image stabilization system.
Good news for those of you waiting, because the Fuji HS10 finally appears to be in stock at online retailers.
B&H Photo has three different ways to order the HS10. You can get the camera only, a basic accessory kit with the camera or the camera with a deluxe accessory kit. The basic kit includes two 4GB SanDisk SD cards and Lowepro case, while the deluxe kit includes the same items, along with 4 rechargeable AA batteries, a charger and a 2-year protection plan.
Fuji HS10 (camera only) at B&H Photo
Fuji HS10 (w/ basic kit) at B&H
Fuji HS10 (w/ deluxe kit) at B&H
Also, note that B&H doesn’t take pre-orders, so chances are pretty good that when it says “In Stock” at B&H, the camera really is in stock.
Note that Amazon is saying it will be in stock on Tuesday (but they’re taking orders now).
Adorama is also offering the camera on its own, as well as a couple of different kits; however, at the time of this post Adorama is still listing the camera as back-ordered. These should open up soon as well.
Fuji HS10 at Adorama
Fuji HS10 (kit# 1) at Adorama
Fuji HS10 (kit# 2) at Adorama
I hope to have one soon for a more in-depth review. In the mean time, however, feel free to check out my Fuji HS10 Hands-On Review from PMA 2010.
Not to be outdone by Chase Jarvis’ new creativeLIVE training, NAPP is offering free training on Photoshop CS5 starting Monday, April 12.
The ‘free’ NAPP training applies to live webinars, as well as viewing at a later date. For creativeLIVE, if you miss the live webinar broadcast, you’ll have to pay to download the recorded version.
More details at photoshopuser.com/cs5.
Switronix, maker of a variety of video accessories for HDDSLRs, has introduced the Powerbase 70, which will be on display at NAB 2010. The Powerbase 70 is a dedicated accessory for the Canon 5D Mark II and 7D and provides up to 6x runtime thanks to its 14.8v battery pack.
More details in the press release below.
Canon has expanded CPS to cinematographers and filmmakers. The CPS expansion for filmmakers carries the same Silver, Gold and Platinum membership levels that apply to photographers.
More details below. [Read more…]
“The Last 3 Minutes” (above) is a new short from Shane Hurlbut and Bandito Brothers. Canon sponsored the short to show off the new 24p firmware upgrade on the 5D Mark II. I think it is quite a compelling film – not just due to the technical prowess of the 5D Mark II, but the artistic vision of Hurlbut and his team resonates in a way that many short films miss. Be sure to read the full run down on the production of “The Last 3 Minutes” on the hurlblog.
If you aren’t familiar with him, Shane Hurlbut has served as Director of Photography on several major films, including Terminator Salvation, We Are Marshall and Into the Blue, among others.
The hurlblog is one of my favorite blogs to read. If you’re interested in getting serious with video on your DSLR, you owe it to yourself to read every word Shane Hurlbut publishes over there.