It’s time for our weekly break from the gear for a few minutes so we can enjoy another round of reader photos from the Photography Bay Flickr Group.
Check out the rest of the photos below. [Read more…]
Digital Camera News, Reviews and Tips
By Eric Reagan
It’s time for our weekly break from the gear for a few minutes so we can enjoy another round of reader photos from the Photography Bay Flickr Group.
Check out the rest of the photos below. [Read more…]
By Eric Reagan

Adobe has launched a new game for learning your way around Photoshop.
LevelUp for Photoshop is a game of missions — and points and rewards — that guide you along the way of learning basic Adobe® Photoshop® CS5 and CS6 software skills. If you are a photographer and are just starting to use Photoshop, this is the game for you.
More details on Adobe’s website.
By Eric Reagan
Valve, the video game company, has launched a project dubbed Source Filmmaker, which gives users the power to edit scenes using video game action. And get this . . . it’s free.
The Source Filmmaker (SFM) is the movie-making tool built and used by us here at Valve to make movies inside the Source game engine. Because the SFM uses the same assets as the game, anything that exists in the game can be used in the movie, and vice versa. By utilizing the hardware rendering power of a modern gaming PC, the SFM allows storytellers to work in a what-you-see-is-what-you-get environment so they can iterate in the context of what it will feel like for the final audience.
I can see this being an effective storytelling tool for people wanting to sharpen their editing skills but lack source footage to work with, or maybe even as a pre-viz tool. Beyond that, I bet we’ll see some folks come up with rather entertaining stories built on the shoulders of video games.
By Eric Reagan

NASA satellites and astronauts are capturing some compelling images from space that show just how massive the wildfires in the western US have become. [Read more…]
By Eric Reagan
The latest FX format lens, Nikon 24-85mm, is now shipping. Check it out here at B&H Photo.
By Eric Reagan
The Nikon D4 is currently in stock at Amazon.
By Eric Reagan
The Canon Store online has 20% OFF Select Refurbished EOS Digital Cameras and Refurbished Lenses with coupon code 20SLR612.
Notable deals with this coupon code include a Canon 7D for $1087 (compare at $1699 new retail) or a Canon 60D w/ 18-135mm kit for $831 (compare at $1299 new retail). See the full inventory on Canon’s website.
I’ve bought refurbished Canon gear before and wouldn’t hesitate to do it again – especially when savings like this are available.
By Eric Reagan

Leica has issued a firmware update for the X2. Firmware version 1.1 includes the following improvements:
You can download the firmware update from the Leica X2 product page (see “Updates”).
By Eric Reagan
The previously teased firmware update for the Canon 7D is now officially set to be released in August. The firmware set looks to be a mighty big one with a RAW image burst buffer that now allows 25 consecutive images over the previous 15. [Read more…]
By Eric Reagan

Apple has issued Digital Camera RAW Compatibility Update 3.14, which adds RAW file support to Aperture 3 and iPhoto ’11 for the Canon Rebel T4i and the Sony A37.
Download the update from Apple’s website.