Photography Bay

Digital Camera News, Reviews and Tips

Canon 1D Mark IV Availability

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It looks like the Canon 1D Mark IV has commenced shipping in the US and Canada.  I’ve seen several user reports of folks taking delivery across the photo forums and blogosphere.  Rob Galbraith has posted the same news today as well.

Some of the biggest camera retailers have yet to update their stock status for the 1D Mark IV, which suggests that the shipments are still rolling out.

You can continue to check availability at the following trusted retailers:

B&H Photo

Amazon

Adorama

Stay tuned over the next few days, as we should see the stock continue to update at US retailers.

 

eStarling TouchConnect Wi-Fi Digital Photo Frame

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I’ve tried a number of digital photo frames; however, I’ve always hated the process of updating the photos by putting files on an SD card and then having to transfer them over to the internal memory of the frame. eStarling may have a solution with their new TouchConnect Wi-Fi photo frame.  This new frame allows you to update your frame wirelessly and automatically through a variety of online services.

The eStarling TouchConnect boasts integration with Facebook, Flickr, Picasa, RSS Feeds and Gmail. With an easy, one-time set up an eStarling TouchConnect can receive photos (and videos up to 20MB in size if e-mailed to the corresponding Gmail address) from all these places as they are posted. And with 802.11n WiFi, a touch-sensitive screen and automatic over-the-air firmware updates, the eStarling TouchConnect is one of the most user friendly frames on the market. -eStarling

The eStarling TouchConnect is available from Adorama at a current price of $200.

Canon G11 Review at Photocrati

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Canon G11

Photocrati has published a review of the popular Canon G11 point and shoot camera.

In my estimation, this 10MP PowerShot model will be as successful as its predecessor in attracting long-time photographers due to its classic styling and controls, high resolution articulated LCD and a feature set that targets the experienced shooter.

You can check out Photocrati’s full review here.

Also, if you haven’t seen it yet, be sure to check out Photography Bay’s Canon G11 review and the Canon G11 Reviews and Resources for more info on this powerful little camera.

Seagate/O’Neill Photo Contest Finalists

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The 10 finalists in the Seagate/O’Neill photo contest are displayed below in no particular order.  It’s in the hands of our judges, Rich Legg of LeggNet’s Digital Capture and Nicole Young of Nicolesy Photography, to collaborate and come up with the top 3 images.

We’ll have an announcement later in January for the winning photos. [Read more…]

Sony A850 and A900 Review

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Sony A850 and A900

The Sony A850 and A900 are full frame cameras that pack in 24.6-megapixels on that big sensor.  The cameras appear at the top-end of the Alpha system line up.  At first blush, the A850 appears almost identical to the pricier Sony A900.  After delving deeper into the A850, you’ll discover that there’s really not a whole lot of difference between it and the A900.

Because of the similarities between these two cameras and the fact that I reviewed them simultaneous, I decided to publish one review for both cameras rather than than two separate reviews with only minor changes in the text. [Read more…]

PocketWizard MiniTT1 Transmitter and FlexTT5 Transceiver ControlTL Firmware Version 5.0 for Canon

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PocketWizard FlexTT5 Transceiver

PocketWizard has updated the firmware for the Canon version of the MiniTT1 Transmitter and FlexTT5 Transceiver.

The new firmware adds several new capabilities to the wireless system.  Two of the big ones are Rear Curtain Sync and Pre-Flash Boost:

“PocketWizard’s rear curtain sync allows the photographer to set the shutter speed at which rear curtain sync automatically engages while optimizing the timing of rear curtain sync to fire at the absolute end of the shutter opening. Pre-Flash Boost provides enhanced E-TTL performance when using flash diffusers, doing bounce flash, or at ranges just beyond the normal E-TTL capabilities. By increasing the pre-flash power, PocketWizard has offset the loss of light in these challenging E-TTL situations.” –PocketWizard

The new firmware also adds automatic camera detection, which allows the system to determine appropriate sync speed for High Speed Sync mode.  Compatibility for the Canon 7D has been added, along with compatibility for the Metz 58 AF-1.

Additional details about the updated firmware are available in a PDF file from PocketWizard, which can be viewed here.

Download info for the firmware can be found here.

HDRsoft Photomatix Light 1.0

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HDRsoft has released a more affordable version of its popular Photomatix software.  The new version is called “Photomatix Light.”

Photomatix Light 1.0 is available for $39 via instant download from HDRsoft.com. Photomatix Pro will run you $99.

Photomatix Light 1.0 is a standalone application that provides HDR tone mapping, exposure fusion and automatic alignment of hand-held photos. [Read more…]

Canon EOS 7D Review

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Canon 7D

The Canon EOS 7D is a 18-megapixel DSLR featuring an APS-C format CMOS sensor.  At the time of its release, the 7D is situated in the EOS lineup between the 50D and the 5D Mark II.

The Canon 7D brings a number of improvements and new features to the Canon prosumer lineup.  Taking these advancements into account, Canon has finally produced a DSLR whose specs outshine its Nikon counterpart – in this case the Nikon D300s. [Read more…]

Crumpler Sinking Barge Camera Backpack Review

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Crumpler Sinking Barge

The Crumpler Sinking Barge is a trendy camera bag and laptop carrier that doesn’t have the look of the typical camera bag. That’s a good thing though.  You don’t always was to

The Sinking Barge is made out of a tough, water-resistant fabric with a ripstop liner.  When you get your hands on the Sinking Barge, you get the quick impression that it’s a tough bag – and my time with it has reaffirmed this impression.  The outer fabric is thick and the zippers are big and slide smoothly. [Read more…]