FocalView - Photography News, Information & Opinion

Photographer Joe McNally Comes To Phoenix For Kelby Traning

2010-11-30T22:58:00.000-07:00

Professional photography Joe McNally is coming to Phoenix for the Kelby Training seminar Location Lighting Techniques on Tuesday December 7th. This full day workshop includes Off Camera Flash Essentials, Multiple Flash Steps, Great Portraits with Multiple Flash, Unleashing Power of Flash, and Bringing out the Big Guns. I’ve been to several Kelby Training workshops as they visit the desert (

OnOne DSLR Camera Remote For The iPad Coming in December

2010-11-30T22:42:00.000-07:00

OnOne is also planning on expanding their popular DSLR Camera Remote application for the iPad. Currently available for the iPod Touch and iPhone, this application allows the remote triggering of select Nikon and Canon DSLRs from these mobile devices. Adjust settings, capture images and view them on the iPad. The size of the iPad display will make this one helluva cool

OnOne Release New Perfect Photo Suite

2010-11-30T22:35:00.001-07:00

If you own a copy of Plug-In Suite 5 from OnOne you are entitled to a free upgrade to their new product Perfect Photo Suite 5.5. OnOne has updated the popular plug-in package with a reworking of the Genuine Fractals application called Perfect Resize 7. This new application allows for better enlargements with little or no loss of image quality. One new feature I like is the ability to crop

Unifed Color Releases 32Float HDR Plug-in for Adobe Photoshop

2010-10-11T13:09:00.000-07:00

HDR is all the rage, and Unified Color has thrown their hat in the software ring. 32 Float is the company’s affordable answer as an Adobe Photoshop Plug-in. It is available now for $99.99 but I would recommend taking advantage of their 30-day free trial download to “kick the tires”. Below is the official hype from the vendor. 32 Float™ is the first fully featured 32-bit color editing plug-in

Kubota Releases Vintage Delish Presets for Adobe Lightroom

2010-10-11T12:46:00.003-07:00

Kubota Image Tools has released “Vintage Delish” a package of new presents for Adobe Photoshop Lightroom. I've found Lightroom presets to be invaluable to my workflow whether as user-created or pre-configured downloads. The images above show the effects of their "66 Beetle" preset. Top image is "Before" with the bottom image displaying the "After" effects of the preset. Available for $39,

Fujifilm Announces Finepix X100 APS-C Compact Digital Camera

2010-10-04T13:44:00.000-07:00

I came across this article on Popphoto.com and had to share. Fujifilm is joining Leica and Sigma in the APS-C compact camera category, but what I love about the Leica and now the Finepix X100 is the nostalgia factor. As an avid camera collector I can’t resist the 70’s rangefinder look of this new compact. It’s gorgeous and as we all know beauty does not come cheap.

Overheating Problems With Sony A55 and A33 DSLR

2010-10-04T13:30:00.001-07:00

Apparently the new Sony A55 and A33 DSLR's experience overheating problems if video capture is utilized too long. Below is a recent article from Popular Photography and Imaging. Plenty of DSLRs put a limit on how long video clips can be. Canon's 7D and Rebel T2i cap out at 12-minutes and even the current king of video DSLRs, the 5D Mark II, maxes out at 29:59 or when the file size reaches 4 GB.

Fall 2010 Youth Soccer Samples Using Canon EOS 7D

2010-10-04T09:51:00.001-07:00

Youth soccer season has started and I’m a couple of games into it so far. One reason I upgraded to the amazing Canon EOS 7D is the frames per second speed it can achieve. At 8fps I can capture the perfect moments within an action sequence. The best soccer pics, in my opinion, are when the ball is off the ground or sailing into the net. I’ve compiled a few shots from some U6 Girls games we’ve

Adobe Announces Photoshop Elements 9

2010-09-21T17:10:00.000-07:00

Official Company Press Release.Adobe Systems Incorporated has announced Adobe® Photoshop® Elements 9 software for Windows® and Mac, offering a complete photo solution to anyone who wants to organize, edit, create and share extraordinary photos. With the newest version of the No. 1 selling consumer photo-editing software,* Adobe delivers powerful new technology to equip

Save 15% Off All T-Shirts At OliverImages.com Until Sept. 23

2010-09-21T17:01:00.000-07:00

Save 15% off all t-shirts from OliverImages.com, excluding shipping charges, gift wrap charges and applicable sales tax. Coupon code 15OFFTEES must be entered at check out. Promotion ends on September 23, 2010 at 11:59 p.m. (PST). Offer can not be combined with any other coupons or promotions and may change, be modified or cancelled at anytime without notice. www.oliverimages.com

Nikon Announces New 16.2MP D7000 DSLR

2010-09-16T13:13:00.001-07:00

On the heels of Canon’s release of the new EOS 60D, Nikon has announced their latest 16.2MP APS-C digital SLR. The new D7000 features an ISO range of 100-6400 with expanded range up to 25,600. In addition to the 16.2MP CMOS sensor there is a retooled 39-point AF system, approx. 100% viewfinder, 1/8000 shutter maximum, 6fps continuous shooting, and captures full HD (1080p) video. Hands-on

OliverImages.com - Custom T-Shirts and Gifts - $10 Off Orders of $50 or More

2010-09-15T22:42:00.000-07:00

Choose from dozens of custom images for t-shirts and gifts at OliverImages.com. Save $10 off orders of $50 or more, excluding shipping charges, gift wrap charges and applicable sales tax. All orders must be added to cart from cafepress.com shops only. Coupon code SAVE10NOW must be entered at check out. Promotion ends on September 15, 2010 at 11:59 p.m. (PST). Offer cannot be combined with any

First Fall 2010 Flag Football Pics Using Canon EOS 7D DSLR

2010-09-15T20:37:00.000-07:00

The 2010 Fall youth sports season is finally here. I captured the first two flag football games of the season this past Saturday (103 degrees in September!) and the kids played extremely well. I'm looking forward to more games this weekend, including some Pop Warner football. Baseball and Soccer games are also lined up for the near future. Below is a link to a small sample gallery of the GYFL

New Sigma 70-200mm f2.8 EX DG OS HSM Lens

2010-09-14T17:38:00.002-07:00

Digital Photography Review is a great resource for digital camera and lens reviews. I was stoked to see their recently posted review of the new Sigma 70-200mm f2.8 EX DG OS HSM lens as I’ve been in the market to upgrade to the Canon EF 70-200mm f4 USM. While this is a very good, very sharp lens, the non-IS version is $700, and the IS (Image Stabilization) version is $1200. I haven’t even

New Olympus E-5 DSLR Announced

2010-09-14T09:46:00.000-07:00

The Olympus E-5 camera will be available in October 2010 at an expected retail price of $1699.99. Here is an exerpt from the official company press release. Olympus announces the E-5, a new digital single lens reflex (DSLR) camera that builds on the company’s tradition of innovation to meet the rigorous demands of professional photographers and experienced amateurs. In recent years, Olympus has

Sports Portraiture Using The Canon EOS 7D and Canon EF 85mm f1.8 USM

2010-09-13T21:44:00.000-07:00

Another sports portrait I'm very happy with. I setup two cold lights, each one at about 45 degrees and three feet behind the subject. Front lighting was just the ambient room light. In front and left of camera was a large white reflector. At each side of the subject I set up a single black 2x3 piece of black foam board about head height just off camera to reduce light spill from the back

Another Image From Old Downtown Scottsdale

2010-09-11T22:00:00.000-07:00

Here is another image from a recent walk around the old downtown Scottsdale shops on 5th avenue. Taken with a Canon EOS 7D using Canon EF-S 18-200mm f3.5-5.6 IS AF Lens at 35mm. Exposure was 1/60 @ f5.6, ISO 400. Image adjusted using Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3.2 and the new HDR Toning feature of Adobe Photoshop CS5. I had originally taken three exposures of this bench

Save 10% Off All T-Shirts Until September 10th at oliverimages.com

2010-09-08T13:30:00.000-07:00

Save 10% OFF ALL T-Shirts from oliverimages.com, excluding shipping charges, gift wrap charges and applicable sales tax. Coupon code SHOP10 must be entered at check out. Promotion ends on September 9, 2010 at 11:59 p.m. (PST). Offer cannot be combined with any other coupons or promotions and may change, be modified or cancelled at anytime without notice.

Canon EOS 7D Takes a Walk Around Downtown Scottsdale

2010-09-03T18:32:00.000-07:00

These shots are of the 5th Avenue fountain in downtown Scottsdale taken one June morning. Both shots were hand-held using the fantastic Canon EOS 7D DSLR with the Canon EF-S 18-200mm f3.5-5.6 IS Lens. Exposure of the left image is f3.5 @ 1/4000, 18mm, ISO 400. The right image was captured at f16 @ 1/250, 32mm, ISO 400. Both images were processed for HDR using

More Images Captured Using Sony Alpha 300 DSLR

2010-09-01T17:33:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple of other images taken with the Sony Alpha 300 DSLR and Sony 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 DT lens. The lighting was simple, a single tungsten hot light on either side of the camera about 45 degrees to the subject. The left image was taken with a setting of F6.3 at 1/50 using ISO 800 and a focal length at the lens maximum of 250mm. The right image was taken with a

New Apple iPhone OS Offers Built-In HDR Feature

2010-09-01T17:10:00.004-07:00

I only steal from the best. Here is an excerpt from Popular Photography and Imaging regarding the new Apple iPhone 4. Apple’s updated mobile operating system, iOS 4.1 gives iPhone users a whole slew of new features, including an HDR feature, which is integrated directly into the camera app. Like most automatic HDR modes, it takes three bracketed images and combines them into a single picture.

Panasonic Announces New 8GB and 16GB SDHC Memory Cards

2010-09-01T17:03:00.000-07:00

Panasonic has announced 8GB and 16GB SDHC cards with UHS-I specification. Both memory cards have The maximum read speeds of both cards can reach up to 60MB/s and work well for 3D and full HD video recording features of recently released cameras. The new cards feature protection against power failures and a Super Intelligent Controller that cleans up errors preventing data

Carl Zeiss Distagon 35mm f1.4 Lens Announced For Canon

2010-09-01T16:56:00.000-07:00

Got 18 Hundie burning a hole in your pocket? Carl Zeiss will release a new Distagon 35mm f1.4 lens for Canon and Nikon. Here is the official company press release.Company Press Release:A woman is sitting at the bar of a dimly-lit cafe. Lost in thoughts, she doesn’t notice the glass of wine the bartender places before her. From a distance, a photographer tries to capture

David Ziser's Captured By The Light Tour 2010 Coming To Phoenix

2010-08-31T14:49:00.000-07:00

Accomplished Wedding and Portrait photographer David Ziser is coming to Phoenix on Tuesday September 7th for his "Captured by the Light Tour 2010". Gain insight on camera settings, lens selection, lighting, promotion, post-production, and workflow. The event takes place from 6pm-10:30pm at the Sheraton Crescent Hotel. Registration is only $79. Upcoming locations include Dallas, Houston,

Portrait Using Sony Alpha 300 DSLR

2010-08-31T14:13:00.001-07:00

I’ve been going through some previous Lightroom collections and finding some RAW images I never got around to working on. This image was from a photo shoot back in February 2010 when I borrowed a Sony Alpha 300 with Sony 18-250mm f3.5-6.3 DT lens. I can’t say there was much difference between my old Sony Alpha 100 and the 300, other than the body of the A300 is smaller and more annoying to

Adobe Release Photoshop Lightroom 3.2 Update

2010-08-31T09:32:00.006-07:00

Adobe has released an update for Photoshop Lightroom 3. The 3.2 update now available for download provides additional camera support for several new camera models including the Panasonic DMC-LX5, Sony NEX-5 and Pentax 645D. There are also numerous corrections for issues introduced within Lightroom 3.0, over 120 new lens profiles, and it includes the ability to directly publish to Facebook. If

Camera: A History of Photography, Coffee Table Book A Must Have

2010-08-28T07:47:00.002-07:00

I’ve always been a fan of big coffee table books, but I can’t recall ever reading one from cover to cover…until now. “Camera” from Todd Gustavson made the effort easy to accomplish. Gustavson is the Curator of Technology at the Eastman House in Rochester, N.T., and he has put together a history of machines that have captured moments in time. With over 350 color images and illustrations the

'Best of' Photo Chosen From Flagstaff Kelby Photowalk 2010

2010-08-26T13:58:00.000-07:00

I was fortunate to participate in the Third Annual Scott Kelby Worldwide Photowalk this year. The specific walk I attended was in Flagstaff, Arizona and in July Northern Arizona is the only place you want to be in this state. The high elevation, cool temperatures, pine trees, mountains, fresh air and small town make it ideal for photography. There were some very good photographers on the

Canon Announces Several New EF Lenses and Extenders

2010-08-26T13:26:00.000-07:00

Canon has announced several new EF lenses and extenders. Dpreview has posted first looks for all of the products below. Canon EF 70-300mm f4.5-5.6 L IS USM Zoom Lens Canon EF 8-15mm f4 L USM Fisheye Zoom Lens Canon EF 300mm f2.8 L IS II USM and Canon EF 400mm f2.8 L IS II USM Lens Canon EF 500mm f4 L IS II USM and 600mm f4 L IS II USM Lens Canon EF Extender 1.4x III and Extender 2x III

Canon Announces New EOS 60D DSLR

2010-08-26T12:48:00.000-07:00

Canon is releasing the new EOS 60D soon with an expected retail price of around $1399 with Canon EF-S 18-135mm Lens.· 18 MP APS-C CMOS sensor· Advanced creative features with Basic +· Vari-angle 7.7cm (3.0”) 3:2 ratio LCD· Full HD movies with manual control· DIGIC 4· ISO 100-6400, H:12800· 5.3fps shooting for up to 58 JPEGs· 9-point cross type AF System·

Sony Announces New Alpha 560 and 580 DSLR models

2010-08-23T21:44:00.000-07:00

Sony announces two new Alpha DSLR models, the A560 and A580. The A580 will be released later this year, while the A560 is not expected until early 2011.Company Press Release:Appealing to photographers ready to explore sophisticated new creative possibilities, the DSLR-A580 and DSLR-A560 from Sony offer unparalleled levels of imaging refinement.At the heart of both is a

Sony Unveils New SLT Camera Line With A33 and A55

2010-08-23T21:26:00.000-07:00

Sony announced plans to release a new SLT camera line with the A33 and A55. Sony calls the new system Translucent Mirror Technology. A traditional DSLR uses a mirror placed in front of the camera's sensor to bounce an image up to the optical viewfinder. When the shutter is released, the mirror is pulled out of the way, cutting off the image in the viewfinder and allowing the sensor to capture

Save $3.00 Off Select Ladies T-Shirts at OliverImages.Com

2010-08-23T12:58:00.000-07:00

Save $3.00 on select ladies short and long sleeve shirts, including photography related and other products on OliverImages.com. Discount will be notated on select shirts and applied at checkout. While supplies last. Photographers Like It RAW T-shirts All Other Products

25% OFF T-shirts at OliverImages.com Until August 22nd

2010-08-21T20:38:00.001-07:00

OliverImages.com is offering 25% off your order of 3 or more men's and women's classic cut white and light T-shirts, excluding shipping charges, gift wrap charges and applicable sales tax. Coupon code 2HOT25 must be entered at checkout. Offer good until August 22, 2010.

Photographer Joe McNally and KelbyTraining Coming to Phoenix, Arizona

2010-08-20T14:55:00.003-07:00

Kelby Training is coming back to Phoenix. Of course they’re waiting until December when it’s beautiful here, and who can blame them. Who wants to organize a training seminar in July or August when it is 115 degrees? No one, that’s who. I’ve attended three of these seminars and they are excellent. Non-NAPP members get the whole day for only $99, while NAPP members enjoy a day of training for only

New Adobe Photoshop CS5 Book From Deke McClelland

2010-08-12T11:21:00.003-07:00

New photography book release. This is not an endorsement, I’m just passing along new release information. Deke McClelland Adobe Photoshop CS5 One-on-One Product Description from Amazon.comMaster the fundamentals of Photoshop CS5 and make all of your images come alive. With Deke McClelland's unique and effective learning system, you get step-by-step tutorials, hours of DVD-video

New Photography Book From Bryan Peterson

2010-08-12T11:15:00.001-07:00

New photography book release. This is not an endorsement, I’m just passing along new release information. Bryan PetersonUnderstanding Exposure, 3rd Edition: How to Shoot Great Photographs with Any Camera Product Description from Amazon.comWith more than 350,000 copies sold, Understanding Exposure has demystified the complex concepts of exposure for countless photographers. Now updated with

New Digital Camera Reviews Posted

2010-08-12T11:06:00.002-07:00

New reviews have been added to the “Recent Digital Camera Reviews” section. These include the following models: Canon PowerShot SD-1300 ISCanon PowerShot SD-4000 ISPanasonic Lumix DMC-FX75Panasonic Lumix DMC-G10Ricoh GRX-P10Sony A390 DSLRSony CyberShot DSC-TX7

Sony Announces New 18-200mm Zoom Lens for NEX Camera Line

2010-08-12T10:45:00.000-07:00

A new E-mount telephoto lens has been announced from Sony for their latest NEX series of Interchangeable Lens cameras. The 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 OSS lens should be available around September 10, 2010 at an expected retail price of $800. The lens does feature image-stabilization and will usable on the NEX-VG10E camcorder as well. Sony currently provides an 18-55mm F3.5-5.6

New Photography Trainer App for iPhone and Android

2010-08-10T13:44:00.001-07:00

A new app for iPhone and Android devices allows photographers to ‘learn as they go’ when out and about with their DSLR. According to the vendor it’s like having a photography instructor in your pocket (insert inappropriate joke here). Below is the official company press release and link to the site. Official Press Release: Trailblazer Media announces the launch of the “Photography Trainer” app

Tamron Releasing New SP 70-300mm Di VC USD Lens For Nikon

2010-08-10T13:38:00.000-07:00

The new Tamron SP 70-300mm F/4-5.6 Di VC USD (Model A005) high-resolution DSLR telephoto zoom lens will be available for the Nikon mount on August 26, 2010, with the launch of mounts for Canon and Sony to follow soon after. Some of the features: • New optical system optimized for digital cameras achieves top resolution in the 70-300mm class with specialized glass elements including an XLD (Extra

New Release Candidates for Camera RAW and Lightroom At Adobe Labs

2010-08-10T12:05:00.001-07:00

If you’re looking to get a jump on the latest updates for Adobe Camera RAW and Adobe Photoshop Lightroom, Adobe Labs has made the Release Candidates available. Twelve additional camera models have been included such as the Pentax 645D, Leica S2, Sony NEX and Samsung NX10 to name a few. In an attempt to sync the version number with Camera RAW 6.2, the next Lightroom release will be “3.2”. Other

Apple Releases v3.3 Camera RAW Update

2010-08-09T23:11:00.003-07:00

Apple has released a digital camera RAW compatibility update version 3.3 for Aperture 3 and iPhoto '09. Eight new cameras including the Sony Alpha NEX-5/3, Samsung NX10 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-G2 are now supported.The update is available for immediate download from Apple's website. http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1072

New Facebook Page

2010-08-09T23:06:00.002-07:00

CTZ Photography has entered the social networking universe. Visit our new Facebook page. The plan is to post lots and lots of photography related links and discussions with some photos sprinkled around for good measure. http://www.facebook.com/pages/CTZ-Photography/141596672538493

New and Improved Online Photography Stores

2010-08-08T12:26:00.000-07:00

August and September mark the beginning of the youth sports season here in the Valley of the Sun Stroke because we don’t want our children bursting into flames on the soccer and football fields during a 115 degree July afternoon. I’m geared up and ready this season to capture the fun and excitement. I’m also looking forward to giving parents a better shopping experience when it comes to

Shameless Plug For New Scott Kelby Lightroom and Photoshop CS5 Books

2010-08-03T12:52:00.000-07:00

Scott Kelby’s “The Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3 Book for Digital Photographers” is now available online and in bookstores. I believe Kelby Training is still offering a free CD of presets if you order now. I’m already using Lightroom 3 and have the book and presets CD on the way. His tips and tricks make using the application within my digital workflow that much more efficient. If you’ve

Apple Announces New Mac Pro Line

2010-08-02T12:30:00.000-07:00

I really, really, really want one… Official Press Release:Apple has unveiled a new Mac Pro line with up to 12 processing cores and up to 50 percent greater performance than the previous generation. Featuring the latest quad-core and 6-core Intel Xeon processors, all-new ATI graphics and the option for up to four 512GB solid state drives (SSD), the new Mac Pro continues to deliver amazing

Apple Announces New 27-Inch LED Cinema Display

2010-08-02T12:25:00.000-07:00

I want one, I really, really want one... Official Press Release:Apple has unveiled a new 27-inch LED Cinema Display with stunning 2560 x 1440 resolution and 60 percent more screen real estate than the 24-inch LED Cinema Display. Featuring a built-in iSight video camera, microphone and speakers, powered USB 2.0 hub, and universal MagSafe connector, the new LED Cinema Display

Panasonic Announces '3D' Interchangeable Lens

2010-08-02T12:02:00.000-07:00

More of a ‘concept’ lens at this time, Panasonic is developing a 3D Interchangeable Lens with an expected release date of Q4 2010. To be part of Panasonic’s Lumix G Micro System (including the G2 and GF1) below is the official press release. Company Press Release:Continuing its record of 3D technology leadership, Panasonic today announced the development of the world's

Sinar Announces View Camera Option For Canon and Nikon DSLR

2010-08-02T10:21:00.000-07:00

Use your Canon or Nikon DLSR on a View Camera device. Sinar is releasing a 35mm DLSR compatible view camera chassis for around $2000 US, which could dramatically change the capability of capturing images using a standard DSLR. Company Press Release:The Sinar p-slr was designed especially for photographers who would like to combine the convenience of digital single lens reflex cameras with the

Kelby Worldwide Photo Walk 2010, Successful and Fun

2010-07-28T20:44:00.002-07:00

Saturday, July 24th was the third annual Scott Kelby Worldwide Photo Walk. While there were three walks taking place in Phoenix, and one in Tucson, it was the walk in Flagstaff that caught my attention. Who wants to walk around Phoenix taking pictures in July, it’s 108 friggin’ degrees? Not that I need a reason to go up North to the mountains and pine trees, but walking around downtown

New Novoflex Nikon F Adapter For Canon EOS

2010-07-28T19:07:00.000-07:00

Novoflex has announced the EOS/NIK-NT lens adapter for using Nikon F mount lenses without aperture rings on Canon EOS bodies. According to the company's US distributer, it is available at retail price of $292.99. Below is the official company press release. Novoflex, Germany's premier manufacturer of quality digital and analog accessories, announces the availability of a

Samsung Announces New Wi-Fi ST80 Compact Camera

2010-07-28T18:34:00.000-07:00

Samsung has announced the ST80 Wi-Fi enabled digital camera that allows users to connect to wireless networks for uploading or emailing images and videos. It is similar to Samsung’s previous CL80 and CL65 Wi-Fi cameras. It does have a smaller 3.0" touch-screen LCD and un-stabilized 3x zoom lens with no real wide-angle capability (35-114mm equiv.) rather than the existing

Canon EOS 7D Firmware Update 1.2.2

2010-07-23T12:52:00.000-07:00

Canon has released a firmware update for the EOS 7D Digital SLR Camera.EnhancementFirmware Version 1.2.2 incorporates the following fixes.1. Fixes a phenomenon in which the set aperture moves unexpectedly when shooting movies in manual exposure mode using some lenses (such as macro lenses).2. Fixes the AF point-selection behavior of the C.Fn III-7 (Manual AF pt. selec.

SpiderPro Camera Holster System

2010-07-16T20:09:00.001-07:00

I came across the SpiderPro Camera Holster System website and it seems to be an interesting product. Be Quick-Draw McGraw with this little baby. It is a great idea and looks very sturdy and secure, if not a little pricey. $109.99 for the single camera system. The system includes the SpiderPro holder, SpiderPro Plate and Holster Belt. Check out the videos on the website below. It appears to

New Sigma 50-500mm F4.5-6.3 APO DG OS HSM Lens

2010-07-16T19:46:00.002-07:00

Popular Photography and Imaging has recently posted a review of the new Sigma 50-500mm f4.5-6.3 APO DG OS HSM Lens. This thing is a beast with the broadest zoom range of any Sigma full-frame lens. On an APS-C sensor expect around 75-750mm equivalent. One big improvement to this new version is optical image stabilization. One of the disappointing things about the Popphoto review is they don’

New Sigma 17-50mm F2.8 EX DC OS HSM Leans

2010-07-16T18:37:00.000-07:00

Official Sigma Press Release: Sigma Corporation, a leading researcher, developer, manufacturer and service provider of some of the world's most impressive lines of lenses, cameras and flashes, is pleased to announce the release of its new 17-50mm F2.8 EX DC OS HSM lens. This large-aperture, standard-zoom lens, which was first introduced in February at Photo Marketing

TOKINA AT-X 16-28MM F/2.8 PRO FX Lens For Canon

2010-07-10T08:59:00.001-07:00

Tokina announces the AT-X 16-28mm f2.8 PRO FX lens for Canon mount. Due sometime in September (Nikon in August) the lens incorporates a newly developed AF system featuring a quieter Silent Drive-Module (SDM) autofocus motor that is supposed to provide improved focusing. The lens is weather-sealed and comes with a fixed lens hood but does not incorporate a filter thread.Official company press

New SIGMA APO 70-200mm F2.8 Lens For Canon

2010-07-10T08:50:00.000-07:00

Sigma is said to release this new monster around July 23rd. Here is the official press release for the new lens from Sigma: The Sigma Corporation is pleased to announce the new Sigma APO 70-200 F2.8 EX DG OS HSM. This large aperture telephoto zoom lens incorporates Sigma's original Optical Stabilizer function. The lens covers focal lengths from 70mm to 200mm and has a

New Firmware 1.0.8 Update For Canon EOS-1D Mark IV and Rebel T2i

2010-07-10T08:41:00.000-07:00

Fellow Canon users be aware that Canon has released new firmware updates for the EOS-1D Mark IV and EOS Rebel T2i DSLR cameras. The firmare version 1.0.8 fixes a bug in the movie mode and also corrects misspellings in the French and Spanish language menus. To download the updates from Canon’s website click the links below. Download 1.0.8 firmware for Canon EOS-1D Mark IV Download 1.0.8 firmware

Dead Flowers Make Good Photos

2010-07-03T14:26:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago I brought home some flowers for my wife's birthday. Now that the original beauty has left them, photography gives them new life. An impressive note is that these were taken hand-held at ISO 6400 with the Canon EOS 7D. While in a couple there is slight noise visible, I am really impressed with the quality of the images considering the ISO setting. Dead Flowers Gallery

AdoramaTV Provides Photography Training

2010-06-27T21:33:00.000-07:00

Popular online camera and electronics store Adorama is now providing a new training service. Called AdoramaTV this new service is hosted by Professional Photographer Mark Wallace, and offers basic photography tutorials, behind-the-scenes looks at how to conduct a photo shoot in a studio or in the field, interviews with professional photographers and videographers, and informative reviews of new

3rd Annual Kelby Worldwide Photowalk Coming July 24th

2010-06-27T18:58:00.000-07:00

Scott Kelby from NAPP (National Association of Photoshop Professionals) is putting together another Worldwide Photowalk for 2010. This is the third go around and as of this posting there are 862 walks scheduled with 17,111 attendees worldwide. It all happens on July 24, 2010 and I’m looking forward to not only escaping the seven level of Hell that is Phoenix, AZ (112 degrees tomorrow) but

Photos Using New Adobe CS5 and Lightroom 3

2010-06-27T18:38:00.000-07:00

I've recently downloaded the new Adobe products Photoshop Lightroom 3 and Creative Suite 5 to try them out before opening the wallet. Here are some of the results. It obviously takes a bit to get used to some of the new features, and there are some good ones, however the jury is still out on some of the HDR enhancements and 3D functionality. So far I'm happy with the outcome. June 2010 Gallery

Using New Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3

2010-06-14T22:45:00.000-07:00

I downloaded the 30-day trial version of the new Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3 application to give it a spin before I buy it. I've been using Lightroom since the first version and have been playing with the 3 Beta for several months, so I'm ready to make the switch to the full retail version. Even at only 99 bucks to upgrade, why not enjoy it free for a month? I took some grab shots after the

NAPP Photoshop Lightroom 3 Learning Center

2010-06-11T18:10:00.001-07:00

With the recent release announcement of Adobe’s Photoshop Lightroom 3 it wasn’t long before NAPP (National Association of Photoshop Professionals) would have several resources available to Lightroom users. NAPP has setup a new Lightroom 3 Learning Center, new Kelby Training Lightroom 3 online training courses and added a new Lightroom 3 Live! Tour which kicks off July 12th in Florida. Scott

Adobe Releases Retail Version of Photoshop Lightroom 3

2010-06-11T18:02:00.002-07:00

Adobe has released Photoshop Lightroom 3. This is Adobe’s excellent nondestructive image editing and organization product. I’ve been a Lightroom user since the first version and have been working with the 3 Beta for quite a while now. I’m glad to see these new features are now available in the retail version. New Features:Accelerated Performance Improved Image Importing Tethered Shooting

Spring 2010 Youth Sports Sampler Gallery

2010-06-11T17:54:00.002-07:00

I finally put together a gallery of images from some of the teams covered during the Spring 2010 youth sports season. Spring 2010 - Youth Sports Gallery

onOne To Provide Plug-In Upgrades For Adobe CS5

2010-05-12T21:34:00.001-07:00

onOne will provide a CS5 update to their popular Photoshop Plug-Ins. Here is an excerpt from their website. We expect to have Photoshop CS5 compatible updates for the current versions of our plug-ins available for download on May 20, 2010. onOne Software is committed to providing timely compatibility updates for current versions of our products within 30 days of the availability of Photoshop CS5

Canon Lens Reviews

2010-05-04T20:28:00.001-07:00

I wanted to post links to a few of the lens reviews that assisted me with choosing the first lenses I would purchase with my new Canon EOS 7D. So far I’ve been very happy with the Canon EF 85mm f1.8 USM and Canon EF-S 18-200mm f3.5-5.6 IS lenses. The next lens I have my sites on is either the Canon EF 70-200mm f4.0 USM or the f2.8 depending on how long I want to go without eating. Canon EF

Lens Profile Creator Available From Adobe Labs

2010-05-04T19:56:00.000-07:00

Adobe Labs now has the prerelease of a its new Lens Profile Creator available for download. This tool provides the ability to create custom lens profiles for the new Photoshop CS5, Camera Raw and Lightroom. A lens profile describes the types of optical aberrations that exist in a particular lens and prescribes how to correct the lens distortions in an image captured from

First Grab Shots From Canon EOS 7D DSLR

2010-05-02T10:13:00.000-07:00

I’ve crossed over to the Canon camp from Sony since the Alpha DLSR series doesn’t provide a solution to my current needs. I decided on the EOS 7D and definitely believe I made the right decision. This is quite the camera. One of the primary reasons was the 8fps continuous shooting. This thing is like a machine gun on the youth sports sidelines capturing every play. I just have to work out

iPad with Wi-Fi+3G Now Available From Apple

2010-04-30T19:39:00.003-07:00

The iPad with Wi-Fi + 3G is now available from Apple starting at $629 for the 16GB version. There are two monthly data plans: 250MB or unlimited but don’t think you can use your existing iPhone plan, because you can’t. I have a couple of colleagues that have purchased the 32GB Wi-Fi version and seem to be fairly happy with it once they found a practical use; which would be my main issue as well

Adobe Creative Suite 5 Now Fully Available

2010-04-30T18:35:00.001-07:00

Adobe has finally made their Creative Suite 5 family of applications available to the masses. I can't wait to get my hands on the new versions. See the official company press release below. NAPP (National Association of Photoshop Professionals) has a great online CS5 Learning Center as well detailing the updates and providing video tutorials. SAN JOSE, Calif., — April 30, 2010 — Adobe Systems

Apple Releases RAW Compatibility Update 3.2

2010-04-25T16:38:00.000-07:00

Apple has released the Digital Camera RAW Compatibility Update 3.2 for Aperture 3 and iPhoto ’09. Among the newly supported camera models are the Canon EOS Rebel T2i and 550D; Leica S2; Olympus E-450, E-600 and E-620; as well as several Sony Alpha DSLR models such as the A330, A380 and A450. Download the RAW update 3.2

Canon EOS 7D Firmware 1.2.1 Upgrade Now Available

2010-04-17T17:28:00.001-07:00

Canon release firmware update for the EOS 7D DSLR. Firmware Firmware Version 1.2.1 incorporates the following improvements and fixes, and can now be downloaded by clicking here. Extends the timing at which the high temperature warning indicator is displayed and the timing of automatic shut down of the camera due to a rise in internal temperature during Live View or EOS Movie functions.

Apple iPad Released, But Not Without Problems

2010-04-08T09:16:00.004-07:00

The Apple iPad is here. See what Terry White thinks of the WiFi model on the MacNews site (follow link below). The AT&T 3G model ships at the end of April I believe. But things aren’t all sunshine for Apple. The company has acknowledged a problem with the WiFi connectivity. According to Apple "Under certain conditions, iPad may not automatically rejoin a known Wi-Fi network after restart or

Adobe Creative Suite 5 Coming Monday April 12th

2010-04-08T08:50:00.000-07:00

Monday is the big day for Adobe Creative Suite users. Creative Suite 5 is due to be unveiled Monday April 12th and the buzz is that photographers will fall even more in love with this version of CS. Follow the link below to register with Adobe and access informative preview information and event times. Also, Scott Kelby and the NAPP Crew will provide a Photoshop User CS5 Learning Center site to

Adobe Announces 'Release Candidate' Versions of Lightroom, Camera RAW and DNG Converter

2010-04-08T08:36:00.000-07:00

Adobe has announced the release of new 'Release Candidate’ versions of Photoshop Lightroom 2.7, Camera Raw 5.7 and DNG Converter 5.7 that are available for immediate download from Adobe Labs. They provide additional RAW support for 9 more cameras, including the Canon EOS 550D, Panasonic G2 and Olympus E-PL1. According to Adobe, the term 'Release Candidate' defines the downloads as well tested but

Adobe Releases Photoshop Lightroom 3 BETA v2

2010-03-24T21:43:00.001-07:00

Adobe has provided the 2nd public Beta of Photoshop Lightroom 3 application for immediate download from its Adobe Labs site. Lightroom 3 will be based around a new processing engine and the second iteration adds luminance noise reduction to the color noise reduction options that appeared in the initial beta. The latest beta also supports tethered shooting for a number of Nikon and Canon DSLRs,

Adobe Announces Creative Suite 5

2010-03-24T21:39:00.000-07:00

Adobe has announced Creative Suite 5, and will provide additional detail on Monday April 12th. Adobe has also created a teaser website. I can't wait to see what they've added to an already 'over-the-top' product.

Upcoming Photomark Photography Classes In Phoenix, AZ

2010-03-22T11:37:00.000-07:00

Photomark is one of two large camera stores left in the Phoenix Metro area. While there are still a few small retailers, Photomark and Tempe Camera are our last bastions of hope to get our hands physically on advanced amateur and professional photography equipment. I’ve purchased equipment from both, and both are highly recommended if living or visiting the Valley of the Sun Stroke. Photomark

New Canon EF 70-200mm F2.8L IS II USM Lens On Back Order

2010-03-22T11:10:00.000-07:00

Back in January Canon announced the launch of the new EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM telephoto zoom lens. This is the successor to the immensely popular EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM, offering improved performance in every area. According to the Canon press release the EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM delivers optical excellence in the most challenging situations. As well as a revamp of the internal

Bye Bye Sony, Bye Bye!

2010-03-22T09:25:00.001-07:00

Back in the days of “BD” Before Digital, I was a Minolta SLR film shooter. When Sony purchased the Minolta photography division and released the Alpha 100 DLSR I jumped on board. I’ve been using the A100 ever since and it has been an affordable and adequate workhorse for me ever since. However, it is now getting ‘long-in-the-tooth’ as is my older Minolta glass. The biggest drawback to the A100 is

Kelby Training Seminars: Affordable, Educational and This Time "Lucky"

2010-03-20T22:01:00.003-07:00

I’m a big proponent of Scott Kelby and a member of the National Association of Photoshop Professionals (NAPP) so when the training arm of his company, Kelbytraining.com recently came to Phoenix, I was there. As a NAPP member their day long workshop is only 79 bucks and that’s a steal in my opinion. This particular session was Photoshop CS4 Down & Dirty Tricks Tour with instructor Corey Barker.

Is Compact Flash Becoming Extinct?

2010-03-20T21:15:00.000-07:00

Rumors abound that Compact Flash media is doomed. Manisha Sharma, Director of Product Marketing at Lexar, one of the biggest names in Compact Flash memory cards, as well as SD, tackles this topic in a recent interview on dpnow.com. I like my CF cards and they’ll have to pry them out of my cold, dead hands to get ‘em.

Tamron Announces Upcoming 60th Anniversary 70-300mm VC USD Lens

2010-03-20T21:10:00.000-07:00

President and CEO Morio Ono of optical equipment manufacturer Tamron Co., Ltd., announced another advance in Tamron's pursuit of high resolution images in the telephoto lens category with the development of a 70-300mm F/4-5.6 telephoto zoom lens featuring image stabilization––VC (Vibration Compensation) and an ultrasonic auto-focus drive –– USD (Ultrasonic Silent Drive). The SP AF70-300mm F4-5.6

Wacom Introduces New Wireless Intous 4 Tablet

2010-03-20T20:54:00.000-07:00

Wacom has released its latest addition to the Intuos 4 family of pen tablets, and it’s wireless. Shutterbug takes a closer look at the tablet which is essentially an Intuos 4 medium tablet (6x8) featuring Bluetooth technology. By the way the wireless version only comes in the Medium size and the Wacom representative I spoke with recently stated they have no intention at this time to introduce a

Sigma Announces New 150-500mm APO HSM Lens for Sony and Pentax

2010-03-20T19:56:00.000-07:00

Sigma has announced the APO 150-500mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM lens for Sony and Pentax. Below is the official company press release. The Sigma Corporation is pleased to announce the launch of the new APO 150-500mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM for Sony and Pentax. This ultra-telephoto zoom lens covers a telephoto range up to 500mm and allows photographers to bring the subject close and short perspective. This lens

Tokina Announces 11-16mm F2.8 Lens For Sony Alpha

2010-02-22T21:50:00.000-07:00

Tokina lens makers have launched a new lens in Sony's Alpha mount. The AT-X 116 Pro DX 11-16 mm f/2.8 lens will be available in Japan on February 24th, 2010 at an approximate retail price of ¥94,500 (around US $1046). Hopefully it also means that more quality Tokina lenses for the Sony Alpha DSLR line will be forthcoming, and available outside of Japan...

View RAW Files Using Windows 7 Explorer

2010-02-20T18:48:00.000-07:00

I recently upgraded my PC to Windows 7 64-Bit and just realized today that I could no longer view my RAW files in Windows Explorer. This was easy to remedy as it’s just a quick download and install from the Microsoft Pro Photo website. They obviously haven’t updated this site in awhile as it still only references Windows XP and Vista, or no one’s bothered to test it on Windows 7 yet. Well, I just

Digital Photography and Photoshop Seminars Coming To Phoenix, AZ

2010-02-20T10:11:00.001-07:00

A couple of excellent Digital workshops are coming to Phoenix within the next couple of weeks. First is Digital Days from Popular Photography Magazine and Sony. This two day workshop will take place on the weekend of February 27 & 28. The Basics course is held on Saturday and an Advanced session will be on Sunday that includes live model shoots. This is a great place to see the current line

Sony Announces Alpha 450 DSLR

2010-02-20T09:48:00.000-07:00

On the heals of the recent Alpha 500 and 550 DSLR releases, Sony will add to the arsenal with the Alpha 450. This is fine, but I’m still waiting for the A750 or even a 600 series. I’m ready to upgrade and the 500 series just doesn’t give me enough incentive to make the jump. So I get to keep waiting, but if you haven’t joined the Sony DSLR family yet, the upcoming A450 may be a good stepping

Sigma 17-70mm F2.8-4 OS Macro Lens For Sony Mount Announced

2010-02-20T09:29:00.000-07:00

I’m in the market for an f2.8 standard zoom and was disappointed that Sigma still hadn’t released a Sony version of this lens. Well that has finally changed. Sigma has announced the OS (Optical Stabilization) version of its 17-70mm F2.8-4 DC Macro lens will be available soon in Sony and Pentax mounts. Currently available only in Canon, Nikon and Sigma mounts, the Sony version will start

Adobe Photoshop Turns 20!

2010-02-20T09:01:00.002-07:00

Adobe has provided a look back over the history of Photoshop. Click this link to check it out, and if you aren’t a Photoshop Lightroom user I highly suggest you try it out. The Photoshop Lightroom 3 Beta is available free to try and it can change your digitial workflow for the better. I can’t wait to see how Photoshop evolves over the next 20 years. Scott Kelby and the folks at National

Lightroom-News.com Provides Insight To Lightroom Plug-Ins

2009-10-11T08:07:00.001-07:00

Adobe Photoshop Lightroom has a plugin architecture that allows third parties to add to the functionality of Lightroom. Often these plugins add to Lightroom’s core functions, but more often they add entirely new features to the program. Plugins are a very different beast to Presets, and sometimes users can get the two confused. Presets are merely stored sets of instructions for Lightroom tools (

Six New Digital Camera Reviews

2009-10-11T07:55:00.000-07:00

Six new reviews added to the Recent Digital Camera Reviews section. Canon PowerShot SD940 IS Kodak Zi8 Pentax K2000 DSLR Pentax K-7 DSLR Ricoh GR Digital III Sony Alpha 380 DSLR

Adobe Announces Photoshop Mobile For iPhone

2009-10-11T07:18:00.001-07:00

Adobe Systems Incorporated has introduced Photoshop.com Mobile for iPhone application, delivering Adobe industry-leading digital-imaging technology to users on the go. Photoshop.com Mobile provides consumers a convenient way to edit photos, apply effects and share images instantly with friends – all with the flick of a finger. Seamless integration with users’ free Photoshop.com accounts enables

The Nobel Prize in Physics 2009: CCD Sensor

2009-10-11T07:00:00.001-07:00

Above: Bell Labs researchers Willard Boyle (left) and George Smith (right) with the charge-coupled device, which transforms patterns of light into useful digital information and is the basis for many forms of imaging, including camcorders and satellite surveillance. Photo taken in 1974. Photo: Alcatel-Lucent/Bell Labs Below is the official press release regarding the recent announcement of

Wacom Announces Bamboo 2nd Generation Tablets

2009-09-27T11:32:00.001-07:00

Wacom Co. Ltd., has announced that Bamboo second generation will be available from October 3rd, 2009. The new consumer interactive tablet merges multi-touch functionality with pen tablet technology in a single device, providing a whole new interface for computer users. Bamboo ushers in a more intuitive, simple and inspiring way to work with computers. Name of new models: Bamboo, Bamboo Touch,