Scott Kelby's New Photoshop CS3 Book for Digital Photographers Due Late June

If you have taken the plunge and upgraded to Adobe Photoshop CS3 or are waiting for more ‘how-to’ books to hit store shelves before deciding whether to dive in, I’m pleased to announce that Scott Kelby’s new CS3 book will be available in late June. Scott Kelby’s name is synonymous with Adobe Photoshop, and now Lightroom, and his previous books The Photoshop CS2 Book for Digital Photographers and The Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Book for Digital Photographers are must-have volumes for digital photographers.

In the upcoming The Photoshop CS3 Book for Digital Photographers, Scott Kelby has made a lot of changes since the last edition (for CS2), with completely “rewritten from the ground up” chapters on The CS3 Bridge, Camera Raw 4.0, Color Correction, and printing & color management to name a few.

According to the author, “I guess what surprised me the most was how many new techniques I’ve learned since the CS2 version of the book came out over two years ago. So, I not only added in the new features of CS3, I also updated a lot of the existing techniques with new settings or faster, better, easier or more effective ways to pull them off. Plus, of course I couldn’t help but add all my latest stuff, and my favorite new techniques, photo effects, photo fixes, and repair techniques.”

Due to be released at the end of June, The Photoshop CS3 Book for Digital Photographers (496 pages) from Scott Kelby on New Riders Press can be pre-ordered at Amazon or Barnes & Noble .

Tough Enough To Be Critiqued By Magnum Photos?

You now have a chance to have your photographs seen by the best in the business. A thick skin is recommended. As part of the Magnum ’07 Festival in New York City in June, the agency is organizing a portfolio review, in which three Magnum photographers will be ready to offer critiques of your work—and they say they’ll be brutally honest.

The date is June 17, from 9:30am to 5pm at MILK Studios at 450 West 15th Street in Manhattan. Deadline for registration is June 13, and scheduling will be done on a first-come-first served basis. The price is $250. For more information, email reviews@magnumphotos.com

PopPhoto.com Profiles NASCAR Photographers

Mark Lent of PopPhoto.com profiles two photographers tasked with capturing all the action at NASCAR's largest and fastest raceway and ask them to divulge some tricks of the trade. Here is a brief excerpt.

… Few places can envelope your senses like a NASCAR track on race day. The smells of hot oil, gasoline and burning rubber waft through the air and surround you. Everywhere you look you see bright, neon colors, and the sound of 700-plus horsepower engines growling to life seems to physically churn the air.

"It's almost the perfect job," says David Griffin, a photo enthusiast and NASCAR fan who has found a way to merge two of his loves into a steady career. A nine-year veteran of the circuit, Griffin works as an Assistant Photo Editor for NASCAR Scene Magazine, and recently spoke about his job from the Talladega Superspeedway near Birmingham, Ala…

Read the entire PopPhoto.com online article.

Image provided by popphoto.com

Mexico Has Become Deadly For Photojournalists

During the last six years, over 30 journalists have been killed in Mexico. Dozens more have been kidnapped. Manuel Roig-Franzia of the Washington Post Foreign Service details these incedents in the recent article ‘Mexico's Journalists Feel Heavy Hand of Violence’. Here is a brief excerpt.

…Gamaliel López Candanosa seemed an unlikely candidate to join the ranks of disappeared or murdered reporters in Mexico, now the second deadliest country in the world for journalists after Iraq…

…But on the afternoon of May 10 -- after taping a piece that featured him singing with a one-eyed mariachi and reporting live on the birth of conjoined twins -- López and his cameraman, Gerardo Paredes Pérez, vanished…

Read the entire Washington Post online article.

Viovio.com Announces Photo Minibooks

Viovio, an online community and creative photobook publishing service, has introduced the availability of three new photobook sizes: 7x5, 5.25x3.5, and 3.75x2.5. The "minibooks" are priced at a $4.99 base cost plus 50 cents per page. A 20-page perfect bound minibook is priced at $14.99, and for that low price, users have the option of receiving two 7x5 books, three 5.25x3.5 books, or four 3.75x2.5. The books are offered in soft, full color, laminated 100# Ultra Gloss Cover Stock, Digital Color Silk - C2S, 90 bright interior paper.

The latest addition to Viovio's expanding menu of exclusive book sizes was in response to consumer demand, "Here at Viovio, we are committed to meeting our customers needs by offering users a platform to express their creativity and to create professional, high-grade products," commented Connie Fowler, Co-Founder of Viovio. "Creators use mini books for personalized souvenirs, wedding gifts, and brag books. They also love the ability to, with the click of a button, create an 11x8.5 book or scale it down to our smallest wallet-size 3.75x2.5," commented Fowler.

We are more than just a photo-publishing site; we are a community that encourages the exchange of thoughts and opinions on our passions: travel and photos Viovio's unique photobook sizes allow travel enthusiasts a way to make personalized souvenirs of their travel adventures. The Web site has a Travel Section that allows users to share information on their favorite travel spots. The section always features many remote yet fascinating destinations. "We are more than just a photo-publishing site; we are a community that encourages the exchange of thoughts and opinions on our passions: travel and photos," said Fowler.

For more information about the Viovio minibooks visit www.viovio.com.
Image provided by Viovio.com

New Photoshop Plug-In For Google 3D Warehouse

SAN JOSE, Calif. - May 31, 2007 - Adobe Systems Incorporated and Google Inc. today announced the Photoshop CS3 Extended plug-in for the Google 3D Warehouse, enabling Adobe Photoshop CS3 Extended users to take further advantage of the software's powerful compositing, painting and image-editing toolset for editing 3D content. With the plug-in, users will be able to query and download free 3D content from the Google 3D Warehouse, Google's free online repository for 3D models and content, directly within Photoshop CS3 Extended. 3D Content then can be placed, manipulated and used in composites with the new 3D tools in Photoshop CS3 Extended.

The plug-in is available for free download from the Adobe Labs Web site at http://labs.adobe.com.

"We were happy to collaborate with Adobe on the Photoshop Extended plug-in for the Google 3D Warehouse. With this plug-in, users of Photoshop CS3 Extended can participate in the 3D Warehouse community, giving them the ability to search, store and share thousands of 3D models and content," said Mark Limber, product manager at Google. "The Google 3D Warehouse repository, combined with Photoshop CS3 Extended, allows creatives, architects, manufacturers and others to find exactly what they need to bring their virtual worlds and conceptual designs to life."

The Google 3D Warehouse is a free Google service which allows anyone to search for and download 3D models and content via a standard Web browser and now, with this plug-in, Photoshop CS3 Extended. Users can also submit their own models to share within the community by uploading them from Google SketchUp into the 3D Warehouse. Models include everything needed for a 3D world, including: buildings, houses, bridges, statues, sculptures, couches, cars, people, pets and more. If the model has a location on earth, such as a building in New York city, you can also download and view it in Google Earth.

Once downloaded, the plug-in opens a dialog box that connects directly to Google's 3D Warehouse via the Internet. Users can browse and search the 3D Warehouse for content, and download and save selections to their hard drive. Downloaded models will be saved in the COLLADA format. With support for industry standard 3D formats, including COLLADA, Photoshop CS3 Extended opens 3D models as 3D layers. Users can then access the textures applied to model surfaces, enhance them with Photoshop CS3 Extended and its wide range of editing and painting tools, and save or composite them into a 2D image.

"Our work with Google brings 3D content directly into the Photoshop CS3 Extended experience, enabling more efficient editing and enriching the overall visualization process," said Kevin Connor, senior director of product management for Digital Imaging Professional Products at Adobe. "Photoshop CS3 Extended was developed to help professionals push the limits of digital imaging and more easily realize their vision in 3D. It's great to see Google's early support for Photoshop CS3 Extended and the advancement of 3D design workflows."

Pricing and Availability
Announced in March 2007, Photoshop CS3 Extended software, an entirely new version of Photoshop, helps professionals discover new dimensions in digital imaging, harnessing everything in Photoshop CS3 plus groundbreaking tools for 3D, motion graphics, image measurement and analysis.

The Photoshop CS3 Extended plug-in for the Google 3D Warehouse is available for free download from the Adobe Labs Web site at http://labs.adobe.com./ The Macintosh plug-in is available today, with the Windows plug-in due June 1. Photoshop CS3 Extended is available through Adobe Authorized Resellers and the Adobe Store at www.adobe.com/go/gn_store. Estimated street price for Adobe Photoshop CS3 Extended is US$999. Upgrade pricing is available. For more detailed information about features, upgrade policies, pricing, and International versions please visit: www.adobe.com/go/photoshop.

Samsung Releases v1.20 Firmware For GX-10 DSLR

Samsung has released firmware version 1.20 for its GX-10 DSLR. Adding functionality to the command dials and green button seems to be at the heart of this update, improving speed and ease of operation by allowing photographers to change settings without having to delve into the menu system. The firmware may be installed over all previous versions as it incorporates the changes added in previous releases.

Download this fireware release from the Samsung Support website.

FocalView Section Updates

FocalView Section Updates:

A new digicam review of the Sony CyberShot DSC-H9 by dpreview.com has been added to the Digital Camera Reviews section.

A new updated and detailed review of the Nikon D40x by dpreview.com has been added to the Digital Camera Reviews section.

NAPP TV (National Association of Photoshop Professional TV) has been added to the Podcast section, as well as a link to the NAPP website in the Photography Links section.

Macworld Reviews Canon CanoScan 8600F Scanner

James Galbraith of Macworld reviews the Canon CanoScan 8600F scanner. Here is a brief excerpt:

…The 8600F was a zippy performer once it warmed up. Like most midrange desktop scanners, the 8600F uses CCD (charge coupled device) sensors to scan, not CIS (contact image sensors) like those found in compact scanners, many all-in-one printers, and copiers. CCD-based scanners have a reputation for higher quality, but they take longer to warm up and generate more heat than CIS devices. Though seeing the “Scanner warming up” message on screen each time I wanted to scan became annoying, after seeing the resulting scans I’d say it was worth the wait…

Read the entire article from Macworld.

Pixelmator Releases New Image Editor For Mac OS X

Pixelmator has released an eponymous image editor for Mac OS X systems. Pixelmator 1.0 provides advanced image editing and effects tools, workflow automation, and integration with other Mac-based photo software programs. According to Pixelmator, it's also the first GPU-powered image-editing program, meaning that it draws on the processing resources of the computer's video card instead of the main processor. That frees up the main processor for other functions when multitasking, and provides fast processing speed in systems with high-performance video cards.

Pixelmator 1.0 includes more than 20 image-editing tools, more than 50 filters, and more than 16 color-correction tools. It supports layer-based image editing and more than 100 image file formats, including Photoshop images with layers. The program's Transform tools can be applied to whole images, layers, or selections, and include items such as Skew, Distort, and Perspective. The program's interface uses floating tool palettes and drop-down menus in a way that looks similar to Adobe's Photoshop interface. It also provides a full-screen editing mode and a QuickMask mode. The integrated Photo Browser allows image searches with more than 50 types of metadata through integration with Spotlight, and Pixelmator supports Mac elements such as Dashboard widgets [http://www.apple.com/downloads/dashboard/] and ColorSync color management. Pixelmator's drag-and-drop functions allow users to drag a photo from the Photo Browser or a Mac's built-in iSight camera onto an open image to add it as a layer.

The program also employs Automator to provide workflow automation. Photographers can use Automator's efficient drag-and-drop functions to set up series of image-editing processes that will run automatically.

Pixelmator 1.0 will be available from the Pixelmator Web site in late July 2007 for $59.
Article provided by Aimee Baldridge of popphoto.com.

Adobe Camera Raw 4.1 Update Due In June

Adobe has updated its raw-image-processing plug-in for Photoshop. According to the company, Camera Raw 4.1 offers improved noise reduction and sharpening tools, as well as raw file support for 13 additional cameras and digital backs.

The newly supported models are:
Canon EOS-1D Mark III
Fuji FinePix S5 Pro
Nikon D40x
Olympus E-410
Olympus SP-550 UZ
Sigma SD14
Phase One H20
Phase One H25
Phase One P20
Phase One P21
Phase One P25
Phase One P30
Phase One P45

Camera Raw 4.1 will be available by June 1, 2007, as a free download from Adobe's Web site for users of Photoshop CS3, Photoshop Elements 4.01 for the Mac, and Photoshop Elements 5.0. Adobe says it will also update Photoshop Lightroom with the Camera Raw 4.1 enhancements in the near future.

New Shozam Online Web Gallery Generator

According to Komotion Inc., photographers and artists can easily create and control their own professionally designed web galleries to showcase and sell their images online.

Komotion Inc., the makers of the popular, award-winning Web Gallery Wizard™, have announced Shozam™ Web gallery generator which automatically creates full-featured Web galleries to showcase digital media. Designed for professional photographers, photo enthusiasts and artists to display and sell their work online, Shozam is the only product on the market today that provides advanced features and flexibility in an easy-to-use package, allowing users to truly own and monetize their content.

A software tool, not a Web service, Shozam galleries are "portable" among PCs, Web hosts and social networks. This flexibility provides offline immediacy and impact. Galleries - complete with slideshow and background music - can be created and updated offline, moved easily from Web host to Web host, or even burned to CD and shared with clients on the spot. To extend online presence on photo-blogs and social networks, Shozam widgets provide an eye-catching, sticky method for grabbing attention.

"Shozam is the best product for professional photographers to quickly and easily promote, protect and sell images online," said Brooks Clayton, President of Mid South Color, Jackson, TN. "I've created Shozam galleries with hundreds of images in under 10 minutes, start to finish. And the results are top notch. We recommend Shozam to our customers, and include it as part of our complete photographic and digital service offering."

Shozam removes dependency on online photo sites, eliminating commissions and reducing third-party fees. For those who want control, not "community," Shozam users make their own business decisions and use vendors they choose. They control image compression and protection, the look and feel of the gallery and where it is hosted. Users monetize images, videos and galleries with integrated PayPal and Google AdSense™ for online advertising by simply filling in a few fields, and Shozam does the rest.

"We know the frustration with Web 2.0 services controlling and monetizing content," said Razvan Neagu, President and CEO of Komotion. "We created Shozam so anyone can own and make money from their content, and showcase it online with a professional and custom look. It is the only offering that integrates 'best of class' features from existing online services, professional Web design and software titles into one, easy to use, portable online gallery creator."

Users can get their own high-end results at a fraction of the time and cost of using a Web designer. Galleries with thousands of images can be designed and generated in minutes, not months. Gallery themes feature a Flash animated intro, standard static HTML code, and can be further personalized with the built-in Theme Editor.

Additional advanced features to showcase and sell images
- Image, video and audio support
- Image protection (watermark, right-click disable)
- Geo-tagging (Google Maps™)
- EXIF data display
- HTML custom code (add Web site banner, widgets, etc.)
- Search Engine Optimization (automatically adds metatags)
- Info page (Contact us, Biography, etc.)
- Customizable page links (to other Web pages)
- Shozam availability

The Shozam Business Edition, available now, retails for $299.95, with a special introductory promotion of 35 percent off if purchased by June 8, 2007. The Shozam Lite Edition is free. Other editions with different feature levels and price points will be available soon. A free trial version is also available. Shozam runs on Microsoft Windows®. For more information go to: www.shozam.com/.

Samsung Set Sights On Global Digicam Top 3

According to a news article from Taiwan's DigiTimes Samsung is planning to launch a total of 20 to 30 new digital camera models this year, with expected shipments of 13 million units worldwide. The goal: to become one of the top three global digital camera brands in 2007.

The press conference was held to launch Samsung's i7 and i70 digital cameras for the Taiwanese market. Both cameras were first unveiled back in January, and feature fairly unconvential designs. The Samsung i7 has seven megapixel resolution, a 3x optical zoom lens, and a huge 3" LCD display mounted on a spring-loaded swivel that serves to set the camera's operating mode. The Samsung i70 has identical sensor resolution, zoom range and LCD size but with a sliding cover that conceals the entire lens portion of the camera when not in use.

New Version Of Photoshop Action Pack Available

A new version of the Photoshop Action Pack collection of Automator actions has been released by Ben Long at http://www.completedigitalphotography.com. The Photoshop Action Pack lets you control Photoshop CS, CS2 and now CS3 from Apple's Automator, allowing you to create complex automated image processing workflows. Through Automator's drag-and-drop interface, you can easily build stand-alone applications, droplets, Finder plug-ins and watch folders that automate all sorts of normally tedious operations. With the addition of the Photoshop Action Pack, you can use Automator to drive Photoshop.

While Photoshop provides built-in automation in the form of actions, and an external interface to these batch processes through Adobe Bridge, the Photoshop Action Pack gives you far more capability. With its unique filter and sorting operations, you can create automated workflows that have logic operations in them, allowing you to create a workflow that processes some images in one way, and other images in another. Also, while Bridge lets you launch batch operations in Photoshop, it's limited to only operating on the images in an individual folder. With Automator, you can process batches of images from any combination of folders, servers, FTP volumes, or external drives. Finally, Automator workflows can include more than just Photoshop commands. So, a single Automator workflow can process images in Photoshop, add the results to an iDVD presentation, upload the whole mess to an FTP server and then back up the entire project to a DVD.

The new version 3.5 adds support for Photoshop CS3, includes a new Auto Color action, and adds a number of new features to older actions. In addition, a few important bug fixes have been included. The new version does not include support for any of CS3's new features, but ports all of the old Action Pack features to CS3. The package's 86 actions provide Automator with access to all of Photoshop's major image editing features.

As with previous versions, the Photoshop Action Pack v3.5 is absolutely free, though completedigitalphotography.com actively accepts donations through an attractive PayPal button. What's more, they guarantee that your donations will be spent on frivolous camera gear, providing you with vicarious shopping thrills.

You can download the Photoshop Action Pack right now from CompleteDigitalPhotography.com

Scott Kelby Named Top-Selling Computer Book Author For 3rd Year In A Row

Scott Kelby has been named Top-Selling Computer Book Author in the United States for a third year in a row. Considering I’ve purchased both The Photoshop CS2 Book for Digital Photographers, and The Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Book for Digital Photographers I can say I’ve contributed to his accomplishment. I’m glad to do it as these two books are essential for getting the most out of these two applications for digital photographers.

Read the entire BusinessWire article.

VisibleDust Sensor Loupe Assists With Cleaning DSLR Senors

VisibleDust has started selling its Sensor Loupe, a viewing aid that uses the company's Brite Vue XL lighting system. The Sensor Loupe is designed to provide a clear view of a digital SLR sensor so that it can be cleaned thoroughly. The device incorporates an array of six LEDs and a lens constructed of a single 5x magnified K9 optical glass. The lens is coated with MgF2 to prevent chromatic aberration.

The Sensor Loupe is available for a $69.95 retail price and comes with a carrying case, a neck strap, and a microfiber cleaning cloth.

Westcott Photo Basics Photo Contest

Westcott is offering their Photo Basics by Westcott customers the chance to have their photos published in Popular Photography & Imaging.Contestants must use a Photo Basics lighting kit to create and submit an image for the chance to win one of three prizes.

The grand prize winner will have their photo published in Pop Photo. Second place earns the photographer recognition of their imagery on http://www.photobasics.net/, and all three prize winners will receive a one-year subscription to Popular Photography & Imaging. The deadline for submissions is July 30, 2007. Details are available and submissions can be made on the Photo Basics web site.

Kodak Pulls Out Of Low-End Digicam Market

On the heels of Kodak's recent CMOS sensor development, according to a report by CNET Kodak President Antonio Perez speaking at the JPMorgan Technology Conference revealed that the company "wasn't making much money" in the low-end digicam segment and has decided to pull out of it. Mr. Perez also revealed that the company had developed its own five megapixel CMOS sensor which would make its way into a future Kodak digital camera and Motorola cellular phones. It is not clear what the overall scope of this decision is in regard to how many cameras will be discontinued, but given the current atmosphere of competition within the digicam market, this move by Kodak comes as no surprise.

Sears, KMart To Offer GE Branded Digital Cameras

General Imaging, the worldwide exclusive licensee for GE- branded digital cameras, announced that Sears and Kmart have signed a contract to become the first retailers to carry the stylish new digital cameras emblazoned with the famous GE monogram.

The retail chains, both owned by Sears Holdings, will begin carrying GE cameras in their U.S. stores around Memorial Day.

"We are thrilled to sign on with General Imaging and become the first retailers to carry the GE digital cameras," said Jonathan Magasanik, Vice President and General Merchandise Manager for Sears Holdings. "We believe the GE name carries tremendous weight with consumers, and we expect these cameras will be a big hit with our customers."

Both retailers will offer the A730, GE's entry-level camera, in the standard black body color. Under an exclusive agreement with General Imaging, Sears will offer the A830 in white and the ultra-compact G1 in navy, while Kmart will offer the A830 in blue.

Even at the entry level, the A730 (MSRP: $129.99) includes features one would expect from a much more expensive camera, including 7 megapixels of resolution, a 3x zoom, and a 2.5-inch LCD screen. The A830 ($149.99) is the next step up, offering 8 megapixels and the same specs for zoom and screen size. The G1 ($199.99) offers 7 megapixels, a 3x zoom and 2.5-inch screen as well, but its drawing card is its ease of handling and pocket-friendly dimensions (35/8 inches wide x 2½ inches high).

All GE cameras boast sleek and intuitive design, plus a host of popular, advanced functions as standard features, including face detection, image stabilization, red-eye removal, 1600 ISO sensitivity, and panoramic stitching - all of which are embedded in the camera.

Glenn Miskel, Sears Holdings Merchandise Manager, said the new GE cameras are a perfect fit. "The GE cameras present an impressive array of features and good value for Sears and Kmart customers," he said. "They will also add a welcome dash of color to our camera shelves."

Hiroshi "Hugh" Komiya, Chairman & CEO of General Imaging, said he looked forward to a long relationship with the retail giants. "American shoppers have come to expect great value from Sears and Kmart," he said. "We will deliver just that, with cameras that offer the best value for the money."

Rene Buhay, Vice President of Sales North America for General Imaging, said he was delighted that a deal with Sears Holdings could be struck so soon after the launch of the camera line in early March. "Sears and Kmart reach deep into the heart of America, just as the GE brand does," he said. "They're the perfect retail partners for us as we enter the marketplace."

SLRgear.com Reviews Canon 85mm f1.8 USM Lens

Jim Tanner of SLRgear.com takes a closer look at the Canon 85mm f/1.8 USM lens.

(From Canon lens literature) A highly practical medium telephoto lens with superb delineation and portability. Images are sharp and clear at all apertures. Through computer simulations, the lens has been designed to give beautiful background blur. Since the front lens group does not rotate during focusing special filter effects are not affected.

SLRgear.com Reviews Canon 14mm f2.8L USM Lens

Jim Tanner of SLRgear.com takes a closer look at the Canon 14mm f/2.8L USM lens.

(From Canon lens literature) This ultra-wide-angle lens has the shortest focal length in the L-series. Element 2 is an Aspherical lens to correct distortion. Other aberrations such as astigmatism are also corrected, resulting in ideal image quality. The lens has a fixed, petal-type hood and a gelatin filter holder at the rear.

Lightroom-News.com Formatting Text For Web Article

Sean McCormack of Lightroom News has posted an article regarding formatting in the text template editor for web. The following is an excerpt.

… In the Web Module there is a wonderful HTML template called EXIF Metadata, which displays beautifully crafted EXIF information in Bold under the image. Each new piece of information is situated on a new line and looks well formatted and neat. It includes things that people may not want visible however, e.g. the camera serial number. So wouldn’t it be nice to create our own version of this, but with the information we want in it?...

Read the entire article on Lightroom-News.com

Kodak Develops CMOS Sensor For 5MP Camera And Motorola Phone

Eastman Kodak plans to release its own CMOS sensor in a Kodak camera and several Motorola cell phones by the end of the year. Kodak President Antonio Perez would not release details on the camera phone, he did say that the new Kodak camera would have a Kodak-developed CMOS chip and be a 5-megapixel camera. The Kodak CMOS camera will be released in time for the holiday season and the Motorola-Kodak camera phone with a Kodak CMOS chip will follow close behind.

Kodak has been known to be developing a CMOS sensor with technology from IBM.

"Our CMOS sensors have been well advancing for many years. And now we will have the ability to embed the sensor in the phone with all the richness we have with our imaging software. It will allow us to make the sensor, the most important part of the camera, able to manage the light, color, and the like," said Perez.

Perez also said that Kodak plans to phase out its lower lines of digital cameras.

"We're going to be abandoning the low-end of the digital camera business. As everyone knows, we're not making much money there. Now we have our own CMOS sensors, so you might see us going down in price because we can make money," said Perez.

Light Crafts Releases LightZone 3.0 Upgrade

Light Crafts, creators of LightZone photo-editing software, has announced an upgraded version of its award-winning and patented image analysis and editing software. The latest version includes new photo management tools and enhanced features, such as instant styles, that make it faster and easier for everyone to edit photographs.

LightZone's advanced photo-editing based on the Zone System is made even simpler with new built-in intelligent styles. With LightZone 3.0 photographers can quickly convey what they saw, or what they want to evoke, often with a single click. The new version also dabbles in some asset management features.

Updates include Intelligent Styles, Intelligent Tools, Improved Learn-ability, Improved Interoperability, New Integrated Batch Processing, and New Asset Management Capabilities. LightZone 3 is a paid upgrade for previous owners of LightZone but a free upgrade for May 2007 purchasers of LightZone 2.

Only the full version of LightZone 3 is currently available for upgrade. LightZone 3 will only work with a full version 3 key. You can only use version 3 when you purchased either one of these:

• New version 3 key
• Upgrade from previous Full to version 3 Full
• Upgrade from previous Basic to version 3 Full

The full version is available for $249.95, the basic-to-full upgrade for $79.95 and the full-to-full upgrade for $49.95 from the Light Crafts Online Store.

Sony And Reuters Launch Photo Contest

Reuters and Sony Electronics have launched the "Take Your Best Shot" citizen photojournalism contest. Open to photographers and videographers in the United States, the contest will accept images of newsworthy events that appeal to a wide audience. Entries may be submitted until July 2, 2007, to the Yahoo!/Reuters You Witness News citizen photojournalism site, and will be evaluated by a panel of judges assembled by Reuters.

The Grand Prize winner will receive a Sony HDR-HC5 High Definition Handycam camcorder and a trip to New York to accompany a Reuters photographer for a day. Two semifinalists will each be awarded a Sony Alpha DSLR-A100K digital SLR.

Official contest rules are available on the Reuters Web site.

Lightroom v1.1 First Look At Scott Kelby's Lightroom Live Tour

Adobe Photoshop and Photoshop Lightroom master Scott Kelby is out on the road with his Lightroom Live Tour. One of the highlights of yesterday’s seminar in Boston was that Adobe Lightroom Product Manager Tom Hogarty gave the sold-out crowd of nearly 500 the first public look at the cool new features included in the Lightroom version 1.1 upgrade (which is coming soon).

One big upgrade in Lightroom Version 1.1 is the new Sharpening panel. Additional updates include the ability to now edit, and delete existing Metadata templates; easily separate custom presets and imported presets and templates from the default sets; and the “Keyword Stamper” has evolved into a much more useful tool. According to Tom Hogarty this new update will be free for currect Adobe Photoshop Lightroom owners!

The next stops for the Lightroom Live Tour will be in Atlanta and New York. Read the entire posting on Steve Kelby’s Photoshop Insider.
Image provided by www.scottkelby.com

New Panasonic DMC-FX100 12MP 28mm Wide-Angle Point-And-Shoot

Beautifully designed and packed with high-end features, Panasonic is pleased to announce the new DMC-FX100, an eminently worthy addition to the Lumix line of advanced digital cameras. The world’s first 12.2-Megapixel digital camera with 28mm wide-angle lens – the FX100 offers the outstanding performance of a 28mm wide-angle lens and a 12.2-Megapixel CCD in a sleek body. A superior camera with extraordinary expressive power, the DMC-FX100 is a highly sophisticated proposition.

Wide-angle optics
The FX100 is equipped with a newly developed 28mm wide-angle LEICA DC VARIO ELMARIT lens featuring f/2.8 brightness and a 3.6x optical zoom*3 plus a 12.2-megapixel CCD. Developed specifically for the DMC-FX100, this Leica DC lens gives users the creative power to capture stunningly true-to-life high-resolution images with extraordinary resolution, detail and clarity. The 28mm wide-angle lens opens up a plethora of photographic opportunities, allowing photographers to easily capture a large group of people, or expansive architectural structures and landscapes with dynamic width and rich perspective. The wide-angle lens is particularly helpful in situations where you cannot step back or move away from a subject - ideal for shooting group portraits in a small room for example. To further add to its appeal, Panasonic has managed to pack the advanced 28mm wide-angle lens and large CCD into a sleek, slim body.

The new lens unit comprises seven elements in six groups, including an EA (extra-high refractive index aspherical) lens and four lenses with five aspherical surfaces to generate high optical performance. The zoom ratio can be extended up to 7x in 3-megapixel resolution mode with minimal deterioration thanks to the Extra Optical Zoom. By using the central part of the CCD, this powerful zooming function allows you to easily capture and magnify distant subjects. The FX100 also has an Easy Zoom feature that, at the touch of a button, shifts the lens instantly to full 3.6x zoom power. A second touch of the button activates the Extra Optical Zoom function and extends zoom all the way to 7x.

Highest Resolution in its class
The DMC-FX100 incorporates a new 1/1.72-inch large CCD with 12.2-megapixel rich recording resolution. This super-high resolution is possible because sufficient light-receiving area is allocated to each pixel, thus preventing noise that would otherwise be generated by a smaller pixel area. Images seen with the FX100's Leica DC lens – a lens superior in quality and performance to those found in other compact cameras – are rendered with the incredibly rich detail and gradation that only 12.2-megapixel resolution can achieve. Delicate flower petals, subtle skin textures, the changing hues of sunset – the FX100 captures the nuances of images like these with breathtaking clarity and detail. The 12.2-megapixel resolution also allows images to be printed up to A2 size with spectacular results, so you can make life-size prints of a baby or the upper half of an adult's body. Similarly, the high resolution lets you trim an image – framing only the part you like – and then magnify it and still get outstanding detail and resolution.

Intelligent Image Stabilization
Panasonic is the first manufacturer to have successfully incorporated Optical Image Stabilizer (OIS) into its compact cameras – a feature strongly appreciated worldwide and now considered to be a standard requirement of photography. O.I.S minimizes the jitter from shaky hands that causes many photos to look blurred by shifting the O.I.S lens unit to keep the optical axis aligned straight against the CCD. This ensures images are captured with supreme clarity and sharpness. The new advanced Mega O.I.S system in the DMC-FX100 can even detect and separate hand-shake from other movement of camera to raise both precision of detection and corrective effect.
While hand-shake is the single biggest cause of blurry images, it is not the only one. Another problem is the motion blur that can occur when a subject moves as the shot is being taken in poor light – particularly common when taking pictures of sports or young children for example. This is where Intelligent ISO Control comes in. This system detects whether the subject is moving and, as necessary raises the ISO setting and shutter speed according to how fast the subject is moving and the light conditions. This happens automatically, so you can effortlessly shoot without the need to adjust the settings every time the conditions change. Panasonic’s Intelligent Image Stabilization offers two distinct solutions for both major causes of blurred images – O.I.S when you are moving, and Intelligent ISO Control when the subject is moving. Thanks to Panasonic, you can now take clear and beautiful images in various situations.

The power of the Venus Engine III
The DMC-FX100 features the Venus Engine III, Panasonic’s advanced image-processing engine that supports a super-fast response time. Spontaneous moments can easily be captured thanks to an impressively quick 0.009 second shutter release time lag (the time between pressing the button on the camera and the photo being taken) and shutter interval as short as 0.9 seconds*5 – outstanding for a camera recording at 12.2-megapixel resolution. Additionally, the burst shooting mode boosts the capability of sequential shots to a rate of 2 frames per second at full resolution. In High-Speed Burst shooting mode the FX100 fires off an incredible eight shots per second. If this wasn’t enough, you also get unlimited consecutive shooting - which allows you to take photos in succession up to the capacity of the memory card or built in memory.

Playback at your leisure
With TV screens getting bigger and picture definition increasing, consumers want to be able to shoot higher-quality still images and motion pictures. With the FX100, you can shoot hi-definition 1920 x 1080 pixel photos that are ideal for full-screen viewing on a wide-screen (16:9) TV. Not only can you capture beautiful still images – these new models also record stunning wide aspect VGA (640 x 480) and WVGA (848 x 480) motion images at 30 frames per second. If this wasn’t enough, the FX100 can also record stunning wide-aspect HD (1280 x 720) motion images at 15 frames per second. This enables you to view them on a widescreen HDTV television perfectly. Panasonic also offers the DMW-SDP1 HDTV Photo Player, which makes it easy to view a slideshow of Lumix photos in 1080i high definition quality. Simply connect the SDP1 via a component cable to a HDTV and slip the SDHC/SD memory card into the slot, and you’re ready to view high definition images on a large display with family or friends.

Providing the outstanding performance of a 28mm wide-angle lens and a 12.2-megapixel CCD in a sleek body, the new DMC-FX100 is a superior camera that can be relied upon to capture your most special moments. Elegantly finished in a choice of either sleek silver metallic or cool black metallic, the sleekly styled FX100 will be available from July.

Virtual Copies Tutorial From Lightroom Killer Tips

Get your weekly video dose of the coolest Adobe Photoshop Lightroom tutorials, tips, timesaving shortcuts, photographic inspiration, and undocumented tricks with Matt Kloskowski, one of "The Photoshop Guys" from http://www.photoshopuser.com The latest video covers the Virtual Copies feature within Lightroom that basically lets you create different versions of your photo without one harming or affecting the other. View the video tutorial at Lightroom Killer Tips.

Fujifilm Provides FinePix F31fd $30 Rebate

If you're looking for a great gift for Father's Day or your favorite graduate, take a look at the Fujifilm FinePix F31fd. Beginning Saturday May 19, Fujifilm will have a $30 Mail-In Rebate for the F31fd available to customers at point of purchase. This offer is effective through July 31, 2007. With Fujifilm Face Detection Technology, Picture Stabilization, and i-flash Intelligent Flash Systems, the F31fd is not only an easy to use point and shoot camera, but also provides huge technological advantages for great picture taking opportunities.

Macworld Reviews Epson Stylus Pro 3800 Printer

Rick LePage of Macworld is impressed with the new Stylus Pro 3800 printer from Epson. Here is an excerpt from the Macworld article.

…I have also been testing Epson’s latest high-end photo printer, the Stylus Pro 3800. As is the case with nearly all of Stylus Pro printers that I have used over the past decade, the 3800 turns out impressive prints on many different media types. It has a few quirks that are worth mentioning, but they don’t really overshadow the 3800’s print quality, which remains the hallmark of Epson’s high-end printers…

Read the entire article from Macworld.

Casio Introduces 12MP Flagship EXILIM

TOKYO, May 21, 2007 – Casio Computer Co., Ltd., announced the release of the newest model in the stylish series of EXILIM digital cameras, the EXILIM Zoom EX-Z1200. The new camera is Casio’s flagship EXILIM Zoom, boasting a world-leading 12.1 effective megapixels to deliver both high resolution and premium performance.

It has only been a year since Casio released the revolutionary EXILIM Zoom EX-Z1000, the first digital camera in the world to deliver 10.1 megapixel resolution in a size that fits easily in the palm of the hand. The EX-Z1000 won acclaim for making it simpler than ever to capture images at a remarkably high resolution, and its trend-setting performance put it at the forefront of the market.

Now, going one step beyond the EX-Z1000, the new flagship EX-Z1200 offers 12.1 megapixel resolution — the highest available in any compact digital camera. At this amazing level of detail, photos print crystal-clear even in large sizes or when trimmed to show just one part of the image. It incorporates CCD-shift image stabilization and the latest EXILIM Engine 2.0 image processing module with motion analysis technology. These innovative features work together to help prevent blurry shots due to shaky hands, subject movement or poor focus when photographing moving subjects such as children or pets. In addition, the auto-tracking AF system now combines both face detection and motion analysis technologies. With this revolutionary new system, once the focus is locked in, it follows a moving subject’s face, maintaining both sharp focus and correct exposure.

Main Features
- 12.1 million effective pixels; 3X optical zoom
- CCD-shift image stabilization mechanism
- Incorporates the latest EXILIM Engine 2.0 image processing module featuring motion analysis technology
- Blur-reduction technologies:
- Automatically analyzes the velocity and vector of a moving subject and sets the most appropriate ISO sensitivity and shutter speed.
- Anti Shake DSP reduces blur due to shaky hands and subject movement, using high shutter speeds and high sensitivity settings.
- Movie mode with electronic camera shake compensation function.
- Tonal range control reduces loss of detail in bright and dark areas, and helps to achieve smoother expression of skin tones and clear blue skies.
- Auto-tracking AF system maintains both sharp focus and correct exposure for a human face using both face detection*1 and motion analysis technologies
- Maximum 3 shot/second*2 shutter speed (when set at 3.0 megapixel image size)
- 2.8-inch Wide and Bright LCD display (maximum brightness of 1400cd/m2 at center of screen) makes viewing in bright outdoor light easier than ever before.

BenQ To Sell Digital Camera Division

BenQ has agreed to sell its digital camera division as part of a broad restructuring aimed at returning to financial health after a disastrous attempt to compete in the global handset business.

Read entire article at the Infoworld website.

Photographer Bill Frakes Praises Apple's Aperture

They call the Kentucky Derby the most exciting two minutes in sports. For photographer Bill Frakes the old cliché still rings true, even after shooting the event for more than 20 years. To him, it’s the most exhilarating event of the year. It’s also his most complex — and important — assignment. That’s why Frakes counts Apple's Aperture software among his most prized equipment. “Aperture is quite simply, in my opinion, the most powerful archival tool that a photographer can use.”

Read the entire online article at the Apple website.

Canon Still On Top In Digital Camera Market

According to the Cnet item, based on a report from market research firm IDC, Canon Inc. retained the top spot with a 21% market share - up from the 19.3% it recorded a year ago. Second place was retained by Japan's Sony Corp., although the company's market share fell slightly from 17.1% to 16%.

Third-placed Eastman Kodak Co., which took 14.5% of the US digicam market last year, continued to see an overall decline in share to 13%. The news wasn't all negative for Kodak however, as it recorded its first increase in shipments in five quarters, the 5% gain being attributed to the $2-300 compact camera segment by IDC.

Aside from Canon's consolidation of its number one spot, Samsung was the other big winner in the Q1 2007 figures. Having recorded a market share of just 4% in Q1 2006 (and a 7.8% share for the year overall) the South Korean company took an impressive 11% of all Q1 2007 digicam sales in the US market. This feat saw the company record fourth place in the overall rankings for Q1, a step up from the fifth place it recorded for the whole of 2006.

CNet's item doesn't mention the fifth and sixth place finishers, but notes that Nikon's market share fell from 13% in Q1 2006 to just 7% in Q1 2007. This left the Japanese company in seventh place for the first quarter, a step further down from the sixth place it recorded in overall 2006 market share. On the bright side for Nikon, IDC analyst Christopher Chute was quoted by CNet as stating that the company "did well with DSLRs" - and with these being a higher-margin segment, it may perhaps be content to yield some of the lower-margin compact camera ground to rivals...

Panasonic Announces Digital Photography Workshops

Panasonic LUMIX announces the dates and locations of its first Digital Photo Academy workshops in 20 cities across the United States. Digital Photo Academy is a series of classes for all digital camera owners who want to maximize their cameras' features and create more rewarding and enjoyable photo experiences. The Academy courses are taught by local professional photographers, giving students ongoing access to photo experts and tips in their own community. Furthermore, after courses have finished, participants can enter photo contests and assignments with other Academy students from across the country.

The Digital Photo Academy is designed for a digital camera owner, at any level, with classes offered to accommodate the beginner, intermediate, and advanced photographer. Students are welcome to bring whatever brand of camera they currently own and courses will be available in the following markets: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, Orlando, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Tampa and Washington, D.C.

In each market, courses will be taught in professional studios, museums and other inspirational locations. To view the locations and schedule of all 20 cities visit www.DigitalPhotoAcademy.com. Some locations and dates include*:

Atlanta
The Bonaventure
650 Bonaventure Avenue
Atlanta, GA 30306
Dates:
Beginner: 6/21/07, 6-9pm
Intermediate: 6/23/07, 2-6pm
Advanced: 6/10/07, 10am-7pm

Boston
Griffin Museum of Photography
67 Shore Road
Winchester, MA 01890
Dates:
Beginner: 6/9/07, 9am-12pm
Intermediate: 6/9/07, 2-6pm
Advanced: 6/10/07, 10am-7pm

Detroit
The Park Shelton
15 East Kirby
Detroit, MI 48202
Dates:
Beginner: 6/13/07, 6-9pm
Intermediate: 6/14/07, 6-10pm
Advanced: 6/30/07, 10am-7pm

Initially, each level of Digital Photo Academy courses will be offered once a month in each city. Class descriptions include:

Beginner, Three-Hour Course, $50: Targeted for the family record keeper, passionate scrapbooker, casual point-and-shoot user, or for the person looking to choose the right camera, the beginner class, "Discovering Digital," is perfect for all these types of users. Instructors will address how to reduce red-eye, better use a flash, include special effects and create better composition. Beyond photographic techniques, the course will also teach valuable "post-capture" skills, such as how to use Adobe® Photoshop® Elements to create a greeting card or calendar, and send prints to friends and family via email.

Intermediate, Four-Hour Course, $65: The "Digital Endeavors" intermediate-level course is perfect for users who are quite familiar with the settings on their point-and-shoot and are looking to take digital photography to the next level. Either a recent purchaser of a digital SLR, or someone considering buying one, would benefit from this course. The class will compare point-and-shoot cameras to SLRs, discuss the differences between the two categories, helping to ensure a smooth transition. For those who have some experience in post-capture and Photoshop, this class will offer more advanced techniques, such as burning and dodging and an introduction to color management. It will also discuss printed layouts, and how to make newsletters and brochures.

Advanced, Two-day Course, $150: At the advanced level, the "Digital Vision" course is be divided into two parts: in-field shooting and learning post-capture computer application skills. The four-hour in-field shooting session is held in local parks, vibrant streets, during seasonal events like fairs and marathons to capture newsworthy current affairs. The second component, involves six hours of classroom time learning techniques from Adobe® Photoshop® Creative Suite 2, such as converting and processing RAW files, using layers and masks, working with black and white files, and more.

To sign-up for Digital Photo Academy, please visit www.DigitalPhotoAcademy.com or call 1.877.DP.ACAD.4. Instructor biographies, additional schedules and workshop locations are also available on the website.

To create the nationwide Digital Photo Academy, Panasonic joins forces with R2Rainmaker Marketing, whose president, Richard Rabinowitz is a photo expert with more than 25 years in the photography industry. As former publisher of publications like American Photo and Popular Photography, Rabinowitz has helped assemble top-rated professionals and even award-winning photographers as instructors in each city.

* Workshop schedule and locations subject to change, so please check www.DigitalPhotoAcademy.com for the latest information.

Eugene Richards Awarded National Geographic Grant

Documentary photographer Eugene Richards has been awarded the inaugural National Geographic Grant for Photography. Apparently the $50,000 grant will be used for a project called "War is Personal", that will cover the current war in Iraq. The photo project will focus on the war's effects on soldiers and their loved ones when they return from their tour of duty.

Richards won the grant over a group of 144 other applicants. More details can be found on the NPPA website. Any professional photographer is eligible to apply for the annual grant. Information and submission guidelines are can be found from the National Geographic website.

Canon's Spring Lens Rebate Program Begins Today

Canon announces its Spring Instant Rebate program for lenses.

Save up to $100 on select Canon EF Lenses with an Instant Savings Rebate. Purchases eligible for this rebate must be made between May 17, 2007 and July 16, 2007. The official Canon announcement can be found at Canon's Website.

LENS / REBATE
• EF 70-200/2.8 L IS USM - $100
• EF 100-400/4-5.6L IS USM - $100
• EF 85/1.2L II USM - $100
• EF 70-200/4L IS USM - $75
• EF 70-300 DO IS USM - $75
• EF 24-70/2.8L IS USM - $75
• EF 400/5.6L USM - $75
• EF 180/3.5L Macro USM - $75
• EF 70-200/4L USM - $50
• EF-S 17-55/2.8L IS USM - $50
• EF 17-40L USM - $50
• EF 28/1.8 USM - $25
• EF 50/1.4 ISM - $25
• EF-S 60/2.8 Macro USM - $25

Canon Sponsors New Photo TV Mini-Series

Canon has sponsored a new 13-part television miniseries hosted by photographer Art Wolfe. The series will air on PBS stations beginning in May 2007, and be supplemented by a companion Web site. "Travels to the Edge with Art Wolfe" will follow Wolfe as he journeys to remote locations around the world.

After each episode airs, Canon will update the online Canon Digital Learning Center with photos, high-definition video samples, and photo tips from Wolfe and Canon.

The first episode will take place in "Bolivia: The Altiplano." Locations for future episodes include:

• Alaska: Glacier Bay
• Patagonia: Torres del Paine
• Alaska: Katmai Coast
• Africa: Madagascar
• Alaska: Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
• Peru: Manu
• Kenya: Masai Mara and El Karama
• Patagonia: Mt. Fitz Roy
• The Southwest: Zion and Canyon de Chelly
• India: Allahabad and Varanasi
• The Southern Ocean: South Georgia Island
• Ethiopia: The Omo ValleyBol

Further information and local programming schedules are available at the Canon Digital Learning Center.

New Plug-In Suite 3 From DxO FilmPack and onOne Software

Official press release:
DxO FilmPack, a software application that automatically gives digital images the style of the most celebrated conventional films - the colors and the grain of over 20 film types, and onOne Software's new Plug-In Suite 3 for Photoshop® that combines full versions of four essential software tools - Genuine Fractals 5, PhotoFrame Pro 3.1, Mask Pro 4.1 and Intellihance Pro 4.2, are now available together for a limited time at a significant savings exclusively from the online store of onOne Software (www.ononesoftware.com).

"Bundling DxO FilmPack with onOne Software's Plug-In Suite 3 provides photographers with a wonderful combination of both aesthetic and technical tools for their demanding digital imaging needs," says Luc Marin, vice president of the Photography Business at DxO Labs.

"We are pleased to have the opportunity to join with DxO Labs once again to offer photographers the high-quality software tools they need to improve their workflow quickly and easily at such a significant savings," said Craig Keudell, president of onOne Software.

Compatible with Windows and Macintosh, DxO FilmPack v1.1 enables digital photographers to add the effect - in terms of color and grain - of more than 20 slide, black-and-white and color negative films. DxO FilmPack even permits users to combine the color rendition and grain profiles of different films. This latest version also adds a range of "toning" renditions bringing DxO FilmPack ever closer to a traditional darkroom experience.

DxO FilmPack effects can be applied to any digital image in JPEG or TIFF8 or TIFF16 format, regardless of its source (digital camera, bridge camera, D-SLR, digital scan, etc). When used within DxO Optics Pro, the DxO FilmPack effects can even be applied to RAW images, providing even greater color accuracy.

Version 1.1 of DxO FilmPack is available as an Adobe Photoshop plug-in for Photoshop CS2, CS3 and Photoshop Elements 4 & 5, a stand-alone application and an add-on to DxO Optics Pro 4.2 or greater.

onOne Software's Plug-In Suite 3 includes full versions of the following products:

- Genuine Fractals 5 can resize your images over 1,000% (10x) with no loss of detail or sharpness.
- Mask Pro 4.1 can easily create high-quality masks and selections from tough subjects like hair and glass.
- PhotoFrame Pro 3.1 to create stunning border and edge effects right out of the darkroom.
- Intellihance Pro 4.2 makes optimizing your images a snap by combining eight image adjustments in one place.

The onOne Software Plug-In Suite 3 is Photoshop CS2 and CS3 compatible and features Universal Binary support to offer fast native support for Photoshop CS3 and Intel-based Macintosh computers. Plug-In Suite 3 installs all four software tools on either a PC or Mac with one serial number and includes new startup tutorials for each, making installing and using each plug-in tool easy. In addition, new integrated "Show Me How" video tutorials and automatic update checking round out the new features so users have everything they need to be productive in Photoshop and Photoshop Elements.

Special offer pricing for limited time only. Purchased separately, the onOne Software Plug-In Suite 3 retail price is $399.95 and the DxO FilmPack has a retail price of $99.95 (Total value = $499.90), but purchased together in the exclusive bundle, users can get both for only $429.95.

Phase One Weighs In On All-In-One Solution

Press release from Phase One:

In photography, when it comes to RAW processing and digital asset management, can one software application do it all? How much overhead is acceptable? Pros are finding that choosing best of breed applications over those that tout a "we-do-it-all" message can ultimately be most effective. Not to mention rewarding.

"It all comes down to a matter of choice," said Drew Gardner, British fashion photographer who was recently nominated for the AOP awards, and whose work for the BBC primetime series Roman's Empire has drawn critical attention.We're all looking for speed and quality. So of course you're always hearing that applications have 'breakthrough speed and quality.' But how do you analyze statements like that? It's easy to get caught up in the excitement of new tools and attractive promises, but every choice is going to lead you down a different path, and it's going to take a certain amount of investment of your time, materials, and money.

"Another cliche you hear from marketing is that professional photographers would rather be working behind their cameras than on their computers," Gardner said. "No duh. But again, you can't just take these statements at face value.

"Top pro photographers are choosing to customize their workflow in a manner that best suits their work style and requirements. Just as there are no two photographers who shoot alike, so there appears to be no 'one-size-fits-all' software solution. Photographers instead prefer to choose what works for them.

"In my experience, the all-in-one solution does not provide the in-depth toolset and breadth of features that a professional needs and that I've found by using the best available tools for a given job," Gardner said. "It's no different from choosing cameras or lenses; I'm not going to compromise on quality."Gardner's choice for his digital workflow includes RAW capture and processing tool Capture One PRO, from Phase One, and MediaPro, the digital asset management software created by iView Multimedia.

"I load my RAW files directly into Capture One PRO and use the color management system which is second to none. It's not just the exceptional image quality/resolution, but unmatched accuracy of colors and the control you have over colors that I love about this app. Then for quickly viewing, selecting and managing volumes of photos on site, on a plane or in the studio, MediaPro is the fastest application I've ever used. It just does not require the overhead of other apps and for me this is critical."

"In fact, both apps have very small footprints and take up a minimum of disk space so that they blaze through the work," Gardner said, "Now that iView MediaPro is part of Microsoft, it's changing its name to Expression Media. And if you download Microsoft Expression Media today (www.microsoft.com/expression), what's clear is that it's still the same application. Still sleek, fast and smart, no additional overhead that can slow down other apps.

iView MediaPro and Capture One PRO are available now for purchase together for $499 - this is $199 off the total price if each application were purchased separately. In addition, those who purchase today will be eligible for free upgrades to Capture One PRO version 4 and Microsoft Expression Media when those applications are available.The software is available for purchase as a download from each of the companies' respective sites: http://www.phaseone.com/iview and www.iview-multimedia.com/phaseone. An accompanying guide detailing how the two programs can be used together and a video podcast are also available for download.

Microsoft Releases A Free Upgrade To iView MediaPro

Microsoft has released the first version of Expression Media, its cross-platform replacement for iView MediaPro, the digital asset management tool which is acquired in June of last year, according to the an entry on the Expression Team blog.

"That's right," the entry said, "we're very pleased to announce that version 1 of our team's suite of end-to-end tools for creative designers is done! The process is now underway to manufacture and distribute the product. For more details on the suite and how you will be able to purchase it, see the Expression Web Site.

"The Expression Studio suite consists of four products -- Expression Web, Expression Blend, Expression Design and Expression Media.

"Microsoft has promised to maintain Media "as both a Mac and Windows application with great feature parity and occasional differences in UI and features that require platform specific capabilities." The Windows version, for example, includes Expression Media Encoder, a standalone video encoding tool that makes calls to Windows functions and is thus not available in the Mac version.

The 19-MB Windows Vista/XP download requires Apple Quicktim 7.1.5. The Mac OS X download is 12.2-MB. Both downloads offer a 60-day free trial but require signing in to Windows Live ID, whose servers reported, "Windows Live ID is experiencing technical difficulties" throughout the day. Both versions as well as system requirements are available on the Media download page.

iView MediaPro owners do, according to the Media page FAQ, qualify for a free upgrade through Aug. 1, after which a $99 upgrade price applies.

onOne Software Releases Plug-In Suite 3 For Adobe Photoshop

Official company press release:

Portland, OR - May 14, 2007 - onOne Software, Inc., announces today the immediate availability of its Plug-in Suite 3 software for Adobe Photoshop. onOne Software's Plug-In Suite 3 combines full versions of four essential software tools - Genuine Fractals 5, PhotoFrame Pro 3.1, Mask Pro 4.1 and Intellihance Pro 4.2 - an affordable combination that includes everything a photographer needs to make their images the best they can be.

The onOne Software Plug-In Suite 3 is Photoshop CS2 and CS3 compatible and features Universal Binary support to offer fast native support for Photoshop CS3 and Intel-based Macintosh computers. Plug-In Suite 3 installs all four software tools on either a PC or Mac with one serial number and includes new startup tutorials for each, making installing and using each plug-in tool easy. In addition, new integrated "Show Me How" video tutorials and automatic update checking round out the new features so users have everything they need to be productive in Photoshop and Photoshop Elements.

"Improved workflow and better image quality are essential elements for today's digital photographers," said Craig Keudell, president of onOne Software. "Our customers appreciate the integrated approach that onOne Software's popular plug-in suite offers, thus satisfying the needs of even the most demanding jobs."

Plug-In Suite 3 includes full versions of the following products:
- Genuine Fractals can resize your images over 1,000% with no loss of detail or sharpness.
- Mask Pro can easily create high-quality masks and selections from tough subjects like hair and glass.
- PhotoFrame Pro to create stunning border and edge effects right out of the darkroom.
- Intellihance Pro makes optimizing your images a snap by combining eight image adjustments in one place.

The new Plug-In Suite 3 is available to new users for $399.95 or to existing users of a previous version of Genuine Fractals for $299.95. As an added bonus, all Plug-In Suite 3 customers will receive all upgrades to the individual products at no charge, until the release date of Plug-In Suite 4. For more information on the Plug-In Suite 3, please visit http://www.ononesoftware.com/ .

Target Announces New Deal With Online Kodak Photo Services

Target Corp. announced today that it would partner with Kodak to offer a new digital photo service in lieu of it's current Yahoo Photo service.

According to information provided in a press release, Minneapolis-based retailer Target said it would partner with Rochester, NY-based Eastman Kodak Co. to launch the Kodak Gallery for Target on May 30. Target’s current online photo provider is Yahoo Photo, which is having its own internal issues as it will be discontinued in favor of Flickr.

A new web site allows customers to order prints online and either pick-up at a Target store, or have them delivered. The new service also allows users to purchase personalized photo products such as greeting cards and other photo keepsakes.

Steve Eastman, vice president and general manager of Target, said in a statement, "We are thrilled to extend our strategic relationship with Kodak to include Kodak Gallery, one of the leading online photo services in the industry."
It's the second online-photo deal Target's made this month: Earlier it announced a partnership with Redwood City, Calif.-based Shutterfly.

Panasonic Announces New Robust Image Sensor

Below is the official company press release regaring Panasonic’s MOS type image sensor that is resistant to direct sunlight.

Osaka, Japan - Panasonic, the leading brand by which Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. is known, today announced the development of a robust and lightfast image sensor for the next generation. Panasonic's technological breakthrough allows a robust MOS image sensor for use under harsh sunlight for more than 20 years. Unlike traditional image sensors with polymer onchip microlenses and dyed color filters, the revolutionary MOS image sensor has digital-microlenses and photonic color filters, both made of inorganic materials that are inherently fade-resistant and quite robust.

"We can make a significant contribution to our customers by creating new applications with this new sensor. We can also propose various market solutions like automobile and outdoor usages by making the most of its outstanding robustness," said Taku Gobara, Director of Corporate Application Specific Standard Products Division, Semiconductor Company, Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.

Conventional MOS image sensors require polymer onchip microlenses and dyed RGB color filters, which are fragile and extremely susceptible to sunlight exposure and a change in temperature. As a result, color images captured by a camera used under direct sunlight, including the ultra-violet (UV) portion, and higher temperature conditions will fade faster.

The cutting-edge semiconductor process technology can realize the pattering of an array of digital-microlenses made of an inorganic material in subwavelength dimensions. A digital-microlens can be formed by patterning digitally the inorganic material in concentric rings, which works out as a conventional onchip microlens to gather more light onto the photo diode area. The light path of each digital-microlens can therefore readily be designed according to its relative position on the image area. As a result, a uniform sensitivity can be achieved across the image area in any camera module in use.

Furthermore, photonic color filters made of inorganic materials have been implemented for the first time by the photonic crystal technology, which allows the photonic color filters to select any colors form UV to infrared spectral regions. The photonic color filters can also provide a variety of camera modules with lightfastness that is essential for an increasing number of tough end uses such as security cameras and automotive cameras.

Don't Let A Rainy Day Ruin A Planned Photo Shoot

I live in Arizona so rain is a front-page story when it occurs, and that is rarely. However for many other parts of the US or internationally rain can be a deterrent to one’s photo shooting plans. Peter Kolonia of popphoto.com has posted a recent online article regarding how to save a rainy day photo shoot. Here is a brief excerpt.

…Ricocheting rain drops, roiling clouds, stabs of lightning, and billowing wisps of mist are the ingredients of highly evocative photography, and can give your images a "you-are-there" atmospheric punch. Gray, rainy day pictures often have their own sweet romance. And photos of neon-lit street scenes after dark are as boldly chromatic as any colors captured on a bright summer's day…

Read the entire online article on popphoto.com.
Image provided by Angela Georges and popphoto.com

EfotoLoader From Efotolab Provides Fast Photo Uploading

Efotolab has released EfotoLoader, photo uploading software designed for event photographers who have an Efotolab account and want to let customers order prints of their images on-site or immediately after an event. Efotolab is an independent photo lab, and its Web service provides online photo display, management, and print sales tools for professional photographers.

The new EfotoLoader software automatically resizes, watermarks, and uploads JPEGs to an online album where customers can view the photos and order prints. Efotoloader uploads images at display sizes only, in order to expedite the process. Photographers send full-size image files to the service on disc for printing purposes.

EfotoLoader is available as a free download from Efotolab.

New Filter Forge Photoshop Plug-ins Available

Filter Forge has announced three new editions of its filter plug-in software for Adobe Photoshop.

The new $99 Basic edition provides unlimited access to the Filter Library, an online repository that currently contains more than 2000 user-created filters. According to Filter Forge, it offers the lowest per-filter price on the market, at less than 5 cents.

The $199 Standard edition provides tools that let photographers and graphic artists create their own filters, including effects, textures, distortions, patterns, backgrounds, and frames.

Filter Forge’s $299 Professional edition is designed to meet the needs of 3D-content and game creators, as well as providing features useful in architectural visualization. Its advanced feature set includes support for bitmaps as large as 65000x65000 pixels, 16- and 32-bit images, and high-precision file formats such as OpenEXR and PFM.

All three new editions are available on Filter Forge’s Web site. Trial versions are available, and users who contribute high-quality filters to Filter Forge’s Filter Library can earn a free copy of the Professional edition.

Hitachi Announces 200GB 7200RPM Notebook Hard Drive

Not necessarily a photography topic but if you utilize a laptop as much as I do, storage is always a concern. Aside from my digital camera, my laptop is the next most important tool within my digital workflow, and I never want to worry about limited hard drive space for images.

Luckily, Hitachi Global Storage Technologies has now introduced what it claims is the industry's largest, highest-performing notebook hard drive in the form of its 200 GB, 7,200 RPM TravelStar 7K200 2.5-inch hard drive for notebook computers. Offering twice the capacity and a 22 percent performance improvement over its predecessor, the 7K200 is available immediately as an option in selected Dell and Alienware—meaning customers looking at notebooks which support dual hard drive configurations can now opt for up to 400 GB of onboard storage.

Hitachi is also offering the E7K200 model, which offers Hitachi's hard disk-level Bulk Data Encryption technology, a key-based system which Hitachi claims offers better security and performance than software-based encryption. Ironically, the Bulk Data Encryption technology may make the drives easier to throw away, since they won't have to be erased first: just delete the encryption key, and the drive becomes inaccessible to anyone.

"The 7200 RPM Travelstar is the rock star of our mobile hard drive family both for its technical merits and its desirability," said Hitachi Global Storage Technologies' Shinjiro Iwata in a statement. "The enthusiastic response to date confirms that consumers are ever more sophisticated in their notebook requirements and that the Travelstar has become a status symbol among notebook aficionados."
The SATA drives can tolerate 350 Gs of operating shock (1000 Gs of non-operating shock), offer a 4.2 ms average latency, 10ms/11ms read and write times, and the non-encrypted versions sport a 1 Watt active idle mode. The 7K200 should be available directly to consumers in coming months at a suggested price of $249.