Carl Zeiss "Best of 2007" Photo Contest

Now that 2007 is history, a current Carl Zeiss AG contest is seeking your best photos from 2007 using a Zeiss lens.

There are two categories for the contest, which is open only to photographs captured using a Carl Zeiss lens. The first category is specific to photos taken with Logitech webcams, Nokia cell phones, and Sony compact or bridge cameras. The second category is expanded to submissions from SLR, rangefinder or medium format camera users. In both cases, submissions will apparently be judged on creativity and composition.

All submissions must be completed by 7th January 2008, and only one photo submission per photographer is accepted. There are ten prizes in each category, with only the grand prize differing between the two. The winner of the first category will receive a Nokia N95 8GB camera phone, while the winner in the second category will receive any ZM, ZF, ZK or ZS mount Carl Zeiss lens of their choice (excluding the Distagon T* 2.8/15 ZM and Sonnar T* 2/85 ZM). In either category, second place will merit a set of Carl Zeiss Conquest 8x20 binoculars, and third place will receive a Logitech Quickcam Orbit MP webcam. Fourth through tenth places in each category will receive a Carl Zeiss lens cleaning kit and 30 pre-moistened optical cleaning cloths.

For more details, visit the Carl Zeiss website and click on the Conditions or Participation Form links.

Olympus Releases RAW Codec For Windows Vista

OLYMPUS RAW codec is the program to import and display the RAW data file (file extension is .orf) into Windows Vista. This can be used if your computer's OS is Windows Vista. Please check in the operation manual for your digital camera if this RAW data file works on your digital camera. If you cannot select RAW data file on the camera MENU, you cannot capture RAW data images.

Target Models
- E-1, E-3*, E-300, E-330, E-400, E-410, E-500 , E-510 , E-10, E-20, C-70 ZOOM, C-5050ZOOM, C-5060 Wide Zoom, C-7070 Wide Zoom, C-8080 Wide Zoom, SP-310, SP-320, SP-350, SP-500UZ, SP-510UZ, SP-550UZ, SP-560UZ

*A part of the parameter does not apply to RAW developing of images.

Download codec directly from the Olympus website.

Training DVD Offers View Of Photography Through The Eyes Of A Pro

Few aspiring photographers get to sit in on a commercial shoot, but thanks to a new DVD series from Blue Crane Digital, anyone can watch a professional in action. “Through the Eyes of a Pro: Advanced Techniques for DSLR Cameras” offers an opportunity to peer over the shoulder of famed commercial photographer, Tim Mantoani, as he works with light and lenses.

Although the two-volume set focuses on developing the photographer rather than teaching camera-specific skills, Blue Crane Digital produced separate titles for Nikon and Canon users.

Through the Eyes of a Pro: Advanced Techniques for Canon DSLR Cameras Volumes 1 & 2

Through the Eyes of a Pro: Advanced Techniques for Nikon DSLR Cameras Volumes 1 & 2

The separate titles offer some of Mantoani’s insights into using Canon and Nikon gear, and highlight how he uses these products for professional and personal shoots.

Mantoani is not only a great photographer, but also a talented teacher. With nearly 20 years of experience creating cover shots, portraits, and sports images, Mantoani understands how to get amazing results on a consistent basis. “Through the Eyes of a Pro” is designed not only to educate, but to inspire viewers to try new techniques and shoot more photographs. Mantoani reveals his approach to creating a great image, and offers photo assignments designed to help viewers develop their photographic style. Blue Crane Digital has been filming sequences and editing footage for the DVDs for the past several months.

In Volume 1, Mantoani explains the building blocks for making great photographs. These fundamentals are repeated throughout the DVD set to demonstrate how specific elements contribute to making an image. Viewers will follow Mantoani through an outdoor portrait session, and to a sports shoot. They will also learn how to select equipment, and more importantly, where to spend and where to save. Volume 2 follows Mantoani through a professional stock photography shoot. With video cameras recording over his shoulder, Mantoani explains how he brings the light, setting, and story together to create a salable image. Viewers will also learn what it takes to make that leap from amateur to professional photographer, and, once there, how to make their business grow. Through the Eyes of a Pro”, Volumes 1 & 2, will be available for $24.99, at photo specialty and on-line retailers nationwide.

Through the Eyes of a Pro”, Volumes 1 & 2 and all Blue Crane Digital DVDs are distributed by OmegaSatter, based outside of Baltimore, MD.

Visit www.omegasatter.com
Provided by Shutterbug.com

Kelby Training Provides New Online Training Service

Kelbytraining.com has recently launched a new training model, the new Kelby Training subscription service. Previously, you took classes on an 'a la carte' basis - paying for the individual classes that you wanted. Now they’ve wrapped all of those classes up into one product and made it available as either a monthly or yearly service!

Classes include Adobe Photoshop, Photoshop Lightroom, Dreamweaver, Camera RAW, etc. For $19.99 a month ($17.99 if you are a NAPP member) or $199 a year ($179 for NAPP), you can take classes with the best instructors in the industry - all under one roof. These include the following:

· Katrin Eismann
· Bert Monroy
· Dan Margulis
· Dave Cross
· Ben Willmore
· Matt Kloskowski
· Eddie Tapp
· John Paul Caponigro
· Terry White
· Moose Peterson
· Joe McNally
· Rich Harrington
· David Ziser
· Fay Sirkis
· Corey Barker
· Vincent Versace

Click here to go to the site now.

FujiFilm Announces Wide Format InkJet Printing Now Available At Sam’s Club Locations

Sam’s Club Members Can Now Print Poster-Sized Images On-Demand, in Minutes, Hours or Days

“We are always looking for ways to improve services and bring new revenue opportunities to our customers, and we’re especially excited to be working with Sam’s Club on rolling this out to their stores across the country,” said Thomas Curley, director of marketing for lab solutions, Imaging Division, FUJIFILM U.S.A. “The posters can be produced in a variety of sizes on the same day, at reasonable cost, and represent additional revenue for the photofinishing side of their business.”

Poster printing and signage services are now available at more than 580 Sam’s Club locations throughout the United States. The solution combines an EPSON/FUJIFILM Stylus Pro 7800 wide format inkjet printer, provided by Fujifilm Hunt Chemicals for Fujifilm Frontier Systems, with the Frontier Photo Controller (PIC) Version 3, and Fujifilm’s Image IntelligenceTM for enhanced color management.

Sam’s Club members can bring their images to any location, and print out images or signs in sizes ranging from 11”x14” to 20”x30”. In addition, this is one of the only on-demand solutions that will produce mounted poster prints, up to 20”x24”, in a matter of minutes. Fujifilm RC Semi-Gloss Boards fuse photo quality inkjet paper to museum class mount boards. The combination is fed directly into the printer, making it easy to go from printer to presentation.

With this offering, Sam’s Club members can create posters for student or office presentations, create signage for community group meetings and small businesses, as well as make creative decorations for parties and milestone celebrations.

“This is an exciting new addition to our capabilities at Sam’s Club Photo Centers and positions us to better help our members with both their business and personal graphic needs,” said Michael Chaney, merchandise director, Sam’s Club. “We believe our members will find this printing solution convenient and superior in quality to similar production techniques.”

New Firmware Update For Sony A-700 DSLR

Sony has released firmware version 3 for the DSLR-A700 digital SLR. Available now from the Sony support website. Addressed in the update:

- Resolves an issue where the Access Lamp remains lit and the camera stops responding when several pictures are taken in rapid succession.
- Resolves an issue where powering the camera off while in "MR" mode may cause some registered settings to carry over to other shooting modes.
- Sharper images for pictures taken under low contrast conditions.
- Reduced noise for pictures taken at ISO 3200.
- Improved flash control for objects closer than 1 meter with non ADI controlled lenses.

Visit the Sony A700 firmware download page to download update and read instructions.

Andy Summers Of The Police Releases Photo Book

After the sound checks, in between the room service and before the groupies attacked, Andy Summers, the guitarist of the Police, used to sneak off into deserted America with a black Leica tucked under his arm. He'd spend hours alone wandering through Seattle, Albuquerque, Fresno — hiding in the shadows of the scenery and snapping pictures to illustrate life during the frenzied early '80s, which marked the height of success for the rock supergroup.

"When you're traveling around in a large entourage and being in a group where you're supposed to share ideas, photography was a way for me to have autonomy over my own universe," Summers said, speaking by phone from his Los Angeles home, where he was packing as the band — Summers, Sting and drummer Stewart Copeland — prepared to hit the road again for its reunion tour.

"I'll Be Watching You: Inside the Police 1980-83," is the recently released work in which Summers compiled hundreds of his pictures with dated journal entries.

Read the entire article about the book from The Honolulu Advertiser.

Panasonic Releases DMC-L10 Firmware v1.1

Panasonic has released firmware v1.1 for its recent DMC-L10 digital SLR.

Update includes:
- Improved the performance of AF(Auto Focus) with Panasonic lenses. (Model Number L-ES014050,L-RS014150).
- Improved the performance of AE (An accuracy improvement of Auto Exposure at night scene).
- Improved the performance of AWB(Auto White Balance).
- Shortened the minimum shooting intervals on the single shooting mode.
- Enabled the Front/Rear dial operations in the fine white balance adjustment and the change of magnifying position on the MF Assist in Live View mode.

Download the v1.1 Firmware update for the DMC-L10.