Ricoh launches website for the CX1

I like the CX1, not only is it well made and responsive, the picture quality is up there with the best of them. So it comes as little surprise to see Ricoh have announced the launch of the CX1 website. Go take a look here.

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Amazon.com are not displaying the CX1 at this time.

Hahnemühle announce sponsorship of Redman-Holmes Exhibition.

Hahnemühle UK are sponsoring the forthcoming Redman-Holmes Exhibition in Mayfair, read the press release (in full):

Redman-Holmes Exhibition.

A fascinating exhibition is about to open in a top gallery in London’s fashionable Pall Mall, which will feature the collaborative work of photographer Paul Redman and artist David Holmes.

When they devised the concept several years ago, Paul and David had already decided that one of the main aims was to intrigue and, hopefully, to enchant the beholder with immaculately executed, but often enigmatic, images of the world around us.

This combination of talents allows a broad spectrum of work to be tackled, almost without limit other than to the extent of the imagination. That which you would think you could paint but can’t, and that which you would think you could photograph but can’t, has now been combined into an effect only achievable by combining the two skills.

Subjects range from flowers and insects through affectionate twists to familiar landscapes, together with occasional amiable inclusions of the kind of additions which might have been made by other favourite painters such as Cecil Collings and Alfred Wallis, this purely as an act of respect and homage to their talents

Redman and Holmes have coined the neologism ‘Photo-Peinture’ to describe this technique.

The work is based around very carefully discussed, selected and photographed subjects. These are inkjet printed using an Epson Photo R1900 printer onto Hanemuehle FineArt paper. The extra dimension being added through the use of acrylic, oil and water- colour paints applied directly to the surface of the print.

The result is then re-scanned to a large file size by master digital printer Ted Chau and printed onto Hahnemuehle museum quality paper or canvas.

All of this instantly moves the original idea on to a new level in terms of technique and clarity.

The exhibition opens on 7th May 2009 and closes on 17th May and is at La Galleria, 30 Royal Opera Arcade, Pall Mall, London SW1Y 4UY.

The weekend of 15-17 May coincides with the experimental all night opening of most of the State galleries for that weekend only, entitled ‘Museums du Nuit’


PAUL REDMAN

The middle one of five sons, Paul Redman was born in Lancashire, England.

After leaving Grammar School Paul decided to pursue a career as a photographer having recently won a category in ‘The Weekend Telegraph’ photographic competition. Formal training in photography in those days was limited to studying for a City and Guilds certificate, the syllabus at that time being so out of date as to be completely irrelevant to the newly emergent demands of the publishing and advertising industries.

Paul then assisted the very best photographers he could find in London to learn his craft, which is still the best way of doing it.

Early editorial commissions were quickly followed by a long career in advertising during which he has been commissioned by Waitrose, The French and English Tourist Boards, Amex, Intercontinental Hotels, Ideal Standard, Sony, Getty Images, Nissan, Bae Systems, Dulux and Graham’s Port.

He has won numerous national and international awards and has most recently photographed a Pan-European retail advertising campaign for Sony.


DAVID HOLMES

After leaving art college, David Holmes straightaway joined the advertising agency Colman Prentis and Varley.
Eventually becoming founder and creative director of another advertising agency, Holmes Knight Richie.

David has always worked as a painter, illustrator, designer and art director and has won numerous poster and design awards in the UK and worldwide. He currently works out of his studio, reached through a Japanese walled garden in Primrose Hill.

David’s paintings and illustrations are in collections in the UK and abroad. His work is in the V&A’s collection of contemporary illustrations and he has been commissioned by Penguin Books, Marks & Spencer,

Singapore Airlines, The Royal Mail, Duchy Originals, Graham’s Port and the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

He has just designed a new postage stamp for the Royal Mail.

Latest exhibitions:
Home House Gallery, London……2002
The Mall Gallery, London…………2005
Brick Lane Gallery, London……….2006
The Dover Street Arts Club……. 2008


PHOTO – PEINTURE IN MORE DETAIL.

Having discussed an idea between themselves Paul Redman, the photographer, and David Holmes, the artist, agree on a subject and an approach.

Paul finds or creates the subject matter and photographs it, making allowances within the composition for the areas which are to be painted, and digitally prints onto an A3 inkjet paper which must also have the ability to react perfectly with acrylic or watercolour paints.

After considerable research it was found that by far the most suitable paper was 308gsm Hahnemuehle Photo Rag Fine Art paper, with the best printer being an Epson Photo R1900 with its dedicated multiple inks system.

David paints directly onto the print.

The print is then re-scanned to a very large file size and printed in limited editions of 8 using an Epson Digital Ink Pigment process and printer onto either Hahnemuehle Museum Quality Canvas, which is then stretched, or onto Museum quality Fine Art paper and displayed under glass. The colour management and printing is done by Ted Chau at Chau Digital.

These large limited edition prints, signed and numbered, are part of a collaboration between the photographer and the artist, for which they have coined the descriptive term ‘photo-peinture’ and are for sale at the exhibition.

Phase One releases Capture One 4.8

As well as formally introducing the P 40+ digital back tomorrow, Phase One will also be announcing the availability of Capture One 4.8 (note the update will not be available until tomorrow 10 am EST):

COPENHAGEN, April 30, 2009 – The latest update to Phase One Capture One 4 is localized for Chinese (simplified), Czech, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Spanish and Swedish languages. This version supports the new Phase One P 40+ announced today (including tethered support) and also the Olympus E-620.

Image quality improvements include: enhancements for the Phase One P 65+, the Leica D-LUX 4; color enhancements for Olympus E-30 and generally improved colors for editing JPEG and TIFF files.

Availability
Capture One 4.8 is available now and comes in three versions: 4.8, 4.8 PRO and 4.8 DB. Capture One 4.8 is a free service release to existing Capture One 4.x owners.
Existing customers with a Capture One 3.x license can upgrade to a similar version of Capture One 4.8 at no extra cost. For more information please go to http://www.phaseone.com/4.

Phase One Launches P 40+ with Sensor+

Although the official launch is tomorrow and the Phase One web site will be live at 10 am EST with the details, the DJP has been given an advanced preview of the new P40+ specs:

Medium format camera quality plus hand-held flexibility in one system

COPENHAGEN, April 30, 2009 -- Phase One, the leader in open-platform based medium format camera systems and solutions, today announced immediate availability of the Phase One P 40+ -- the company’s second Sensor+ enabled digital camera back/camera system.

Like the P 65+ introduced last year, this new system offers two separate image-capture modes. In normal mode, the P 40+ delivers full 40 megapixel captures for high-quality image details. And when shooting conditions demand, a photographer can push a button and instantly switch from 40 megapixels to 10 megapixels, gaining a four-fold increase in light sensitivity (ISO to 3200), and a capture rate of up to 1.8 frames per second --an ideal performance for hand-held and/or low-light conditions.

“Our second Sensor+ enabled system has been designed to deliver the fastest capture rate of any high-end medium format camera system on the market today,” said Jan H. Christiansen, marketing director for Phase One. “Our relentless innovation is inspired by the needs of quality- conscious professional photographers who seek flexible and reliable camera systems that can work as hard as they do.”

The versatility of the P 40+ system is important for those who seek quality medium-format 16-bit capture under a variety of working conditions. Both modes feature a 12.5 f-stop dynamic range. From high-end wedding, fashion and fine-art photographers to photojournalists, the choice of capture modes in a single camera system frees photographers to focus on the job at hand rather than worry over equipment.

Best results of Sensor+ technology are available by processing images using Phase One Capture One software version 4.8 or higher.

Technical specifications:
P 40+ full resolution capture mode:
Resolution: 40 megapixels
Pixel size: 6 x 6 micron
RAW file compression: (IIQ large: 40 MB) (IIQ small: 26 MB)
ISO: 50, 100, 200, 400, 800
Capture rate: Up to 1.2 frames per second

P 40+ Sensor+ capture mode:
Resolution: 10 megapixels
Pixel size: 12 x 12 micron
RAW file compression: (IIQ large: 10 MB) (IIQ small: 7 MB)
ISO: 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200
Capture rate: up to 1.8 frames per second

Phase One P+ camera back mounts:
Phase One 645 AF, Mamiya 645AFDII/ AFDIII, Mamiya RZ67 PRO IID via adaptor, Hasselblad H1 and H2, Hasselblad 555ELD, 553ELX, 503CW and 501CM, Contax 645.

Wide angle & technical cameras: 4 x 5" via FlexAdaptor: Arca Swiss, Cambo, Linhof, Toyo, Sinar, Plaubel, Horseman.

Pricing & Availability
The P 40+ digital back starts at €14,990; the P 40+ camera system starts at €16,990. All products are available now.

More information

For full technical specs, please read more here.

For pricing and more information please contact a local Phase One dealer.

Canon EOS 5D MkII back in stock at B&H

Anyone having trouble finding the Canon EOS 5D Mk II in stock could do worse than run New York dealer B&H by for a price. They're quoting $2,699.95 plus free shipping (in the US). Follow this (shameless) link to order yours and support this site at the same time.

Retailer Red Dot Cameras reveals price on white Leica M8

Specialist UK Leica dealer Red Dot Cameras has announced the price of the limited edition white Leica M8. The special edition model is priced at a cool £5900 (inc VAT) and comes complete with a chrome finish 28mm f/2.8 ELMARIT (equivalent to a focal length of 35mm, in 35mm film terms).

For more details see the retailer's site here.

Nikon D5000 at Jessops, 1st May

While the Nikon D5000 is available in the States and elsewhere, seems like we in the UK will have to wait a little longer to get our hands on the the new Nikon.

Nikon UK press release

The new Nikon D5000 hits the shelves

at Jessops’ new flagship London Store

Be amongst the first to view Nikon’s latest digital SLR, the D5000, at the newly refurbished flagship Jessops store, when the new Nikon model goes on sale for the first time on Friday 1st May 2009.

To celebrate the on sale launch of the hotly anticipated new camera, the Nikon team will be visiting Jessops’ New Oxford Street store on 1st - 2nd May 2009 to demonstrate the capabilities and benefits of the new camera as well as answer any technical questions. A programme of free Nikon led seminars will also be running throughout the two day event, please see schedule below:

Seminar programme
Getting the best out of D-Movie
Friday 1st May: 4.00pm and Saturday 2nd May: 3.00pm

Creative lighting demonstration (D90 & SB-600)
Friday 1st May: 2.30pm and Saturday 2nd May: 1.30pm

Jessops will also be offering an exciting promotion across the two days; for every purchase of the D5000 made at the store, customers will receive a free canvas print (32” x 24”) and a free Sandisk 8GB Ultra II SDHC card, Centon outfit bag and Jessops TP323 tripod.

For directions to Jessops, New Oxford Street, London store, please visit www.jessops.com

For more information about the new D5000 please visit here.

Nikon chip maker Renesas to merge with NEC Electronics

Renesas are rumored to be the makers of the CMOS imager in the Nikon D3 and D700 (pictured above)

Nikon's principal chip supplier for the full-frame 12-megapixel D3 and D700 DSLRs, Renesas Technology Corp, agreed to a merger with NEC Electronics Corp this week, prompting the DJP and likely other industry pundits to consider the implications for the company, which has seen market share improve in the influential pro-sector currently dominated by rival Canon.

Although it has never been confirmed by Nikon, it's thought Renesas fabricate the 35mm format CMOS imager that has been responsible for the turnaround in the camera makers fortunes in the ultra-competitive press and agency markets, in which the Japan based company once prevailed. Nikon UK has so far declined to comment on the news.

Source Bloomberg

NEC Electronics Corp. and Renesas Technology Corp. agreed Monday to merge in a deal that may create Japan's largest chip maker.

The terms including ownership ratio should be agreed by the end of July and the transaction completed by next April, the companies said Monday. The chip unit of NEC Corp. and Renesas, the Tokyo-based venture between Hitachi Ltd. and Mitsubishi Electric Corp., made the announcement in a joint statement with their parents.

"Nothing has been decided but because of NEC Electronics' listed status, it's likely that it will be the surviving company," NEC President Kaoru Yano told reporters in Tokyo. "We don't look at it as one company absorbing another."

NEC Electronics, the chip unit of NEC Corp. and Renesas, a semiconductor venture of Hitachi Ltd. and Mitsubishi Electric Corp., made the announcement in a joint statement with their parents to the Tokyo Stock Exchange. The combined entity would account for more than 30 percent of the $13.6 billion market for microcontrollers used in cars and consumer electronics, almost triple the market share of the nearest rival, Freescale Semiconductor Inc. The tieup may also lead to further reorganization in Japan, where five of the nation's top eight chip makers forecast losses in the last fiscal year.

"There are still a lot of unresolved issues, but the overall impression is positive," said Yukihiko Shimada, an analyst at Mitsubishi UFJ Securities Co. "It remains to be seen how the companies will deal with their overlapping production facilities and workforces," Shimada said.

Microcontrollers are minicomputers dedicated to a specific function, such as operating a liquid-crystal display in a microwave oven, cruise control in a car, or remote control for a DVD player.

Combined sales at Renesas and NEC Electronics in calendar 2008 reached $12.9 billion, exceeding $10.6 billion at Toshiba Corp.'s chip unit, Japan's largest chip maker, according to an April 16 report by Morgan Stanley.
Renesas controlled 20 percent of the market for microcontrollers in 2008, followed by NEC Electronics with 11.4 percent and Freescale with 11.2 percent, the Morgan Stanley report said.

Toshiba, the country's biggest maker of system LSI chips, may form an alliance with Fujitsu Ltd., the country's fourth-biggest manufacturer of the devices, Hideyuki Maekawa, a Tokyo-based analyst at Credit Suisse Group AG, wrote in a report dated April 16.

Panasonic GH1 with directional mic

Panasonic's little Lumix GH1 stills and HD video hybrid promises to whet the appetite of a lot of imaging creatives when it's launched at the end of May. Although we reported the GH1 had a mic socket for an optional directional mic when the new Lumix was announced, Panasonic has kindly forwarded a photo clearly showing the complete setup.

(UPDATE: We'll have more details, including sample shots and video clips after the press event in May).

Further details can be found here.

Canon PowerShot SX1 IS review

Maintaining the similar SLR like styling and high ratio 20x zoom of its predecessor, the popular S5 IS model, Canon’s new PowerShot SX1 IS adds several innovative features to the mix. Most notably, the SX1 IS is one of the first compacts to feature a new proprietary 10-megapixel CMOS sensor. It’s the same small 1/2.3-inch type (6.2x4.6mm) as that found in their other compacts, but the switch to CMOS may help reduce noise levels.

Also attractive is the promise of a fast 4fps burst rate, full HD (1080p) video clips for up to 30 minutes with stereo sound. And that’s not forgetting the 20x zoom, boasting a 28-560mm range in 35mm terms, all within a small and reasonably lightweight package.

As if that wasn’t enough, the SX1 IS has a flip-out and rotating 2.8-inch widescreen format TFT and Canon has recently added a Raw file capture option, though early adopters can now download a firmware update (version 2.0) and the necessary DPP processing software to bring theirs up to the current spec (existing DPP users can update here) . Previously Raw capture was only an option with the top-of-the range G-series compacts, but this, plus the powerful zoom and the tilting screen could mean the SX1 IS may tempt those potential customers too.

Build quality is a different story though. It is well made, and arguably better built than previous iterations but the plastic shell isn’t without the odd creak or two, especially around the bulbous handgrip. It’s also a good deal larger and heavier than either the G9 or the newer G10, a fact not helped by the inclusion of four AA batteries.

Like rivals of this type, the layout largely apes that of a DSLR with a shooting dial on the top plate, but a handy EOS style command dial placed to the rear means adjustments can be made easily while the camera is held to the eye. If we’ve a grumble with the controls at all it’s that you can’t set a B&W option while capturing Raw or Raw and Jpeg together. This means to compose using the screen in mono you must capture B&W as a Jpeg.



Despite that, in-camera B&W Jpegs are extremely impressive, and all the more so when using the new iContrast option to lighten shadow areas and reveal detail.

The 148k dot 16:9 widescreen electronic viewfinder falls behind that found in the Panasonic Lumix G1, in quality terms at least, but it’s still usable when checking focus accuracy thanks to an auto zoom option.

The same system can be used with the main LCD. When focus is achieved using the FlexiZone AF option, a small section of the screen, correlating to the position of the AF bracket, switches briefly to a magnified view. It’s not unlike the Live view systems of current DSLRs and a really useful feature that’s aided by the generally fast and accurate focusing and zooming.

A face-detection option works equally quickly and it’s quite something bearing in mind the size and complexity of the lens. Tested against a G9 we had to hand with its 9-point AiAF option though and it’s unsurprisingly slower. But given the huge range, it’s impressive all the same.

Like the G-series and several others in the range the SX1 IS features image stabilisation. And, with the equivalent focal length of 560mm in 35mm terms at the longest setting (in 4:3 aspect ratio), it’s without doubt an absolute necessity. We got the equivalent of around one and half stops from it but there’s also a Hi Auto ISO option that detects subject movement and hikes sensitivity and thus shutter speeds to lessen blur.

Noise levels are well controlled, by and large and compare favourably with the G9, a camera boasting a 12-megapixel CCD sensor with a 50-percent increase in surface area. Be that as it may though at ISO400 and above the SX1 struggles to deliver detail due to some pretty heavy noise reduction routine. While we can see some benefits from the adoption of a CMOS sensor, such as picture quality at low ISOs and burst rates of up to 4fps when capturing Jpegs, high-ISO performance isn’t noticeably superior to existing CCD sensors of the same size and resolution.

We were however suitably impressed with the quality of the HD video clips, but like the G-series cameras the SX1 IS lacks the versatility of a Mic socket. Be that as it may, the SX1 IS has to rate as one of the best of its type we’ve seen and while quite pricey, it can still be easily recommended.

Rating 4/5

Price
$599.99, £439.99 (inc VAT)
Contact
Canon www.usa.canon.com, www.canon.co.uk

Pros
Picture quality & detail at low ISO’s, build, wide-angle zoom, Raw file capture, excellent B&W Jpegs with iContrast option
Cons
Noise levels above ISO 400, weighty AA battery choice

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Topaz Labs announce v2 upgrade for Simplify

Topaz Labs has announced an upgrade of Topaz Simplify, an art-orientated photo-conversion plug-in for Photoshop. Read the full press release, below.

Press release:

Our creative image simplification plug-in Topaz Simplify just upgraded to v2 and now includes significant performance upgrades, new user interface improvements, and many other extra features suggested by our amazing customers. This upgrade is free for existing Topaz Simplify customers and is available for both Mac and Windows.

Note that Simplify v2 uses a new license key so your old key will not work. To get your free upgrade key and complete upgrade instructions, visit the following webpage:

http://www.topazlabs.com/updates/topazsimplify.html

Topaz Simplify also has more useful applications than it may let on. In addition to just straight-up photo to art conversion, it can also serve to spice up backgrounds, create underpaintings for digital art conversions, and add a subtle and natural pop to photos. To see some neat samples, visit the new Topaz Simplify webpage.

In well-known award-winning photographer Richard Sturdevant's words, "I see so many unique possibilities for this software to be used." He demonstrates this to great effect with fantastic images done using both Topaz Simplify and Adjust.

Canon Week at Calumet

Calumet UK are having a Canon promotional week from 27-30 April. As well as hosting several Canon-based seminars, the retailer is offering some very special pricing incentives on a raft of Canon gear.

The top-of-the-range 21MP Canon EOS 1Ds Mk III, for instance, sees a huge reduction of £3600 from the RRP. Click here for further details.

Phase One ready to launch 'ground breaking' product

Phase One are holding demonstration days on Thursday May 14th and Friday May 15th at Holborn Studios, London. Registration is required, for both days:

Thursday May 14th

Friday May 15th

As well as having the new P65+ (60.5-megapixel) medium format back on show (see above), Phase One say they're set to launch a 'ground breaking product'. We'll let you know more details when we have them.



I'm also pleased to see from the company's April newsletter, Canadian photographer Walter Borchenko will be giving a presentation and guide through the new features of Capture One PRO v4.7.1 including the support for JPEG/TIFF files, the new proprietary .EIP format and working with multiple sessions.

We had the good fortune to meet Walter this year at Focus, and discovered we share the same exuberance for the Arca Swiss Cube (as well as C1 PRO of course).

I was sent a Cube by the UK distributor, but unfortunately there wasn't space to review it in the British Journal of Photography at that time. Perhaps we'll review it here, if we get the chance again. How about it Liz, if you're reading?

Phillip Jones Griffiths 'Recollections' exhibition Bodelwyddan Castle, Rhyl

This will be the first exhibition of 'Recollections' to be held in Griffiths' native Wales, after travelling from a six month exhibition in a Liverpool museum. Many of the photographs featured will be of Wales and Liverpool, as well as the rest of Britain in the 1950s-70s, as seen in his book 'Recollections.'

The exhibition opens Saturday 2nd May

Bodelwyddan Castle
Rhyl
Wales
LL18 5YA

Trolley books have very kindly sent me a copy of Recollections to review, and hope to post it in the following week.

Trolley books event TODAY in Seoul, South Korea

Trolley Books have been invited to the newly opened PLATOON KUNSTHALLE in Seoul. Trolley are proud to present there a new library of Trolley books and an evening of slideshow projections. This follows last year's invitation to Platoon's european headquarters in Berlin. Platoon are responsible for creating numerous diverse cultural and communication projects.
www.platoon.org

Gitzo launch steel Ocean Traveler tripod

Gitzo has developed the world’s first stainless steel tripod casting, and integrated the technology into its massively popular Traveler series to produce the new Ocean Traveler.

The new Gitzo Ocean Traveler is available now in the UK at RRP £799.95 inc VAT. The street price is likely to a be little lower. More details can be found at the distributor's site.

If you're reading this on the other side of the Atlantic, B&H (whom I've bought from in the past, and received outstanding service) have a wide range of Gitzo tripods, including one of my personal favorites, but the Ocean Traveller isn't listed as yet.

Visible Dust add new Zeeion cleaner

Visible Dust is pleased to announce the launch of Zeeion, a new anti-static non-contact dust removal device for DSLR cameras. Designed for DSLR users at all levels, the new Zeeion compliments Visible Dust’s famous Arctic Butterfly in the “dust removal” segment of the simple 3 stage sensor cleaning workflow (1: Check with a Sensor Loupe, 2: Remove dry/sharp dust 3: Wet Clean).

The new Visible Dust Zeeion is available now at RRP £39.95. For more details check out their website.

Adobe invites partners to participate in new Photoshop Marketplace

Press release:

Adobe today introduced Photoshop Marketplace to its partners and community leaders. Photoshop Marketplace is a centralised resource on Adobe.com where Adobe customers can find the latest Photoshop related resources, tools, services and events. In this initial phase, partners are encouraged to populate Photoshop Marketplace with product-related content that they can update and maintain themselves.

With Photoshop Marketplace, Adobe aims to connect its customers to the expansive ecosystem that has formed around Photoshop. Users will now have one central location to explore the resources available to them, including links to Photoshop communities, events, education resources, plug-ins, extensions and more.

Photoshop Marketplace will also foster interaction among customers visiting the site. Users can add community ratings and reviews, providing them with a place to share recommendations and comment on particularly useful tools.

At this time, Adobe encourages partners and community leaders to add relevant information to the Web site at www.adobe.com/go/psmarketplace. Photoshop Marketplace will be fully functional and broadly available to all users in summer 2009.

Hahnemühle Anniversary Photo Award

In the year Sir Walter Raleigh was mounting a expedition to colonize what was to become Virginia in the United States, the Relliehäusische Papiermühle company was making paper in a town called Relliehausen near Dassel in Solling, Germany.

Today, some 425 years later, that company is better known as Hahnemühle, and is one of the leading manufacturers (if not the leading manufacturer) of Digital Fine Art (DFA) papers out there.

To celebrate their anniversary, Hahnemühle has announced a photographic competition with a prize fund totaling €36,000 (in non-cash prizes), and exposure for the takers of the 40-best images, which will be exhibited in the ‘photo capitals’ of the world.

For more information, including the entry form and requirements visit the Hahnemühle site here.

Marc Riboud receives Lifetime Achievement award at Sony World Photography Awards (SWPA), Cannes

Marc Riboud, the celebrated Life photographer and former president of Magnum Photos, received the 2009 Lifetime Achievement award from former Magnum photographer Elliott Erwitt at the Sony World Photography Awards, Cannes, Thursday 16th April 2009.

Riboud captured one of the most poignant anti-war photos of the Vietnam conflict, namely that of protestor Jan Rose Kasmir standing with a flower in her hands in front of rifle-wielding troops at the Pentagon, Washington DC.

Updated 28/5/09, more photos added:

Riboud (right) about to receive the Lifetime Achievement award from former fellow Magnum photographer Erwitt.

Riboud, seen here to the right, after receiving his award from Erwitt (left, at podium). The 600 attendees gave 85-year old Riboud a standing ovation.

TASCHEN at the London Book Fair 2009

TASCHEN is at The London Book Fair, the leading spring book publishing and rights trading event, this week, Monday 20 to Wednesday 22 April. The company will be presenting an exciting list of future titles to the trade, covering art, photography, design, architecture, sex, travel, cinema and pop culture.

Taschen can be found at Stand H905, April 20, 2009 - April 22, 2009 Earls Court Exhibition Centre, Warwick Road, London, SW5 9TA, United Kingdom

Edvard Koinberg: Herbarium Amoris. Floral Romance

Taschen today announce Herbarium Amoris by Edvard Koinberg.

Press release:

The notion of plant sexuality was initiated by Swedish botanist and physician Carl Linnaeus (1707–1778). Working with his collection of over 20,000 specimens, Linnaeus grouped flowers and plants in a Calendarium Florae, and systematically classified plant species by the number and arrangement of their reproductive parts, drawing direct parallels with human sexual organs. Highly controversial at the time, the assertion that a plant’s stamens and pistils mirror human genitalia resulted in a 'sexual revolution' in plant taxonomy.

Swedish photographer Edvard Koinberg creates a modern visual counterpart to Linnaeus’s work, approaching the subject with equal passion and dedication. Having cultivated several hundred plants in his country house, Koinberg photographs each delicate bloom in his studio under perfect lighting conditions, depicting the life cycle of various flora as they bud, flourish and wane, resulting in a modern Calendarium Florae, a visual calendar that charts the year through flowers.

In Herbarium Amoris, Koinberg captures the lyricism and refulgent eroticism of the floral world in vivid close-ups, shot against dark backgrounds, the dew glittering on outspread petals, the most delicate of vegetal forms infused with unbridled life force.

Buy from Amazon:

Amazon US: Herbarium Amoris

Amazon UK: Herbarium Amoris

Carl Zeiss extends Cooperation with Sony

Carl Zeiss extends Cooperation with Sony
13 years of successful partnership to proceed

OBERKOCHEN / Germany – 15. April 2009. Carl Zeiss today announced that its Camera Lens Division will extend their successful collaboration with Sony Corporation for a further 5 years. Taking full advantages of their competence both companies agreed to cooperate even closer in developing and commercializing new imaging devices in the future.

You can find the complete text here.

Topaz Adjust 3 for Mac released

Topaz Adjust 3 has just been released for Mac as a free upgrade to the popular Photoshop creative exposure plug-in Topaz Adjust. The announcement comes after the release of the Windows version in March, here.

For more information including the methodology for the update, please visit Topaz labs.

Annabel Williams training days announced

Annabel Williams' CPT (training) team have announced a few days in May that will help those looking to start off in the business on the right foot. While times are tough right now, there are opportunities, if you know where to look.

Press release:

Change your life with the A to Z of Photography and Business from the Annabel Williams Team!

26-29th May 2009


Give your photography a kick-start with this fabulous course from the expert team at Contemporary Photographic Training (CPT). This intensive four day training course will quite literally teach you everything you need to know about photography – including getting started in business and marketing, brand building, three live shoots with a range of models, digital workflow and how to sell you images. If you want to avoid mistakes and are determined to make your mark in the photographic lifestyle market, then this is the seminar for you.
You will also learn how to attract the right clients and create a complete photographic experience to remember – from the first point of contact to the image viewing.
With advice and training on hand from some of the top mentors and photographers in the country, don’t miss out – book now!

For full details visit www.annabelwilliams.com, contact the studio on 01539 821791

Nikon unwraps new 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 DX zoom

Nikon has announced a new 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 DX zoom, the equivalent to a 16-35mm (in 35mm terms), and will retail from the 1st May at $899.95/£799.99/€972.

Press release:

TOKYO –Nikon Corporation is pleased to announce the new AF-S DX NIKKOR 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5G ED lens with built-in Silent Wave Motor (SWM) for Nikon DX-format digital SLR cameras. Compact and lightweight, this ultra wide-angle 2.4x zoom DX NIKKOR features a focal length range of 10 to 24mm, whose picture angle of 109°-61° is equivalent to a focal length of 15 to 36mm in FX- and 35mm format cameras.

This lens is suitable for diverse scenes from restrictive interiors, architecture and panoramic landscapes to a creatively exaggerated perspective. The newly developed optical system features two ED glass and three aspherical lens elements for truly outstanding optical quality, producing stunning images. The Silent Wave Motor (SWM) incorporated in the lens body offers fast, smooth and nearly silent AF operation, providing photographers with outstanding handling performance.

The AF-S DX NIKKOR 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5G ED, with its ultra wide-angle perspective and superior image quality, gives users of Nikon DX-format digital SLRs — including the D300, D90, D60, D40 and the new D5000 — more opportunities for creative photographic expression.

Note:
Although DX NIKKOR lenses can be attached to 35mm format and IX 240 format film cameras, the smaller image circle they project to the film plane prohibits compatibility with these cameras. When this (or any DX NIKKOR) lens is mounted on a Nikon FX-format digital SLR, with the Image Area option set to Auto DX crop (default), the camera recognizes that a DX NIKKOR lens is in use and the DX crop mode is selected automatically.


AF-S DX NIKKOR 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5G ED Major Features

DX-format, ultra wide-angle 2.4x zoom lens with focal length ranging from 10 to 24mm (picture angle is equivalent to a focal length of 15 to 36mm in FX- and 35mm formats)
Newly developed optical system features two ED glass and three aspherical lens elements
Superior reproduction capability, with the distortion that is common with ultra wide-angle lenses dramatically reduced
Silent Wave Motor (SWM) ensures smooth, quiet AF operation
Two focus modes available – M/A (manual-priority autofocus) and M (manual focus)
Seven-blade rounded diaphragm for natural blur effects
Internal focusing (IF) system means the lens barrel length does not change during focusing

Nikon add second DSLR with HD video Nikon D5000

Nikon has taken the wraps off its second DSLR to feature HD video. The new 12.3-megapixel D5000 adopts the D90's HD 720p video, features a 2.7-inch articulated screen (230k dot) and has a body only price of $729.99/£719.99/€878. With the 18-55mm VR starter lens that rises to $849.95/£799.99/€972.

Read the full press release:

TOKYO – Nikon Corporation is pleased to announce the newest addition to its family of quality DX-format digital SLRs, the D5000. With a robust feature set and simple operability backed by Nikon’s superlative technology, the D5000 is the ideal choice for both entry-level digital SLR users and those looking for an upgrade to raise their level of photographic expression.

The D5000 features a versatile Vari-angle LCD monitor that can be viewed in normal position flush against the camera back, or swung out and rotated and/or tilted. This unequaled freedom of movement adds a unique level of creativity to Live View shooting, allowing easy viewing from virtually any perspective. When not in use, the monitor can be stowed with the LCD panel facing the camera back, essentially becoming its own rugged monitor cover. Measuring 2.7 inches with 230,000-dot resolution, the monitor provides 100% scene coverage in Live View and assures accurate image review.

The D5000 inherits the same brilliant image quality from Nikon's highly regarded DX-format digital SLR, the D90. Featuring a 12.3 effective megapixel CMOS sensor, Nikon's exclusive EXPEED image processing system, and compatibility with a comprehensive selection of NIKKOR lenses, the D5000 produces highly detailed images that exhibit smooth tonal gradation, outstanding color reproduction, and low noise across a wide ISO sensitivity range. EXPEED also contributes to streamlined handling of advanced imaging features such as Nikon's original Scene Recognition System with Face Detection and Active D-Lighting.

In addition to superior imaging capabilities, the D5000 offers excellent photographic performance thanks to continuous shooting as fast as 4 frames per second, advanced 3D Color Matrix Metering II for outstanding exposure accuracy, 11-point selectable autofocus, and four Live View AF modes, along with automatic exposure and white balance bracketing functions. There is also a new Quiet Shooting mode that reduces mirror cycling noise for quieter shooting in environments where minimal noise is desired.

Ease-of-use is a hallmark of Nikon digital SLRs and the D5000 successfully carries on this tradition, both in form and function. The compact, agile body boasts an intelligent layout with controls sensibly positioned for easy operation, while 19 automatic Scene Modes add point-and-shoot ease for beautiful results in a wide variety of challenging shooting situations. Scene Modes even include example images for each mode to make selection easy for anyone.

Extensive in-camera image control is available using Nikon’s Picture Control System, which allows users to customize key image capture characteristics to suit personal preferences. For additional creative control, the D5000 includes a comprehensive set of in-camera editing functions via its Retouch Menu that enhance photos with a variety of effects — without the need for a computer.

Combining famous Nikon quality and high performance, the D5000 opens the door to a level of creative expression never before possible in a camera so fun.


Nikon D5000 Feature Highlights

New Vari-angle monitor
The innovative Vari-angle monitor swings down approximately 90° and rotates 180°, allowing users to easily shoot from interesting angles in Live View mode. Featuring a bright 2.7-in. 230,000-dot LCD, the new monitor provides a comfortable view from virtually any shooting perspective. The monitor can also be stowed with the LCD panel neatly tucked against the camera back to protect the screen when not in use.

Nikon DX-format 12.3-megapixel CMOS image sensor
At 12.3 effective megapixels, the D5000 produces high-resolution images with outstanding enlargement capability. The high signal-to-noise ratio results in images with extremely low noise even when shooting at high ISO settings. Normal ISO sensitivity is ISO 200 to 3200. For added shooting versatility, a Hi 1 setting increases sensitivity to ISO 6400 while a Lo 1 setting decreases it to ISO 100.

Specially designed EXPEED image processing system
The D5000 is equipped with Nikon’s exclusive EXPEED image processing system. This leading-edge technology provides the power to process the large amount of data generated by the D5000’s 12.3-megapixel CMOS sensor. EXPEED realizes excellent resolution, long tonal scale, and superb color while also making possible fast processing of the D5000’s advanced imaging functions such as Scene Recognition with Face Detection, Live View AF, and Active D-Lighting — all of which demand tremendous processing capability.

Live View shooting
Nikon’s versatile Live View shooting, now enhanced by the D5000’s Vari-angle monitor, can be accessed with one-touch ease by pressing the Live View button. Autofocus with Live View has been further improved by the addition of Subject tracking AF, which automatically locks onto a pre-selected subject and maintains focus on it even if it momentarily leaves the frame. This mode joins three other contrast-detect AF modes with which the D5000 is equipped: Face priority AF (which automatically detects up to five faces in a scene then focuses on the closest face); Wide area AF (which offers a large AF area for optimal handheld shooting) and; Normal area AF (which provides pin-point focusing accuracy for excellent results when using a tripod).

Movie clips with D-Movie
In response to user demand for video shooting capability in digital SLRs, the D5000 includes Nikon’s D-Movie function. First available on the Nikon D90, D-Movie gives users the flexibility to shoot Motion JPEG movie clips in different formats at a smooth 24 frames per second. For high-quality playback on HDTVs, the D5000 produces clips at 1,280 x 720 pixels. Users who want to view on standard computer monitors or upload to photo sharing websites can shoot at 640 x 424 pixels or 320 x 216 pixels, respectively. Because the D5000’s sensor is much larger than that of a typical camcorder, movie clips display superior image quality and low noise even when shot at high ISO settings. Additionally, the D5000’s compatibility with NIKKOR AF-S and AF-I lenses opens up a wide range of possibilities for dramatic expression, from fisheye and wide-angle shots to long telephoto scenes and extreme close-ups.

19 Scene Modes
Scene Modes empower users to obtain great looking shots in a variety of situations with point-and-shoot ease. These modes adjust exposure, white balance, Active D-lighting, and Picture Control settings depending on the selected mode. Six commonly used modes can be selected using the D5000’s mode dial, while the remaining 13 are accessed by setting the mode dial to SCENE then simply turning the command dial to make the selection. To assist in determining the best mode, the D5000 displays a sample photo as each mode is selected. Newly added modes are Pet portrait, Candlelight, Blossom, Autumn colors, Food, Silhouette, High key, and Low key.

Scene Recognition System with Face Detection System
In order to accurately adjust exposure and white balance as well as assist autofocus, the D5000 utilizes a 420-pixel RGB sensor to analyze color and illumination over the entire scene milliseconds prior to exposure. This allows the D5000 to better evaluate scene content, resulting in improved exposure for better image quality while also boosting autofocus performance. Additionally, the D5000 detects human faces using its Face Detection System.

Active D-Lighting
The D5000 incorporates Nikon’s Active D-Lighting function to vastly improve details in the shadows and highlights of high-contrast scenes. Like the Scene Recognition System, Active D-Lighting utilizes the 420-pixel RGB sensor to analyze a scene then adjust exposure to achieve images that closely resemble what the human eye sees. During processing, this function also restores details in areas of the image that exhibit image loss. There are six Active D-Lighting settings — Auto, Extra high, High, Normal, Low, and Off — along with a bracket mode that allows users to shoot one image with Active D-Lighting and one without.

11-point AF system with Multi-CAM 1000 autofocus module
Employing 11-point autofocus driven by Nikon’s Multi-CAM 1000 autofocus module, the D5000 delivers fast, precise focus over a wide area of the frame when shooting through the optical viewfinder. Four versatile AF modes are available: single-point AF for stationary subjects, especially ones that are off-center; dynamic-area AF for moving subjects; auto-area AF when you want the D5000 to automatically determine the proper focus method and; 3D-tracking (11 points) AF for maintaining focus on subjects even if the composition changes.

Picture Control System
The Picture Control System of the D5000 gives users the ability to customize key image capture characteristics to suit personal preferences. Six settings are available — Standard, Neutral, Vivid, Monochrome, Portrait, and Landscape — along with the ability to create up to nine custom Picture Control settings.

Photo editing
After shooting, the D5000’s newly expanded photo editing functions allow for in-camera retouching, lessening the need for a computer to enhance or modify images. The D5000 introduces several new editing options under its Retouch Menu, including Soft Filter, Perspective Control (which helps correct distortions in perspective), and Color Outline (which creates monochrome outlines of objects in images by eliminating color and tonal gradations). Each editing function is applied to a copy of the image, with the original left unmodified.

Nikon Integrated Dust Reduction System
Dust reduction is handled by the Nikon Integrated Dust Reduction System. This is a comprehensive solution that reduces generation and accumulation of dust and also provides measures to remove dust. A key element of the solution is the Airflow Control System, which directs dust away from the image sensor. The system also includes an image sensor cleaning function that activates automatically when the D5000 is powered on. This vibrates the low-pass filter (located in front of the sensor) to free it from dust.



Nikon D5000 Other Features

On-demand grid lines both when shooting via the optical viewfinder and in Live View mode.
Extensive playback options that allow viewing of images one at a time or in batches of 4, 9, and 72 as well as Calendar view that organizes images by shooting date and time. A histogram display is also available that shows exposure data for a magnified area of the image.
Direct HDTV connectivity via built-in HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) connector.
Highly durable shutter unit tested to 100,000 cycles.
Compatible with all NIKKOR AF-S and AF-I lenses that have an autofocus motor.
Built-in flash with a guide number of approx. 17/56 (ISO 200, m/ft., 20°C/68°F) and support for Nikon’s i-TTL flash control.
Support for the Nikon Creative Lighting System when using SB-900 or SB-800 Speedlights, or the SU-800 Wireless Speedlight Commander.
Long-lasting Rechargeable Li-ion Battery EN-EL9a that provides up to 510 shots per charge. (CIPA standard, with AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR and flash fired at full power once every other shot.)
Compatible with the optional ML-L3 Wireless Remote Control. There are two shutter release modes available when using the control: Quick mode for immediate triggering of the shutter release and Delayed mode, which delays triggering for two seconds.
Compatible with the optional GPS Unit GP-1, which automatically appends longitude, latitude, altitude, and time information to the EXIF data of each image.
Compatible with the optional Remote Cord MC-DC2, which enables remote shutter release and time (bulb) exposures.
Includes Nikon ViewNX image browsing and editing software, which lets you organize, label, and select images as well as perform NEF (RAW) image editing adjustments and conversions.
Image data from the D5000 can be used with optional Nikon Capture NX 2 photo-editing software, which features patented U Point® technology and powerful tools for quick and easy photo editing, including enhanced NEF (RAW) Editing.

Pentax 15mm f/4 ED Al Limited available now

The digital only Pentax 15mm f/4 Limited announced on our site here is in stock at B&H. Like others in the range, on a APS-C DSLR, the angle of view changes due to the smaller sensor size. It becomes the equivalent of a 23mm f/4, and well over due for Pentax users by all accounts. That's not to criticize at all, Pentax are to be applauded for their range of primes, but a new wide-angle is sure to be high the list of priorities for Pentax shooters. It also promises to be quite a performer, if the superb little 35mm f/2.8 macro I have in for review is anything to go by. Kind of slipped in (to stock) under my radar though.

Olympus update firmware for E3

Olympus (Japan) has just announced a firmware update for the pro-grade E3 DSLR. It's said to further improve AF performance, but further details, including how to perform the upgrade, can be found at the maker's site here.

Pentax K20D Titan and olive K-m for Japan only?

I like cameras that stand out from the crowd, and while I reckon the white version of Pentax K-m was a stretch for most people, I think it's far more agreeable in olive green (above).

Pentax has also announced a titanium color (I would say chrome) K20D, pictured below. That's the good news, the bad is that both appear to be limited to a 1000 units in all and are for domestic consumption (i.e. to be sold in Japan) only. For more pictures and info (in Japanese only) please visit here.

Trek-Tech announce TrekPod Go Pro Hiking pole

Hiking poles are an essential item for walking in the mountains, not only saving your knees and ankles, but also by helping to maintain your balance with a heavy backpack or when trekking with your camera gear. Combining a hiking pole and monopod isn't a new idea but Trek-Tech have announced TrekPod Go Pro, an aluminium pole boasting both a mini ball head with quick-release mount and collapsable stabilizing legs.

Press release:

JP Distribution is pleased to announce the TrekPod Go Pro from Trek-Tech which is available with immediate effect.

The TrekPod Go Pro is a photographer’s multi-tool that goes from monopod to tripod in seconds and can even be used as a hiking staff. The lightweight, (just over 790g) height-adjustable TrekPod Go Pro comes with a quick-release MagMount Pro system for attaching a camera or optical device. The MagMount Pro lets you instantly attach almost any camera, spotting scope or other device that uses the industry standard ¼ inch mounting thread. Once you’ve lined up your shot, simply activate the anti-rotation feature to lock your portrait in place. Then, when you’re finished shooting, you can release the camera and fold up the legs, and the TrekPod Go Pro will immediately transform into a handy walking pole.

TrekPod Go Pro c/w MagMount Pro & Travel case - £149.99 Inc vat
MagMount Pro (mini ball head with quick-release plate) - £74.99 inc vat

For more information, including stockists, please visit the distributors site here.

For more info on Trek-Tech, please visit here.

Apple Updates Xserve with Twice the Performance

Features Next Generation Architecture and Intel “Nehalem” Xeon Processors

CUPERTINO, California—April 7, 2009—Apple® today announced an updated Xserve® that delivers up to twice the performance of the previous system.* Using Intel “Nehalem” Xeon processors and a next generation system architecture, the 1U rack-optimised Xserve delivers up to an 89 percent improvement in performance per watt.** Xserve is available with up to two 2.93 GHz Intel Xeon processors and industry-leading storage options that include a low-power solid state drive (SSD) and up to 3TB of internal storage. Starting at £2,399 (inc. VAT), Xserve includes an unlimited client license for Mac OS® X Server version 10.5 Leopard®.

“The Xserve is the best workgroup server for our education, business and creative customers,” said David Moody, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide Mac Product Marketing. “With up to twice the performance, better power efficiency and an innovative SSD drive option, this is the best Xserve we’ve ever made.”

The new Xserve includes Intel Xeon processors running at speeds up to 2.93 GHz, each with an integrated memory controller with three channels of 1066 MHz DDR3 ECC memory that delivers up to 2.4 times the memory bandwidth while cutting memory latency up to 40 percent.*** Using high-efficiency power supplies and intelligent thermal management, Xserve delivers a 19 percent reduction in idle power use.

Xserve’s industry-leading storage capabilities include a 128GB SSD boot-drive option that requires a fraction of the power of a hard disk and delivers up to 48 times faster random access times without occupying a drive bay. Xserve’s three 3.5 inch drive bays support both 7200 rpm SATA and 15,000 rpm SAS drives and can be configured with up to 3TB of internal storage. Two PCI Express 2.0 x16 expansion slots provide massive I/O bandwidth to support the latest high-bandwidth expansion cards. The Xserve RAID card option now delivers improved performance up to 497MB/s**** and supports RAID levels 0, 1 and 5 with 512MB of cache without using a valuable PCI Express expansion slot. A 72-hour backup battery is included for enhanced data protection.

Every Xserve ships with an unlimited client edition of Leopard Server, offering support for Mac®, Linux and Windows clients without the added cost of client-access licenses. Leopard Server extends Apple’s legendary ease of use with Server Assistant and Server Preferences, which allow even nontechnical users to quickly manage users and groups on the server and easily set up key services. Leopard Server includes Podcast Producer, the ideal way to automatically publish podcasts to iTunes® or the web; Wiki Server, allowing people to collaboratively create and modify their shared websites with just a few clicks; and iCal® Server, the world’s first commercial CalDAV standard-based calendar server. Leopard Server is fully UNIX compliant and LDAP and Active Directory support allows Xserve to fit right in to existing IT environments.

The new Xserve joins Apple’s latest hardware products in setting new standards for environmentally friendly design. Xserve uses PVC-free internal cables and components, contains no brominated flame retardants and features a power supply with an average energy efficiency of 89 percent.

Pricing & Availability
The new Xserve is immediately available through the Apple Store® (www.apple.com/uk) and Apple Authorised Resellers.

The Xserve standard configuration, with a suggested retail price of £2,399 (inc. VAT), includes:
• a single 2.26 GHz Quad-Core Xeon 5500 series processor with 8MB of fully shared L3 cache;
• 3GB of 1066 MHz DDR3 ECC RAM;
• a single 160GB 7200 rpm SATA Apple Drive Module;
• dual Gigabit Ethernet on-board;
• two PCI Express 2.0 x16 expansion slots;
• Bonjour®-enabled Lights-Out Management processor and Server Monitor Software;
• internal graphics with Mini DisplayPort output;
• two FireWire® 800 and three USB 2.0 ports; and
• an unlimited client license for Mac OS X Server version 10.5 Leopard.

Build-to-order options and accessories for Xserve include: dual 2.26 GHz, 2.66 GHz or 2.93 GHz Intel Xeon processors; 160GB and 1TB 7200 rpm SATA Apple Drive Modules; 450GB 15,000 rpm SAS drives (third party option); internal Xserve RAID card; Gigabit Ethernet, 4Gb Fibre Channel cards and a 750W redundant power supply.

*Testing conducted by Apple in February 2009 using a preproduction 2.93 GHz 8-core Xserve (2 chips, 8 cores, 4 cores per chip, 2.93 GHz; SPECjbb2005 bops = 203,439, SPECjbb2005 bops/JVM = 50,860) and a shipping 3.0 GHz 8-core Xserve (2 chips, 8 cores, 4 cores per chip, 3.0 GHz; SPECjbb2005 bops = 103,387, SPECjbb2005 bops/JVM = 25,847). SPEC® and SPECjbb2005® are trademarks of the Standard Performance Evaluation Corporation (SPEC); seewww.spec.org for more information. Competitive benchmark results stated above reflect internal Apple testing and were submitted to SPEC in February 2009. For the latest SPECjbb2005 benchmark results, visit www.spec.org/osg/jbb2005. Performance tests are conducted using specific computer systems and reflect the approximate performance of Xserve.

**Testing conducted by Apple in February 2009 using a preproduction 2.93 GHz 8-core Xserve (SPECpower_ssj™2008 result of 464 overall ssj_ops/watt; 173W at Active Idle; 227,974 ssj_ops and 334W at 100 percent target load) and a shipping 3.0GHz 8-core Xserve (SPECpower_ssj™2008 result of 245 overall ssj_ops/watt; 213W at Active Idle; 141,739 ssj_ops and 353W at 100 percent target load). All units were configured for optimal memory performance (18GB for 2.93 GHz 8-core units and 16GB for 3.0 GHz 8-core units). SPEC® and the benchmark name SPECpower_ssj™ are trademarks of the Standard Performance Evaluation Corporation (SPEC); see www.spec.org for more information. Competitive benchmark results stated here reflect internal Apple testing and were submitted to SPEC in March 2009. For the latest SPECpower_ssj2008 benchmark results, visit www.spec.org/power_ssj2008. Performance tests are conducted using specific computer systems and reflect the approximate performance of Xserve.

***Testing conducted by Apple in February 2009 using preproduction 2.93GHz 8-core Xserve units and shipping 3.0 GHz 8-core Xserve units. All units were configured for optimal memory performance (18GB for 8-core 2.93 GHz units, 12GB for 4-core 2.26 GHz units, and 16GB for 8-core 3.0 GHz units). Results are based on the STREAM v. 5.8 benchmark (www.cs.virginia.edu/stream/ref.html) using OMP support for multiprocessor-compiled builds. Performance tests are conducted using specific computer systems and reflect the approximate performance of Xserve. Memory latency data provided by Intel.

****Testing conducted by Apple in February 2009 using preproduction 2.93 GHz 8-core Xeon-based Xserve units configured with Xserve RAID Card. Testing conducted using Iometer 2006.07.27 with a 30-second ramp-up, five-minute run duration, 512KB request size, four outstanding IOs, and using non-OS-cached reads and writes. System configured with the operating system on Xserve SSD drive. Performance tests are conducted using specific computer systems and reflect the approximate performance of Xserve RAID Card. Drive average read latency data from manufacturer’s published data sheets.

Wacom demos Intuous 4 at TFC Birmingham

This Thursday, 9th April, Wacom will be invading the Birmingham branch with a day of demos, tutorials and hands on with the new Intuos 4 range of graphics tablets. Come along and try them out, we think you'll be amazed at how much more productive you can be using one of these. Check out http://www.theflashcentre.com/wacom-c351.html for more details.

Following last years hugely successfull day, we're [TFC] running another Equestrian Photography Workshop. On may 20th at the World Horse Walfare in Snetterton, Norfolk, Steve Dawe will be doing a really hands-on session where you'll get loads of opportunity to shoot horses in lots of situations, as well as grooms and riders. It's sure to be another fun day and a bargain at £60, including lunch! Go to http://www.theflashcentre.com/equestrian-photography-workshop-i3452.html for more information and to book.

That's all for now, but keep an eye out, as we'll soon be releasing information on a very special series of outdoor lighting seminars......

Nik Software updates Silver Efex Pro for Lightroom

Nik Software Announces Silver Efex Pro™ Update for
Adobe® Photoshop® Lightroom® 2

Award-winning Silver Efex Pro now compatible with Adobe Photoshop Lightroom
Hamburg, April 8th 2009 - Nik Software announces today that Silver Efex Pro, its popular digital photographic plug-in offering the most advanced, complete, and straightforward black-and-white solution, is now available for Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2.3 and higher. The update is available now as a free download to current owners of Silver Efex Pro.
“With Silver Efex Pro now joining Viveza and Color Efex Pro for Lightroom, three of our most
powerful products offer photographers even more efficient ways to apply image enhancements
seamlessly within Lightroom,” said Michael J. Slater president and CEO of Nik Software. “Our goal is to provide compatibility with popular photo applications such as Lightroom. Offering these free updates for Lightroom enables our users to continue their workflow using their favorite plug-in products regardless of which application they use.”

Silver Efex Pro installs as a plug-in for Lightroom 2.3, itself a free update from earlier versions and available for download at www.adobe.com/downloads/updates. Once installed, Silver Efex Pro is accessible via the Lightroom Photo>Edit In… menu. Edits made using the plug-in within Lightroom are non-destructive in nature, with edits applied automatically to a newly generated TIFF file and not the original. It also takes advantage of Lightroom and its efficiencies for everyday tasks, like the ability to edit multiple images in one session, saving time and increasing productivity for photographers.

About Silver Efex Pro

Silver Efex Pro uses a range of advanced imaging algorithms that protect against unwanted artifacts, a comprehensive collection of 18 emulated black-and-white film types, and a state-of-the-art grain engine that truly mimics the traditional silver halide process to create the highest quality black and-white images possible from scanned or digital color photographs. Nik Software's patented U-Point technology, also found in Silver Efex Pro, provides easy-to-use tools for direct on-image control of tonality, contrast, and structure. Precisely controlling specific areas of a photo can be achieved easily using just a few mouse clicks without the need to create complicated selections and layer masks. Silver Efex Pro combined with U Point technology offers users unprecedented control over selective tonal and contrast adjustment in black-and-white images. For more product information including video lessons visit: www.niksoftware.com/silverefexpro.

Working seamlessly within Photoshop, Lightroom and Aperture, Silver Efex Pro begins by presenting photographers with a basic “neutral” conversion of their color image to black-and-white. One-click adjustments can be made from a choice of nearly 30 preset styles from nostalgic processes like the ambrotype and tintype to classic artistic renderings, trendy high contrast, soft focus or grainy images that emulate the most popular film types and shooting styles.

This initial set of creative options can be used as is or as a starting point for photographers who
wish to create and even share their own customized black-and-white styles. In addition, color
filters, variable toning controls (includes sepia, selenium, split-toning and user-defined colors for maximum flexibility), vignettes, burning, and more only add to the number of advanced stylistic effects photographers will enjoy with Silver Efex Pro.

Nik Software also announces that all of its remaining photographic filter products are being updated to support Lightroom. The next plug-in will be Sharpener Pro 3.0. As these Lightroom-compatible versions become available, current owners will receive updates free of charge. All products as well as a Complete Collection Lightroom Editiopn are expected to be available by the end of the second quarter of 2009.

Pricing and Availability

The fully compatible Silver Efex Pro product, offering support for Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom, and Apple Aperture, is available immediately for electronic delivery directly from Nik Software (www.niksoftware.com) or through specialty camera retailers. A complete list of resellers may be found at www.niksoftware.com/resellers. Current owners of Silver Efex Pro may download a free update at www.niksoftware.com/lightroom.

The suggested retail price of Silver Efex Pro is € 199.95 (incl. VAT). Silver Efex Pro installs as a pluginfor Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom or Apple Aperture 2.1 and is available for Windows and
Macintosh operating systems, including Vista and Leopard. For more information about Silver Efex Pro, including video tutorials showing the software running within Photoshop, Lightroom and Aperture and a free 15-day fully functional trial version, please visit
www.niksoftware.com/silverefexpro.