Photographer Tim Hetherington killed in Libya

The BBC is reporting that 41 year old British journalist and photographer Tim Hetherington, co-director of the Oscar-nominated documentary Restrepo, has been killed today in a mortar attack in Libya. Two other journalists are thought to have been injured on a main road leading into Misrata, an area of intense fighting in the region.

Source BBC.

Eizo out 27-inch ColorEdge CG275W display

High-end monitor manufacturer Eizo has announced the self-calibrating ColorEdge CG275W, a 27-inch wide gamut display for imaging professionals. Uniquely, the CG275W has a built-in spectrophotometer located in the lower left of the bezel which pops up automatically when calibration is initiated using the supplied ColorNavigator software. The monitor will be available in April, but there's no word as yet on the price.

UPDATE 19 December 2011, the CG275W retails at $3,389.

Press release

EIZO’s new self-calibrating, eco-friendly 27”

EIZO has announced the launch of its new ColorEdge CG275W, a 27” monitor for professionals in prepress, digital photography, graphic design, video editing, post production, and other graphics fields.

EIZO UK is exclusively unveiling the ColorEdge CG275W 27” self calibrating monitor at this year’s “Focus on Imaging” show. Exhibiting on stand C3 at the NEC from the 6th – 9th March 2011, the new CG275W will take centre stage amongst the rest of the EIZO ColorEdge and FlexScan monitors at the renowned photographic show.

The ColorEdge CG275W features a built-in calibration sensor for self-calibration. It becomes the second monitor in the graphics industry with this capability, following EIZO’s ColorEdge CG245W which was released last year.

Self-calibration eliminates the need for a third-party external calibration device and improves work efficiency since the monitor can be scheduled to self-calibrate outside of work hours when the computer is turned off. The computer itself is not necessary so a self-calibrated ColorEdge CG275W can be used with any operating system.

The ColorEdge CG275W uses an IPS (in-plane switching) LCD panel with a native resolution of 2560 x 1440 (16:9 aspect ratio). This is more pixels than produced by two 19-inch monitors with a 1280 x 1024 native resolution so the monitor has ample space for displaying graphics applications and tool palettes. It has a maximum brightness of 270 cd/m2, contrast ratio of 850:1, 6 ms grey-to-grey response time, and 178° viewing angles.

DVI-D, DisplayPort, and Mini DisplayPort inputs are included. All three ports offer up to 10-bit display which allows the monitor to show 1.07 billion colours simultaneously from a 16-bit look-up table (LUT).1

Several features are included for accurate colour display.
•    Gamma curve is calibrated on the factory line.
•    Wide colour gamut reproduces 97% of the Adobe RGB colour space.
•    3D LUT improves the panel’s additive colour mixture (combination of red, green, and blue) for more accurate colour and greyscale tones.
•    Digital Uniformity Equaliser (DUE) compensates for fluctuations in brightness and chroma uniformity that are characteristic of LCD panels.
•    EIZO-patented technology stabilizes the brightness after start up or coming out of sleep mode.

The ColorEdge CG275W uses hardware calibration so the monitor itself is calibrated rather than the computer’s graphics card. This ensures no tones are lost in the calibration process for more predictable on-screen colour. EIZO’s bundled ColorNavigator calibration software2 is used for setting the target values for brightness, white point, and gamma and generating an ICC profile.

ColorNavigator includes a “Correlation Utility” that matches the measurement results of the ColorEdge CG275W’s built-in calibration sensor to those of an external calibration device. This may be necessary in a work environment where the ColorEdge CG275W is used with other monitors and all measurement results need to be standardised.

The ColorEdge CG275W comes with six preset colour modes that reproduce common colour spaces used in pre-press, digital photography, broadcasting and digital cinema: Adobe RGB, sRGB, Rec709, EBU, SMPTE-C, and DCI.

Additional Features
•    Includes a shading hood that can be used in portrait mode as well as landscape mode.
•    FlexStand 2 with 90° portrait display, 151.5 mm height adjustment, 25° tilt, and 344° swivel.
•    Energy-saving presence sensor that detects when the user is absent and prompts the monitor to enter sleep mode. When the user returns, normal operation automatically resumes.
•    USB 2.0 hub with one upstream and two downstream ports.
•    Consumes less than one watt in power save mode and no power when turned off.
•    Simulation of two types of red-green (protanopia and deuteranopia) and one type of blue-yellow (tritanopia) color blindness.3 This helps designers to verify their colour schemes can be recognized by people with all types of colour vision.

And as usual with all EIZO ColorEdge displays, the ColorEdge CG275W has the leading industry 5 years onsite warranty.

 

Contact

More information can be found at the Eizo website here.

Sales

To buy from Adorama in NYC, please follow the link here.

Pentax rolls out smc PENTAX-DA 18-135mm F3.5-5.6ED

Along with the new 16MP K-5 DSLR, Pentax has announced a new kit lens, the smc PENTAX-DA 18-135mm F3.5-5.6ED AL[IF] DC WR. It's the equivalent to 28-200mm on a 35mm camera, boasts an internal DC motor (Direct Current), ED glass and weatherproof construction. Pentax say it will be available from early November with a RRP of £599.99 (inc tax).

Pentax make 16MP K-5 DSLR official

Pentax has announced today the K-5 DSLR, packing a 16.3-megapixel CMOS sensor with a sensitivity ranging from ISO 80 to ISO 51,200 (with expansion), 3-inch (921k dot resolution) screen and continuous shooting up to 7fps. Based on the Pentax K-7 magnesium-alloy body with stainless steel chassis, the new model is said to boast faster autofocus, and upgraded HDR function and 1080(25p) AVI (Motion JPEG) video clips with a 25 minute record time. A 720p mode is also available with 25fps and 30fps options. Unfortunately, there's no 24p option at this time, but the K-5 has a stereo mic input for an external microphone.
The K-5 will be available from mid-late October 2010.
Recommended Retail Price:
K-5 +18-55mm WR - £1199.99
K-5 + 18-55mm WR + 50-200mm WR - £1299.99
K-5 + 18-135mm WR - £1699.99

Pentax to add medium format 645D to UK range

Pentax has announced today, at Photokina, that the 645D will be available in the UK from early December 2010. The recommended retail price will be £8999.99 (body only) and £9999.99 for the kit (inc. 55mm SDM 645 lens). Both prices include tax.

Arca Swiss unveils d4 and d4m pan and tilt heads

Arca Swiss, the specialist camera and tripod head maker, has introduced two new pan and tilt heads, the geared d4 and simpler d4m.The new d4 model promises micro-metric adjustment. We hope to have more information on the price and availability later.

UPDATE:

ARCA-SWISS d4: 110x90xH100 - weight: 800 gr. - price: 790 euros (excl VAT)
(price may vary according to the fastening system chosen)

ARCA-SWISS d4m: 90x70xH100 - weight: 640 gr. price: 490 euros (excl VAT)
(price may vary according to the fastening system chosen)

Press release:

ARCA-SWISS d4

With the invention of the d4 pan tilt head ARCA-SWISS has put an end to setting levers of 3d heads that extend in all directions and always get in the way. No
more uneven swiveling out of the camera. No more oversized dimensions, heavy loads and other all too well-known drawbacks to get in your way. We get straight to the point.

The innovative design of the ARCA-SWISS d4 gear-head unites the pivot points of the X and Y movements at the same point. The result of this new concept: identical and the smallest possible rotational radii. That ensures small camera movements and, as a consequence, almost no deviations in scale, which, until now, led to reduced depth of field in digital photography and all too often made tedious corrections necessary.

The self-locking, micro-metric movements in X and Y result from separate gear mechanisms, manufactured with a high-strength special alloy. Every tilt movement has its own fine tuning knob and a lockable free wheel button. That means the tilts can optionally be carried out in freewheeling-modus. The possibility of free movement in both axes using the freewheeling modus ensures free movements similar to those of a spherical head.

The ARCA-SWISS d4 has, like the cube C1 from ARCA-SWISS, a turning device on its base to align the camera as well as a panning device under the camera mount for panorama pans which maintains the swivel axis. Underneath the panorama feature are 2 bubble levels at a 90° angle to align the camera.

In addition to the tilts in X and Y and the panorama rotation, the ARCA-SWISS camera mount enables the camera back and forth movement in the exposure axis, the 4th dimension, so to speak, as the model number d4 symbolizes. The outstanding specifications of the d4 include the record-breaking weight of just 790gr. There is no d4 smaller gear-head on the market.

ARCA-SWISS d4m

The ARCA-SWISS d4m has no gears, its adjustments are made manually in all directions. Its other features are the same as the d4‘s. The ARCA-SWISS d4 gear-head joins the line of the most innovative and state-of-the-art tripod head such as the ARCA-SWISS C1cube, the ARCA-SWISS monoball® p and monoball® Z.

The d4 is especially suitable for efficient and precise work in digital studio photography and outdoors for architectural photography. The d4 is the world’s smallest, most functional and lightest gear-head.

UPDATE 23/12/10: Arca Swiss don't have an offcial website as such, but this excellent (German) site sells all their gear. UK readers should look here for the official importer.

Adorama sell some Arca Swiss gear, shop here, including the outstanding C1 Cube and P1 (we use the similar P0 but it's not listed at Adorama). Amazon sells Arca Swiss too, shop here.

Read our review of Gitizo tripods here.

Canon and Nikon pro lenses get Don Zeck treatment

Any pro photographer knows the OEM hoods for Nikon and Canon telephoto lenses are tricky to use at the best of times, and while they're well made and offer excellent protection for the front element and hood, they aren't really all that useful when you're on the move. Made from engineering plastic and featuring a 'O'-ring seals, the Don Zeck lens cap is meant as a replacement for the original spec and is available for a number of Canon and Nikon telephotos. The price is $54.95 each, regardless of size, and shipping is free for US customers, or just $12.50 for international orders.

Press release:

Canon® and Nikon® Lenses Get a New Level of Protection for the Front Optics with The Don Zeck Lens Cap

Don Zeck Lens Cap welcomes their newest dealer: Photo Craft located in Burke VA. Check out their website www.ephotocraft.com or call them at 703-250-5555.

Portland, OR (PRWEB) June 15, 2010 -- Photographers cover your glass with a lens cap that has raised the bar for function, design, and simplicity. These sturdy caps have a US Patent and offer the best protection from scratches, dust, rain, and other hazards. Each lens cap is equipped with a collapsible low-profile handle so that the cap can easily be mounted while the hood is in the shooting or stored position. The caps are precision CNC machined from rugged black polypropylene and equipped with "O" rings that will not mark or damage your lens. Nothing touches your lens optics and the thick design will protect against damage to your front element. The product design and quality speak for itself. Please view our detailed photos at our website http://www.donzecklenscap.com.

Don Zeck Lens Cap

Fits the following Canon and Nikon Lenses:
Nikon® / Nikkor® caps are available in the following sizes: 200mm F2.0 VR, 300mm F2.8 VR, 300mm F2.8 AF-S, 400mm F2.8 VR, 400mm F2.8 AF-S, 500mm F4 VF, 500mm F4 AF-S, 600mm F4 VR, 200-400mm F4 VR.

Canon® EOS - EF - USM - IS caps are produced in the following sizes: 200mm F2.0 IS, 300mm F2.8 IS, 400mm F4 DO IS, 400mm F2.8 IS, 500mm F4 IS, 600mm F4 IS, 800mm F5.6 IS. Some Non – Image Stabilized caps are still available.

Don is a Portland inventor and photographer who developed the lens caps in 2006. The “Don Zeck Lens Cap” sells for $54.95 and comes with a 30 day money back guarantee as well as a lifetime warranty for materials and workmanship. We offer FREE domestic shipping. The caps are available at Don’s web site www.donzecklenscap.com.

Apple announces redesigned Mac mini

Apple has today announced the updated Mac Mini with a new form factor, more powerful NVIDIA GeForce 320M graphics and memory up to 8GB. Prices start at $699 / £649 for the base model and $999 / £929 for the Server version.

Press release:

Apple Unveils All New Mac mini

Apple Unveils All New Mac mini

CUPERTINO, California—June 15, 2010—Apple today unveiled a completely redesigned Mac mini, featuring up to twice the graphics performance, a new HDMI port, and a new SD card slot, all in an amazingly compact aluminium enclosure. Mac mini is the world’s most energy efficient desktop and starting at $699 / £649 inc VAT, is the most affordable way to enjoy Mac OS X, iLife or Mac OS X Snow Leopard Server.

“The sleek, aluminium Mac mini packs great features, versatility and value into an elegant, amazingly compact design,” said Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. "With twice the graphics performance, HDMI support and industry-leading energy efficiency, customers are going to love the new Mac mini.”

Created with the unibody construction process pioneered by Apple, the new Mac mini features a compact aluminium enclosure just 7.7-inches square and 1.4-inches thin. A new integrated power supply eliminates the need for an external power adapter, reducing overall system volume by 20 percent and keeping cable clutter to a minimum. A removable panel underneath provides quick access for memory expansion. Mac mini is incredibly versatile, effortlessly connecting to existing peripherals such as mice, keyboards and digital displays, while the new HDMI output connects Mac mini to an HDTV and the new SD card slot enables easy transfer of photos and videos from a digital camera.

Inside its sleek, compact enclosure, the new Mac mini includes the fastest integrated graphics processor on the market today. With 48 processing cores, the NVIDIA GeForce 320M graphics processor delivers up to twice the graphics performance of its predecessor, making Mac mini ideal for graphics intensive applications or visually rich games. Mac mini comes standard with a 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 320GB hard and 2GB of RAM for £649 inc VAT.

With twice the graphics performance, the new Mac mini is still the world’s most energy efficient desktop*. The new Mac mini reduces power consumption by an incredible 25 percent to less than 10W at idle, less than half the power required by competing systems. Mac mini meets Energy Star 5.0 requirements and achieves EPEAT Gold status**. The new aluminium enclosure is highly recyclable and Mac mini uses PVC-free internal components and cables, contains no brominated flame retardants and features material-efficient system and packaging designs.

Mac mini comes with Mac OS X Snow Leopard, the world’s most advanced operating system, and iLife, Apple’s innovative suite of applications for managing photos, making movies and creating and learning to play music. Snow Leopard builds on a decade of OS X innovation and success with hundreds of refinements, new core technologies and out of the box support for Microsoft Exchange. iLife features iPhoto, to easily organise and manage photos; iMovie with powerful easy-to-use new features such as Precision Editor, video stabilisation and advanced drag and drop; and GarageBand which introduces a whole new way to help you learn to play piano and guitar.

Mac mini with Mac OS X Snow Leopard Server fulfils all the server needs of a workgroup or small business including email, calendar, file serving, Time Machine backup, Wiki Server, Podcast Producer and more. Mac mini with Mac OS X Snow Leopard Server uses less than 11W of power at idle, a fraction of the power consumed in comparison to typical entry-level tower servers***. Mac mini with Mac OS X Snow Leopard Server is faster than before with a 2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, two 500GB hard drives now running at 7200 rpm, 4GB of RAM and supports unlimited clients for $999 / £929 inc VAT.

Pricing & Availability
The new Mac mini is shipping today and will be available through the Apple Store (www.apple.com/uk), Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorised Resellers.

The Mac mini, for a suggested retail price of £649 inc VAT (£552.34 ex VAT) includes:
• 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 3MB of shared L2 cache;
• 2GB of 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM, expandable up to 8GB;
• a slot-load 8X SuperDrive (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW) optical drive;
• 320GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 5400 rpm;
• NVIDIA GeForce 320M integrated graphics;
• AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking & Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;
• Gigabit Ethernet;
• four USB 2.0 ports;
• SD card slot;
• one FireWire 800 port;
• one HDMI port and one Mini DisplayPort;
• HDMI to DVI video adapter;
• combined optical digital audio input/audio line in (minijack); and
• combined optical digital audio output/headphone out (minijack).

The Mac mini with Mac OS X Snow Leopard Server, for a suggested retail price of £929 inc VAT (£790.64 ex VAT), includes:
• 2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 3MB of shared L2 cache;
• 4GB of 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM, expandable up to 8GB;
• two 500GB Serial ATA hard drives running at 7200 rpm;
• NVIDIA GeForce 320M integrated graphics;
• AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking & Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;
• Gigabit Ethernet;
• four USB 2.0 ports;
• SD card slot;
• one FireWire 800 port;
• one HDMI port and one Mini DisplayPort;
• HDMI to DVI video adapter;
• combined optical digital audio input/audio line in (minijack); and
• combined optical digital audio output/headphone out (minijack).

Build-to-order options and accessories include up to 8GB 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM, 500GB hard drive running at 5400 rpm; Apple Remote; Aperture 3, Final Cut Express 4, Logic Express, iWork (pre-installed); Apple Wireless Keyboard; Magic Mouse; Apple 24-inch LED Cinema Display and the AppleCare Protection Plan.

*Claim based on energy efficiency categories and products listed within the EPA ENERGY STAR 5.0 database as of June 2010.

**EPEAT is an independent organisation that helps customers compare the environmental performance of notebooks and desktops. Products meeting all of the 23 required criteria and at least 75 percent of the optional criteria are recognised as EPEAT Gold products. The EPEAT program was conceived by the US EPA and is based on IEEE 1680 standard for Environmental Assessment of Personal Computer Products. For more information visit www.epeat.net.

***Claim based on energy efficiency categories and products listed within the EPA ENERGY STAR Small Scale Server database as of June 2010.

Sigma confirms price and availability of SD15 DSLR

Sigma has announced the new 14-megapixel SD15 will be avialble art the begining of July and will retail for £899.99. Sigma has also taken the opportunity to announce the new 17-50mm f/2.8 EX DC OS HSM zoom is available now in Canon mount, with Sigma, Nikon, Sony and Pentax to follow. The suggested retail price is £649.99

Press release:

Sigma SD15

Digital SLR camera with “TRUE II” image processing engine

Sigma Imaging (UK) Ltd is pleased to announce that the suggested retail price of the new SD15 digital SLR is £899.99. This camera is the latest model in Sigma’s SD series and will be available at the beginning of July.

Powered by the 14 megapixel Foveon X3 direct image sensor it can capture all primary RGB colours at each and every pixel location arranged in three layers.

The new SD15 incorporates the “TRUE II” image processing engine which processes the large amount of data from the 14 megapixel direct image sensor. It also provides high resolution power and reproduces high definition images with impressive three-dimensional detail, rich in gradation.

The camera adopts the SD card and incorporates a highly visible 3.0 inch LCD monitor, 77-Segment AE sensor and AFE (Analogue Front End). It provides high image quality and user friendly design. In addition, the durable shutter mechanism, which has a life of over 100,000 actuations, is ideal for the demands of digital photography.

Further information on the SD15 can be found at www.SIGMA-SD.com/sd15

Sony announces A390 and A290 DSLRs

Sony has announced upgrades to the A330 and A230 entry-level DSLRs. As hinted at by leaks on the internet, the new models, called the A390 and A290, respectively, feature 14.2 megapixel resolution sensors (up from 10.2MP) a new, larger grip and some slight cosmetic updates. The new A390 also replaces the A380. Prices are £449 (inc VAT ) for the A390 body only, while the A290 is listed at £399 on the Sony UK site. Both are available for pre-order now, with delivery 5-days after release.

Sony A390

Sony A290

Press release:

More style and value by Sony for first-time DSLR users Easy-to-use DSLR-A390 and DSLR-A290 with 14.2 megapixels

Sony A390 (left) & A290 (right)

• DSLR-A390 with 14.2 megapixels, Quick AF Live View and 6.7cm (2.7-inch) tilt LCD; DSLR-A290 with 14.2 megapixels
• Compact, stylish body with new grip design and revised button layout for comfortable handling
• Quick AF Live View with tilt LCD (α390) for live image preview with fast, accurate autofocus
• Friendly on-screen Help Guide and Graphic Display
• HDMI output and BRAVIA Sync



The α (Alpha) digital SLR range from Sony grows further with two stylish, affordable new entry-level cameras.

Ideal for first-time DSLR users, the DSLR-A390 (α390) and DSLR-A290 (α290) offer a dramatic step up in picture quality and creative options from point-and-shoot compact cameras. Just as importantly, they’re beautifully easy to use, even if you’ve never handled a DSLR before.

With a resolution of 14.2 effective megapixels for flawless, low-noise images, both cameras offer the speedy shooting responses that are prized by DSLR users. The α390 adds the extra benefit of Quick AF Live View. This unique system teams the convenience of live image preview on the tilt-angle Clear Photo LCD with speedy, accurate phase-detection autofocus.

The most affordable new DSLR from Sony, the α290 offers the same 14.2 effective megapixel resolution as the α390 in a compact body that weighs just 456g (excluding battery and media).

Both cameras feature an attractive new grip design that allows even more comfortable handling. Upper control areas of both models have also been revised with a clear, uncluttered new button layout.

Even DSLR novices will find it brilliantly simple to explore the generous creative features of both new cameras. The intuitive Graphic Display makes it easy to understand the relation between shutter speed and aperture, plus the effects of your chosen exposure settings on the final picture. The Help Guide offers clear, concise explanations of camera functions, illustrated by a sample image to show the results you’ll achieve. Quick access to shooting and playback function menus is streamlined by colourful on-screen icons.

The α390 and α290 include a mini-HDMI terminal for direct connection to any HD Ready TV (requires optional cable). Support for PhotoTV HD ensures even better-looking still image reproduction on compatible BRAVIA™ models. BRAVIA™ Sync allows control of slideshow and other camera playback functions in comfort using your TV remote.

The stylish, easy to use new α390 and α290 digital SLR cameras by Sony are available from summer 2010.

Adobe officially releases Lightroom 3

Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3 Now Available

Major Release Advances Image Quality, Performance and Workflow Flexibility for Photographers

London., — June 8, 2010 — Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) today announced the immediate availability of Adobe® Photoshop® Lightroom® 3 software for Windows® and Macintosh, the essential digital photography workflow solution that allows photographers to quickly organize, enhance and showcase their images from one application. First released as a public beta in October 2009, the final version of Lightroom 3 introduces a completely redesigned performance architecture that better handles growing image libraries and provides an unrivaled raw processing engine with noise reduction and sharpening tools to achieve the highest image quality. The 64-bit capable Lightroom 3 includes new features that optimise workflows and allow images to be shared in creative ways, including support for DSLR video files and tethered shooting on select cameras.

“There have been over 600,000 downloads of the Lightroom 3 public beta, which has supplied us with a huge amount of valuable feedback from a passionate community of professional and advanced amateur photographers,” said Kevin Connor, vice president of product management for Digital Imaging at Adobe. “The open dialog we have with our customers allows us to further improve Lightroom and provide the best tools they need to produce high-quality images. We’re happy to see that so many people are anxiously anticipating the final release, so they can start taking advantage of all the new features they had a hand in developing.”

Public Beta Process Perfects Lightroom 3 New Features
Re-built from its core to be lightening fast and responsive, Lightroom 3 adds power throughout the application to provide a fluid experience for photographers. Images load almost instantaneously, and the import experience has been redesigned to be more intuitive, with added previews and default selections that give users quick access to sort through and find images. Helping streamline and adapt to photographers’ changing workflows, Lightroom 3 now allows users to import and manage DSLR video files, as well as take advantage of tethered shooting for select Nikon and Canon cameras.

New state-of-the-art photographic tools help photographers bring out the best in their images. Unrivaled Luminance and Color Noise Reduction tools help produce a clearer picture from high ISO or underexposed images while still preserving details. The highly-requested Automatic Lens Correction feature can dramatically improve the results possible with any lens by allowing users to apply profiles that correct for undesirable geometric distortions, chromatic aberrations, and lens vignette effects that most lenses introduce to the image. Users now also have a straighten tool to perfect vertical and horizontal perspective, additional presets for applying more photographic adjustment styles, and three new contemporary vignette styles and a Grain effect to add a more natural look with images.

Lightroom 3 Expands Image Showcasing
Output options have also been enhanced in this release, with new capabilities to publish collections on online sharing sites. Flickr® users have the ability to synch their accounts to Lightroom with one click, and integration with additional online photo sharing sites can be added via third-party plug-ins. Customisable print layouts provide more refined control over how photographers present final images, and new watermarking features with options to modify text, size, location and style, help give professionals and amateurs flexibility for branding images. Lightroom 3 now also includes the ability to export polished slideshows as video files with the option to add audio and title screens.

Pricing and Availability
Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3 for Windows and Macintosh is available now at www.adobe.com/uk/store. The estimated street price is £198 for new users with an upgrade price of £63 for qualified registered Lightroom users. Recommended system requirements are Macintosh OS X v 10.5, 10.6 with Intel® based processor, or Microsoft® Windows® 7, Windows Vista® Home Premium, Business, Ultimate, or Enterprise or Windows XP with Service Pack 3, Intel® Pentium® 4 processor, 2 GB RAM and a 1,024x768 resolution screen.

Additional information on product features, upgrade policies, pricing, and language versions is available on www.adobe.com/uk/products/photoshoplightroom.

Join the Lightroom community on Facebook (www.facebook.com/lightroom) and Twitter (http://twitter.com/lightroom).

Nik Software unwraps new Academic Program

Lower product prices and expanded distribution broaden reach to the academic community in North America.

San Diego, CA (PRWEB) June 3, 2010 — Nik Software announces today a new academic program designed to make its award-winning digital imaging software products accessible to more students and faculty located in the U.S. and Canada at more affordable prices. The program includes broader academic distribution through channels serviced by The Douglas Stewart Company and pricing up to 50% off standard retail prices for all students and educators at any accredited educational institution.

This distribution partnership with The Douglas Stewart Company now enables us to offer academic pricing on a much broader scale and reach virtually every student and educator in North America. “We have been committed to the academic market for over a decade and have always seen the importance of supporting the next generation of aspiring photographers,” said Michael Slater, president and CEO of Nik Software.

The Douglas Stewart Company is the leading distributor and marketer of computer products, consumer electronics and school supplies exclusively serving the education market. By partnering with The Douglas Stewart Company, academic versions of all Nik Software products will be available through thousands of new stores, including traditional college bookstores.

In addition, educational retailers like Journey Education and Academic Superstore, as well as traditional Nik Software retailers such as Amazon, B&H Photo and others, will also sell boxed academic versions. Eligibility for students and faculty is provided by a simple third-party verification service.

Discounted pricing for Academic versions of Nik Software products are as follows:


Dfine 2.0 - $49.99
Viveza 2 - $99.99
Color Efex Pro 3.0 Complete - $149.99
Silver Efex Pro - $99.99
Sharpener Pro 3.0 - $99.99
Complete Collection for Lightroom and Aperture - $149.99
Complete Collection Ultimate Edition for Photoshop, Lightroom, and Aperture - $299.99

Free fully functional 15-day trial software, live online training, and over 80 training videos are available for all Nik Software products at: http://www.niksoftware.com.

About Nik Software
Nik Software, Inc. is a privately held company that develops software solutions and provides award-winning educational programs for the digital imaging and photography markets. Established in 1995, Nik Software has become the recognized leader in digital photographic filter development and produces award-winning technology and software products for digital photography and imaging professionals including U Point® technology (www.upoint.com), Dfine® 2.0, Viveza® 2, Color Efex Pro™ 3.0, Silver Efex Pro™, and Sharpener Pro™ 3.0 software. For more information visit www.niksoftware.com.

PocketWizard add AC3 ZoneController

PocketWizard has announced the AC3 ZoneController, and add-on to the on-camera Mini TT1 Transmitter or Flex TT5 Transceiver giving three zones of flash control. Whether working in E-TTL or manual mode, AC3 provides control over slaves directly from the camera’s position.

Key Features:
• Three independent zones of flash control.
• 6-stops of flash control in 1/3-stop increments.
• Works in PowerTracking E-TTL II or Manual mode.
• Turn zones On & Off remotely.
• Works with Canon Speedlites, Elinchrom RX, and Alien Bees flash. Nikon coming soon.
• Put your flashes where you want, without worrying about accessing them during a shoot.

The AC3 will ship at the end of June for $69.99 / £59.99 inc VAT.

Black Rapid add FastenR-3 to range

Black Rapid, the manufacturer of a innovative of camera-straps, has announced a new nickel-plated stainless steel securing screw, called FastenR-3 to the range. This new securing-point features enhanced locking ridges on the underside (not shown), and a highly compressible washer, to ensure a solid connection between your camera and Black Rapid strap. The FastenR-3 is designed as replacement for the standard fastener (FastenR-2) on the RS4, RS5 and RS7 and retails at £14 inc VAT. The FastenR-3 is available now.

For more information please see here.


Be sure to check back soon for our review of the Black Rapid RS-5.

Pretec outs world's fastest and largest CF card

Pretec, one of the most innovative CF card makers in the world, has today announced the world's highest capacity CF card, at 128GB. It's rated at 567x (up to 85 MB/s), however the company has also released details of a super-high speed card, rated at 667x (up to 100 MB/s) but with a lower maximum capacity of 64GB. Production will start in June this year and both cards will have a suggested retail of $699.

Rival pro-spec CF cards, such as that from both SanDisk and Lexar Media are currently rated at 600x (90MB/s) and are similarly available up to 64GB in capacity (32GB for Lexar Pro cards).

For more information please read the press release below.

Taipei, Taiwan, May 28th 2010
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Pretec, creator of the highest capacity CompactFlash card in the world since 1998 and the fastest CF card in the world , continues today its record breaking history in the field of speed and capacity by unveiling the even higher capacity and speed CF128GB card at Computex Taipei 2010 (TWTC Nangang Exhibition Hall, Lower Exhibition Hall booth J317a).

Pretec today releases 128GB 567X CF cards with access speed approaching 100MB/s, overtaking the Pretec 233X 100GB CF card, the previous Pretec world’s highest capacity record holder; and super high speed 667X 64GB card capable of running up to 100 MB per second of Read/Write speed, the highest speed CF card in the world. Both Pretec 128GB 567X CF card and 667X 64GB CF card will be shown at the upcoming Computex Taipei 2010.

To continue the high reliability tradition of Pretec CF card series, CF 567X and 667X CF cards are constructed with unique precision metal housing to provide extensive ruggedness. Since such high speed CF cards have already exceed the access speed of USB 2.0, Pretec has provided a low cost version of IDE to CF card readers for more than 10 years, in which users can use the high speed CF card in a PC conveniently beyond the speed of USB2.0.

In order to cope with the high speed era beyond IDE/CF limitation of theoretical maximum speed of 133MB/s, Pretec has also released two super high speed products together with the CF 567X and 667X CF cards:

- Pretec’s ExpressCard CompactFlash Reader for MacBook Pro or Notebook equipped with ExpressCard 34/54 slot, capable of access 100MB/s of super high speed Pretec products now, with theoretic maximum interface speed for more than 300MB/s, this CF card reader is the highest speed in the world.

- Pretec’s CFast card, released on 2009 in CES, is the highest speed CF sized small form factor card, with access speed of more than 133MB/s, fully compliant with next generation CF specification from CFA. Even higher speed and capacity CFast cards will be released by Pretec soon.

Both Pretec 567X 128GB and 667X 64GB CF cards are sampling now, with suggested retail price of $699, mass production will start by June of 2010.

Phase One Offers free download of Expression Media to existing C1 license holders

Phase One, developers of Capture One, the high-quality Raw workflow utility are offering existing users the opportunity to download a free copy of the recently acquired Expression Media asset management utility, (see yesterday's news story here).

Fore more details, including the option to download the utility, see here.

Phase One buys Expression Media from Microsoft

Phase One A/S the medium format back maker and developer of the high quality Capture One raw software utility has unexpectedly acquired the Expression Media (PC, Mac) application from Microsoft Corp. Expression Media was formerly known and widely respected by imaging pros as iView Media Pro. Microsoft Corp added iView to its portfolio a number of years ago.

Read the full press release:

Phase One, a Digital Photography Leader, Acquires Microsoft’s Expression Media Product

Agreement focuses on strong customer support throughout transition.

REDMOND, Wash., and COPENHAGEN, Denmark — May 25, 2010 — Microsoft Corp. and Phase One A/S, a leader in digital photography, are announcing that Phase One acquired the Microsoft Expression Media product. This agreement is built on an existing strategic alliance between the companies forged in 2007 to improve digital imaging solutions for professional and enthusiast photographers.

Expression Media is a leading digital asset management application used to catalog and organize photos, video and music for effortless retrieval, presentation and sharing. Expression Media will join Phase One’s product lineup, which includes open-platform-based, medium- format camera systems able to render up to 60.5 megapixel resolution, and Capture One raw- conversion and image-editing software, which supports more than 170 different file formats and provides superior image quality with excellent color and detail. Phase One products are used by some of the world’s leading photographers.

“We’re excited about taking ownership of Expression Media,” said Henrik O. Håkonsson, president and CEO, Phase One. “We have worked with Microsoft for several years, during which many of our customers have chosen Expression Media for their digital asset management needs. We are now planning product developments to help meet the growing needs of current and future customers. As an immediate benefit to existing Expression Media customers who may not yet have tried it, we are offering a free copy of Capture One to help enhance their photographic workflow.”

Under the terms of the agreement, Phase One takes full ownership of the Expression Media product. To ensure a smooth transition for Expression Media customers, Microsoft will continue to provide support to retail customers for 90 days. Phase One will begin offering support for the Expression Media product after the 90-day transition period. Microsoft customers who are currently using Expression Media under an Enterprise Agreement will continue to receive support from Microsoft through the term of their agreements. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

“Microsoft's sale of Expression Media to Phase One, within the context of the companies' relationship, is good news for the future of the product and for its customers,” said IDC analyst Ron Glaz. “Phase One's focus and expertise in the digital photography market make it well suited to drive product developments that will best serve the growing needs of imaging professionals.”

“Phase One is a respected and deeply committed leader in the digital photography market. With its strong experience in digital imaging software solutions, we’re thrilled that it will drive this technology forward,” said Josh Weisberg, director of Strategy and Business Development at Microsoft. “Through this agreement, we’ve made every effort to ensure that the integrity of the Expression Media technology remains intact and that our customers experience a seamless transition.”

The agreement was brokered by Microsoft’s IP Ventures program, a vehicle for Microsoft to get technologies into the hands of other businesses, spurring the economy and putting the best innovations in the hands of consumers. Microsoft will continue to develop the Expression Studio design tools for Silverlight and .Net.

Additional information about the Expression Media product and transition to Phase One is available at http://www.microsoft.com/prophoto/expressionmedia2/default.aspx and http://www.phaseone.com/expressionmedia2.

As an aside, most, if not all, of the images on this site are prepared for publication using iView Media Pro.

Lexar shipping 16GB and 32GB Pro 133x speed SDHC

Lexar Media has announced their pro-spec (133x) SDHC cards are now available* in both 16GB and 32GB capacities.

*Amazon UK are only showing the LEXAR 16 GB 133x Professional SDHC Media Card at the time of posting.

Press release:

Lexar Media Now Shipping 16GB and 32GB Professional 133x Secure Digital High Capacity (SDHC) Memory Cards

Increased Capacity Enables Capture of High-Quality Images and Video with SDHC-Compatible Digital SLR Cameras

May 25, 2010 – Lexar Media, a leading global provider of memory products for digital media, today announced that it is shipping Lexar® Professional 133x Secure Digital High Capacity (SDHC) memory cards in 16GB and 32GB capacities to retail outlets. For additional information about the 16GB and 32GB Lexar Professional 133x SDHC cards, visit www.lexar.com.

The Lexar Professional SDHC memory cards offer the maximum Class 10 speed rating, providing a blazing-fast minimum sustained write speed capability of 133x (20MB per second), while the higher capacities of the new 16GB and 32GB cards make them an excellent choice for shooting higher-resolution images and large-sized, high-definition video files with SDHC-compatible digital SLR cameras. In addition to enabling photographers to fully leverage a digital SLR’s high-speed processor, the Professional SDHC cards significantly accelerate image download times from the card to a host computer, improving the digital workflow.

“As camera manufacturers introduce new models that capture both photo and video content, photographers need memory solutions that keep up with their evolving shooting needs,” said Manisha Sharma, director of worldwide memory card product marketing, Lexar Media. “With the 16GB and 32GB capacities of the Lexar Professional SDHC cards, photographers can shoot longer without having to switch cards and potentially miss an amazing image. Photographers everywhere understand the benefits of increased capacities, and we’re pleased to be offering these cards to them through our extensive channel network.”

All Lexar memory card and card reader designs are tested in the Lexar Quality Labs, facilities with more than 800 digital cameras and memory card devices, to ensure performance, quality, compatibility, and reliability. Lexar performs this extensive testing in an effort to provide customers with the highest level of confidence, whether they are capturing once-in-a-lifetime memories, important events, or everyday occasions.

Customers can also access Lexar’s Digital Photography website, a dedicated, online resource and tips destination (http://www.lexar.com/dp/), and can leverage phone and live-chat tech support. Lexar provides these services and resources to customers to minimize the time required for troubleshooting card issues and to provide tools for photographers to optimize their shooting and focus on capturing great images.

All Lexar Professional memory cards include a limited lifetime warranty, a free downloadable copy of Image Rescue® 4 software, and exclusive, money-saving promotions from Adobe on popular photo and video editing products, including the latest versions of Adobe® Photoshop® Lightroom®, Adobe Photoshop Elements, and Adobe Premiere® Elements software.

Canon announce EOS 5D MkII firmware upgrade

Canon has today announced a firmware upgrade (v2.07) for the popular full-frame Canon Digital SLR Camera EOS 5D Mark II. The firmware is said to fix irregular aperture control in manual and aperture-priority exposure modes when shooting movies, address intermittent difference in exposure level between the viewfinder and LCD panel, and fix an occasional issue with powering down the wireless file transmitters (WFT-E4 and WFT-E4II).

The firmware update can be found here.

Domke add grey Limited range

Domke has announced a Limited range of bags in a rather fetching grey canvas and black trim. Just three models of the popular bags* have been selected for the new colour; the original F-2 (above), mid-size F-10 and super-compact F-3x. Prices start at £109.99, but there's no word as yet on availability.

Press release:

LIMITED OFFER GREY VERSIONS OF TRADITIONAL DOMKE BAGS

Domke the bag of choice for demanding press men and discerning enthusiasts the world over, has produced a limited production run in grey fabric with a coordinated black trim, of the three bags that built the company's legendary reputation.

The three bags to get the grey makeover are the F-10 Medium Shoulder Bag, F-3X Super Compact and the famous F-2 Original - the first bag in the Domke line some 30 years ago!

Grey is currently additional to the other fabric colours in the range and the models will continue to be available in sand, black, olive, brown, navy and wax finish Ruggedwear.

In all other respects the grey bags encompass trademark Domke features including practical design, durable fabrics and high quality fasteners and zips.

Prices for the new special limited edition bags are as follows: Model F-10 Shoulder Bag Grey £109.99, F-3X Super Compact Bag Grey £149.99, F-2 Original Bag Grey £174.99.

Commented Daniel Waite Tiffen's International Sales Manager Domke Products: "We are not sure as yet how many bags have been produced but this initiative provides an unparalleled opportunity for photographers to acquire one of Domke's iconic bags, with a unique slant.

Details of Domke select dealers or further information on the range, can be obtained by contacting the UK distributor Swains International plc on 0845 450 4242, sales@swains.co.uk or www.swains.co.uk

*Amazon UK has the Domke F-2 DOMKE'S Original Bag - Sand listed, but not the Limited models at the time of posting.