Sony announces firmware upgrade for A850 and A900 DSLRs

Sony has announced a free firmware upgrade for the full-frame A900 and A850, improving AF responsiveness, increasing the EV shift range from ±3EV to ±5EV (for improved HDR photos) and enabling the shutter release without a lens attached for astrophotography. The upgrade will be available shortly.
Press release

SONY ANNOUNCES FIRMWARE UPGRADE FOR DSLR-A900/A850

Creative shooting enhancements for full-frame α cameras

A firmware upgrade that refines shooting responses and creative options for the α900 and α850 35mm full-frame DSLR cameras from Sony.

All new and existing customers are advised to install the upgrade, available to download from the ‘Support’ area of the Sony web site.

Autofocus is quicker and more responsive than ever, thanks to improved AF motor control and smarter distance detection of out-of-focus objects.

Creative options are extended by a broadened range of exposure value (EV) compensation settings, now increased from ±3EV to ±5EV. Selected compensation value is displayed in the navigation display on the main LCD screen of both cameras. This boosted EV compensation range gives extra headroom when composing extremely high- or low-key images.
Exposure bracketing range has also been increased from a maximum of 4.0EV (three shots at -2EV, 0EV, +2EV) to a maximum of 6.0EV (-3EV, 0EV, +3EV). This wider range gives added flexibility when capturing multiple frames at different exposure values – for example when acquiring images for the creation of powerful post-shooting HDR effects.

As a further refinement, a new menu option allows shutter release to be enabled, even when the camera body doesn’t detect an attached lens. It’s useful for specialist applications such as astrophotography when the camera is attached to a telescope.

The latest firmware upgrade by Sony for registered α900 and α850 DSLR customers is available free of charge from here.

Canon offers mode dial mod for EOS 5D Mk II and EOS 7D

Canon UK has issued a service notice for a chargeable modification to the mode dials of the Canon EOS 5D Mk II and EOS 7D DSLRs. The modification is intended to prevent inadvertent selection during operation, but there's no indication that new cameras will have this feature delivered from the factory.
For more details please see here for EOS 5D Mk II and here for the EOS 7D.

Nikon offers festive £40 cashback on D3100 DSLR

Nikon Introduces Christmas Cashback Offer
 
 
1st December 2010: To celebrate the festive season customers purchasing the new Nikon D3100, body or lens kit, are now able to claim £40/󌍢 in a new Christmas cashback promotion from Nikon.
 
The D3100 cashback offer will run from 1st December 2010 until 31st January 2011 (inclusive) for customers in the UK and Republic of Ireland, and claims must be received by 28th February 2011 (inclusive). 
 
The Nikon D3100 is the most easy-to-use D-SLR to date, offering a range of high performance features that are designed to make taking quality images fun and easy. The camera’s Guide mode gives you step-by-step instructions of how to change the camera settings, so you not only get the picture you want but it helps you to understand how it was achieved so you can develop your photography skills. The D3100 is Nikon’s first DSLR to offer full HD movie mode so you can get creative with your photography and switch between shooting stills and video at the click of a button. And, with an HDMI port you can connect your camera to the TV and relive the festivities with friends and family.
 
Simon Iddon, Product Manager for Enthusiast products, says: “The D3100 is the ideal gift for people wanting to capture festive memories this Christmas and learn how to improve their photography skills. I am delighted that we’re able to introduce this cashback offer on our award-winning model and hope that it will make it even more accessible this season.”
 
For terms and conditions and information about how to make a claim please visit: www.nikon.co.uk/cashback. Offer subject to availability.

SanDisk, Sony and Nikon give green light to CF card replacement

SanDisk, Sony and Nikon have taken the unusual step to announce their intention to adopt the new CF card spec, dubbed CFast but not mentioned in the PR from Sony this afternoon, see below. The new card will be for forthcoming, and as yet unannounced, pro DSLRs, not compacts as they'll use SDXC (the PowerShot G12 and Nikon P700 both support SDXC). Perhaps the reason behind this announcement is the CFast form-factor is not backwards compatible with current CF card readers or cameras (although it's a similar size, there's a different pin arrangement). See here for Transcend's recent announcement regarding CFast cards.

Press release:

SANDISK, SONY AND NIKON PROPOSE INDUSTRY STANDARDS FOR NEXT-GENERATION HIGH-SPEED MEMORY CARD FORMAT
 
Companies to Jointly Develop New Specifications to Meet Needs of Professional Photography and Video Markets.

 

November 30, 2010 — SanDisk Corporation, Sony Corporation and Nikon Corporation today announced the joint development of a set of specifications that address the future requirements of professional photography and video markets. The three companies proposed the specifications to the CompactFlash® Association (CFA)*, the international standards organization, with the intent to standardize the format.

 Professional photography and High Definition (HD) video applications require a new generation of memory cards capable of processing significantly larger files. To address the imaging industry’s future speed and capacity demands, SanDisk, Sony and Nikon proposed a new card specification whose performance and storage capabilities surpass those of existing memory cards. Once accepted, the new format will enable exciting new possibilities in the professional imaging and video markets.

The proposed specifications achieve data transfer rates of up to 500 megabytes per second (MB/sec)** (theoretical maximum interface speed) using the highly versatile PCI Express*** interface. The increased speeds will enable imaging and video applications that could not be accomplished using the current CompactFlash specification’s Parallel ATA (PATA)**** interface. CF6.0, released in November 2010, offers maximum performance of up to 167MB/sec.

 The new specifications’ faster speeds enable continuous burst shooting of massive RAW images. The enhanced performance also allows users to quickly transfer storage-intensive high-resolution photos and videos from the card to a computer. The specifications combine high-speed data transfer with low power consumption via a power scaling system to extend battery life.

 In addition to industry-leading performance capabilities, the new memory card specifications also meet the future capacity and durability requirements of professional imaging applications. The proposed new specifications has the potential to extend theoretical maximum capacities beyond 2 terabytes (TB)*****, making it especially useful for high resolution images and HD video applications. Similar in size to a CompactFlash® card, the new specifications’ access control function and highly durable form factor produce a combination of physical ruggedness and reliability that is indispensable for professional usage models. 

 “This ultra high-speed media format will enable further evolution of hardware and imaging applications, and widen the memory card options available to CompactFlash users such as professional photographers,” said Mr. Shigeto Kanda, Canon, and chairman of the board, CFA. “This next generation format is expected to be widely adapted to various products, including those other than high-end DSLRs.”

 “The ultra high-speed media, which will be realized by this new card format, will expand the capability of digital SLR cameras and other professional digital imaging equipment,” said Mr. Kazuyuki Kazami, operating officer, vice president and general manager, development headquarters, imaging company, Nikon Corporation.

Arca get a grip with Rm2d

Arca Swiss has announced the price of the new Rm2d medium format camera at 3,090 Euros ex VAT. It's compatible with both film and digital backs from leading manufacturers at additional cost.

Hasselblad roll out steel HD4-40

After repeated requests from photographers visiting the Hasselblad booth at Photokina, where a steel-variant was on display, the company has announced it will build a limited run of 100 bodies. The camera is available now for close to 14k Euros plus VAT, or $18,500.


Press release
26/11/2010 In response to photographer requests after seeing the solid steel body around which all H4Ds are built at photokina, Hasselblad is now producing a limited run of 100 H4D-40 Stainless Steel cameras.

Revealing the solid stainless steel body that's at the core of all H4D-40's generated excitement among photographers not only because it demonstrated the camera's core strength but also because of its unique look and appealing aesthetic. Now, for a limited time, photographers who want their camera to look as striking as their pictures, can purchase the H4D-40 Stainless Steel for 13,990 Euros (body only +tax) or 14,990 Euros (with HC 2.8/80mm lens +tax).

The award-winning H4D-40 features Hasselblad's groundbreaking True Focus and Absolute Position Lock technology as well as the latest in extended functionality, including an electronic spirit level, previews in tethered mode, and a new graphical information display. With these advanced features, Hasselblad continues to develop the ultimate camera system for discerning photographers.

For more information on the H4D-40 Stainless Steel, please, visit the Hasselblad website at:
www.hasselblad.de/promotions/h4d-40-stainless-steel

Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep - Deeply Powerful Emotional Photography

One of the most emotional articles I have ever read has been posted to the PhotoShelter website today. It details the Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep Foundation (NILMDTS), a non-profit organization that administers a network of more than 7,000 volunteer photographers in the United States and 25 countries throughout the world.

It is the most amazing organization run with the most incredible volunteer photographers. All the babies shown in these beautiful portraits were stillborn, all the images were gifted to the parents as "remembrance photography."

To read more about this phenomenal charity and to read the full article, head to PhotoShelter here.

"NILMDTS is an incredible organization and being able to offer support to families experiencing loss through your photography and time is definitely very worthwhile," said Zenia Anderson, a professional photographer based in Southern California.

Photographers interested in volunteering, or learning more about NILMDTS can visit the photographer's area of the organization's website.

NEC Display adds Color Confidence as Pan European distributor

NEC Display Solutions appoint Color Confidence as pan-European distributor for their graphic arts display ranges giving reseller partners Europe-wide colour-critical advice and support

London, 23 November 2010 – NEC Display Solutions today appointed Europe’s leading value added distributor in the digital imaging markets, Color Confidence, as Pan-European distributor for its range of professional SpectraView® monitors. The partnership will allow existing and new NEC customers across Europe to benefit from the expertise and depth of knowledge that are integral to the distributor’s service. Color Confidence will be distributing the NEC range, which includes the colour-critical SpectraView® models, as well as the new PA series and the popular 90 series, across Europe with immediate effect.

With a solid reputation in the publishing, design and photography industries, NEC provide creative professionals with outstanding and cost-effective solutions. “The NEC range of monitors offers the very highest quality, the latest innovations and outstanding features which fully satisfy the demands of the creative professional for whom on-screen colour accuracy is essential,” commented Geoffrey Clements, Managing Director of Color Confidence “The partnership between NEC and Color Confidence will offer customers of both companies the commitment that their expectation of quality, innovation, expertise and service levels will be continually delivered and exceeded, which is why this is such an exciting partnership.”

As a Pan-European distributor, Color Confidence will be working with NEC to ensure reseller partners across Europe have the advice and support they require to provide their customers with the best possible pre and post sales service. In addition to their product knowledge and expertise, the distributor is also able to offer a fast and efficient delivery service through its warehousing operations and logistics hubs in the UK, Germany and Spain.“Color Confidence offer us an almost unique set of credentials, making them the ideal distribution partner for NEC monitors across Europe,“ commented Christopher Parker, Product Line Manager NEC Display Solutions Europe.  “Firstly, they will provide NEC customers with an unrivalled depth of product knowledge and expertise and secondly, they offer us an integrated approach to European distribution.

Having a dedicated distributor across all European territories is the best approach for both NEC and our customers in this niche sector. These were the essential qualities we demanded in our search for the right partner to help us to achieve our progressive European expansion plans, whilst retaining the quality, expert support and customer service on which our reputation is built.”

Further information can be found online at: www.nec-display-solutions.com and at www.colorconfidence.com

Three Middlesex University students win place in Taylor Wessing Portrait Prize exhibition at NPG

The Solitude of Pygmalion (c) 2010, Steve Barrett

Untitlled (c) 2010, Bar Am-David

It doesn’t matter who you sleep with (c) 2010, Rokas Darulis

Middlesex University has seen three of its photography students win a place in this years prestigious Taylor Wessing Portrait Prize photography competition at the National Portrait Gallery, London.

 

Press release:

Three Middlesex University students in Taylor Wessing Prize Exhibition
Greek mythology, Israeli/Arab relations and homophobia the subjects tackled in the three powerful entries

Middlesex University photography students continue to excel with three winning a place in the National Portrait Gallery (NPG) as part of the prestigious Taylor Wessing Portrait Prize photography exhibition.The Taylor Wessing Prize brings together the best portrait photography each year in a three month exhibition at the central London gallery.  This year, more than 2,400 photographers  entered almost 6,000 images. Steve Barritt, Bar Am-David and Rokas Darulis were among just 60 whose work was chosen to appear in the gallery. 

Last year, Middlesex was represented by two students at the Taylor Wessing Prize, one of whom was Steve, originally from Cubert, near Newquay. This year he submitted an image which was part of his final MA degree project.  The project, a series of contemporary retellings of ancient Greek myths, saw Steve having to gain and lose weight, let his hair grow and even not wash for a week, as he made himself the central character in each shot. His chosen image was “The Solitude of Pygmalion”  based on the myth of the sculptor who fell in love with his sculpture.  It shows Steve sitting naked on a bed in an untidy room, with walls covered in posters and magazine articles on Britney Spears. He said: “I made a lot of effort putting on lots of weight and letting myself go, even resorting to not washing for weeks.  One of the later ones was a model and a footballer so I had to lose the weight again, it was tough. “For the Middlesex MA they give you a lot of space, you come up with a project idea and they support you as you bring it together.”

Bar Am-David flew to Jaffa in Israel for his final year project on his BA photography course.  The 25 year-old, who graduated from Middlesex’s BA Photography degree in July and is now based in Camden, will have his photo of an Israeli soldier exhibited at the NPG.  He said: “I’m originally from Israel and I have a special connection with the country.  Jaffa is the only place in the whole of Israel that Israeli people and Arab people live together in peace. “I’m extremely happy and really didn’t expect to get selected from so many photographers.”

Rokas Darulis graduated from the BA in photography last summer.  His photo is one of a series from his series challenging violent homophobia in his home country, Lithuania, and across Eastern Europe.  The project, “It doesn’t matter who you sleep with”,  is a series of portraits of two people of the same sex in bed. Rokas, 22, now living in Hackney, said: “Last year I sent a couple of images but didn’t get though.  I just promised myself to apply every year until I made it.  I was extremely excited when I found out. “Being at Middlesex helped me a lot, my final project was based on portraiture and this project is a similar style.”   

The Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize runs at the National Portrait Gallery until 20 February 2011. Admission is £2, free for Gallery Supporters.

Panasonic updates Lumix DMC-G2 Firmware

Panasonic updates firmwares for DMC-G2 for performance enhancement and expanded compatibility
 
Panasonic releases new firmwares for the DMC-G2 of Lumix G Micro System to enhance the potential of the cameras and compatibility.
 
 

Firmware ver.1.1 for DMC-G2
 
·         Added function for recording and playing back 3D pictures
*The 3D interchangeable lens, H-FT012 (optional) is required for 3D recording.
* A 3D compatible TV is required to view 3D images.
* To comfortably view 3D images in the correct way, be sure to read the safety precautions in the operating instructions.
·         Improved operability of AE lock by maintaining the setting even when touch shutter function is used. 

 
The new firmware will be available worldwide at GMT:  02.00 18th November, 2010 at http://panasonic.net/avc/lumix/

Olympus to adopt QR codes in new TV campaign

Olympus is allowing viewers a sneak peak of a forthcoming TV ad using QR codes for the Pen EPL-1. There's a new £30 cash-back scheme too for UK purchasers.

Press Release
Olympus to use QR codes in new outdoor ad and in store
Olympus look set to be the first photographic company to make use of the burgeoning smart-phone ownership and have a QR code on their Christmas outdoor campaign due to kick off in early December along side a new TV spot all booked through MEC Manchester. The code will also be used on an increasing range of in store material.


"We have an engaging TV ad that includes some clear product benefit messages" says Mark Thackara, Olympus National Marketing Manager "it seems obvious to make the most of it and what better way than to encourage people to play it while they wait for a train or when they pick up the product in store".

The content will be hosted and streamed by iSite TV who have handled Olympus web videos on retailer sites for a number of years. "iSite have very strong platform and ensure fast delivery." says Thackara. "That is key to the user experience and although this is seen as a first step, we have worked hard to optimise the landing page and content. You will be able to play the TV ad, view the promotional offer and play a product demo all from the same fast link."

To check out the content on the E-PL1 camera and see a preview of the new ad use the code printed here. If you do not have a reader on your smart-phone, Text: PEN to 81400 and follow the link sent in return.

Four Photographers Describe Their Social Media Workflow

A really great article on Photoshelter this morning by Grover Sanschagrin. It describes how four photographers use social media to build their businesses. Take a look at the post here

Sony roll out NXCAM

Sony has unveiled a new pro-level camcorder that's under development and compatible with the maker's recently introduced E-mount lenses. The new and as yet unnamed NXCAM features a Super-35mm equivalent format CMOS sensor. But before you start ditching your EOS 5D MK II's, this is not the same as a full-frame 35mm chip, it's only half that of 35mm and only slightly larger than the APS-C size sensors in the NEX cameras.

Press release:
NXCAM” HD camcorder under development, featuring E-mount lens system

Sony to expand 35mm large format sensor camcorder lineup
Sony Corporation announced today that it is developing a new type of E-mount interchangeable lens camcorder for professional use that is equipped with a Super-35mm equivalent large format CMOS sensor. This new addition to Sony’s professional “NXCAM” line will be available in the middle of 2011.

Already a key player in the 35mm digital cinematography business with the highly acclaimed “CineAlta” F35 and SRW-9000PL for high-end digital cinema production, Sony has just strengthened its lineup in this category with the recent PMW-F3 announcement. In addition to this, with this new “NXCAM” HD camcorder now (still under development), Sony looks to further strengthen its position in the entry-level segment by providing an affordable yet highly capable professional solution for many applications including independent film, music video and corporate communications all looking for the cinematic look.
This “NXCAM” HD camcorder under development will be equipped with a Super-35mm equivalent sensor, a widely used film stock size in the film industry that is perfectly designed for capturing motion picture. This new sensor will have extraordinary performance in terms of picture quality and sensitivity, and is able to create rich “Bokeh” effect (beautifully defocused image) that is perfect for artistic story-telling in motion picture.
Thanks to the adoption of the E-mount interchangeable lens system that is identical to the “α” series NEX-5, 3 and “Handycam” NEX-VG10, the E-mount lenses will be compatible with this new professional camcorder. In addition, a very short flange back distance (the distance between lens mount surface and sensor surface) let various “α” A-mount lenses be mounted via a mount adaptor (LA-EA1). Furthermore, it is also possible to attach many other lenses using third-party mount adaptors*1. With such flexibility, users will be able to experiment with various creative expressions by exploiting the characteristics of different optics.
* 1: Not all types of adaptors and lenses are guaranteed.
The recording format for this new HD camcorder will be AVCHD, a widely supported format by many non liner editing software vendors and the same format as HXR-NX5 “NXCAM” camcorder.
There is also a plan to implement 1080p (60p / 30p / 24p*2 or 50p / 25p) recording modes.
(MPEG4-AVC/H.264 compression will be used for these modes.)
*2: 59.94p / 29.97p / 23.98p respectively.

European Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2010

The European Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition is run by Gesellschaft Deutscher Tierfotografen e.V. - GDT. The GDT organizes the huge "International Nature Photography Festival" with slide shows by photographers from all over the world, with photo exhibitions and seminars on latest subjects of the nature photography.

The overall winner will receive a cheque for € 2 000. All photographers whose pictures are selected will receive the exhibition catalogue. The overall winner as well as the winners and runners-up in each category will receive free tickets for the International Nature Photography Festival in Lünen.

Take a look at some of the winning images from the contest below, to find out more about this competition - go here

Overall Winner

About the Photographer

Britta Jaschinski, born in Bremen, trained as a photographer in Germany before studying the art of photography in England. Jaschinski is a photographer of nature – but not in its conventional forms. While her work encompasses the inherent beauty and purity of the natural world, she is also keenly attuned to the frailty of nature: its susceptibility to manipulation and desecration at the hands of its most self-important element, homo sapiens.

Jaschinski has worked extensively to document the sad and scary world of captive animals. Her portraits of these animals are poignant and often pathetic. Dark, disjointed representations of creatures in concrete and metal compounds convey the displacement that characterized their existence. Jaschinski currently focuses on animals in their natural habitat to illuminate the beauty and fragility of our planet. Jaschinski’s images owe their inspiration to art rather than documentation. She explores new ways of looking at animals, removed from conventional representation and cultural baggage. Her images provoke questions about the destiny of life on earth. Phaidon Press and Thames & Hudson have published her books, she has won several awards and exhibits her images world-wide at prestigious art festivals, museums, auction houses and galleries.

I arrived in Ndutu only days after a huge bushfire had ripped through the area, burning down a vast number of majestic acacia trees. I could smell ash and cinders in the air. The destructive power of these fires is immense. I found many empty, whitened tortoise shells and saw disorientated impala and dik-dik wandering around with nowhere to hide.

And then, a cheetah appeared on the blackened soil. This fire must have been a windfall for large cats - their prey was confused and out in the open. But the cheetah, too, looked unsettled, alienated and lost - almost ghostly. I took the photo and then watched as he melted into the singed background. The cheetah is endangered due to loss of habitat, reduced prey and direct persecution. I feel this photo symbolises how exposed and vulnerable this species is.

Nikon FE2, Nikon Fixed Lens 200 mm, Black/White Negative Kodak 400TX

Prize of the audience

The prize of the audience went to David Allemand and Christophe Sidamon-Pesson (France) for their image "Snowy Owl - Harfang de neiges", which was highly commended in the category "Birds".

Plants and Fungi Winner

"Tang in Licht und Zeit"
Gabi Reichert - Germany

Birds - Winner

"Sterntaucher"
Markus Varesvuo - Finland

Mammals - Winner

"Steinböcke im Schneesturm"
Christophe Sidamon-Pesson - France

Man and Nature Winner

"Leben im Stadtzentrum"
Paul Hobson - Great Britain

Landscapes Winner

"Der Klang der Stille"
Juan Pavón - Spain

Nature's Studio

"Skeidararsandur"
Hans Strand - Sweden

Underwater World

"Junge Oliv-Bastardschildkröte surft in der Welle"
Solvin Zankl, GDT - Germany

Nine Graphics Apps For The Price Of One?

Sounds too good to be true, right? Well it is true. Apparent Software have put together nine great apps for a total bundle price of $39.99, instead of the individual $444 for the lot. Are they any good? If you want to find out more, see below...

ImageFramer

ImageFramer is an easy-to-use but powerful application for framing your images and photos with beautiful photo-realistic and artistic frames.

ImageFramer provides the ultimate framing experience with a sleek interface and a multitude of features: you can easily compare multiple framing variations for each image, add watermarks, batch frame many images at once etc. ImageFramer is used by professional artists, photographers, bloggers and people who simply want their family photos to look better.

Sandvox

Sandvox is easy-to-use, popular, award-winning, do-it-yourself web site builder for Mac. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned pro — when it comes to building a website on your Mac, Sandvox is considered the best web design software for Mac.
Sandvox offer a wide variety of pre-made templates and website designs. So, all you have to do is pick the design that suits you best and add your unique content to it to create your unique online presence. It really is that easy.

Snapshot

Snapshot brings the power of a photo lab to your computer. Printing your digital images has never been easier.

You have full control over the print size and how you want to crop and frame your picture. Add borders and speech bubbles for more interesting and personal prints. Multiple layout styles allow you to get just the prints you want - and full print previews make wasted paper a thing of the past!

Sketch

An innovative and fresh look at vector drawing for the Mac. Its intentionally minimalist design is based upon a drawing space of unlimited size and layers, free of palettes, panels, menus, windows, and controls. Though simple to use, it offers powerful vector drawing and text tools like perfect Boolean operations, Symbols and powerful Rulers, Guides and Grids.

Layers

Layers captures every window, every palette, every menu, every menu and status bar icon, every icon on the Desktop, and even the Dock and the Desktop background for each of your connected displays will be saved as a separate editable layer in the resulting Photoshop image file.

Hydra

Hydra provides human eye-like perception to your photographs by allowing you to create High Dynamic Range (HDR) images from a series of regular photographs. This is because a single photograph cannot represent the full gamut of light due to the physical limitations in the sensor. Hydra does not require pictures taken with a tripod, as it is usually the case with HDR software.

Posterino 2

With a focus on ease-of-use, Posterino 2 creates life posters, photo collages, frames, postcards, greeting cards and contact sheets from digital images. Posterino does the hard work while users just have to fine tune the results. Creating an eye-catching Life Poster is as easy as choosing a template, an iPhoto album and hitting a button.

AtomicView

AtomicView is a digital asset manager (DAM) software program that allows users to organize, browse, and output photos, images, videos, and sounds. A flexible and fast video and image conversion and transformation tool optimized for multicore computers.
AtomicView makes active use of a Mac's GPU, providing quick scrolling features, as well as multi-threaded tasks that take advantage of multi-processor and multi-core systems.

Swift Publisher

With Swift Publisher, publishing attractive and informative documents for business, social and home activities becomes a snap.
Swift Publisher is an excellent Macintosh page layout application for designing and printing colorful flyers, newsletters, brochures, letterheads, booklets, etc. A great selection of templates inspires your creativity and a variety of editing tools lets you quickly apply it.

DVD-Library

DVD-Library lets you catalog, manage and backup your DVDs on Mac in a visual library. Just enter part of the title or UPC of the DVD (including Blu-ray DVDs), DVD-Library will automatically retrieve the DVD's cover and all relevant info from Amazon, quick and easy.

DVD-Library for Mac also allows you to backup DVDs to .dvdmedia files on Mac with one click. Your DVD movie is now at your fingertips and you can enjoy them anytime you want.

What are you waiting for? Download here

Olympus Upgrades E-PL1 To E-PL1s - Spot The Difference?

The difference is not actually that clear but the exception seems to be that the E-PL1s now comes with a new battery, the BLS-S instead of the BLS-1 and an additional upgraded ISO range now reaching 6400 as opposed to 3200 on the E-PL1. That's about it.

Now sold with a new M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 II lens, it is ultra light too, weighing in at 454g, now that's officially the worlds lightest interchangeable camera, to date. Pretty amazing stuff by Olympus.

Also, you need to be aware that this model is only available in Japan and will not be made available elsewhere at present.

Introduction To Digital Photography - Karl Taylor - iPhone/iPad App Review

Karl Taylor is a British Professional Photographer, living and working in the enviable location of Guernsey in the Channel Islands.

Karl has built up a solid reputation as professional photographer and teacher alike. He regularly shoots for several of the country’s top corporations including HSBC, Specsavers and Harrods. He runs various photography courses from his studio and also sells a range of Training DVD's, giving step by step photography techniques. More recently though Karl has turned his ideas to the awesome world of apps that we so know and love and has created five video technique universal apps to really help you get the most out of your photography.

This review concentrates on the first app of the series, Introduction to Digital Photography- read this now...

Home Page

The current version of this app is 2.0 and is published by Netframes, it weighs in at 440 MB and costs $49.99.

Once you have downloaded this app either to your iPhone or iPad, or both in fact, you will then see the home page as above. You can view the photography masterclass either chapter by chapter or you can click on Play All to watch the complete video.

 

Menu

One key and very useful aspect of this app is in the top left hand corner. There is a little icon and when you click on that, it gives you a list of a range of photographic terms, such as aperture and depth of field, composition, exposure etc - if you click on any one of those terms, it will take you directly to the section within the video where Karl is explaining it. This is a great idea and incredibly useful, even if you only need to brush up on a couple of things.

Menu - Aperture & Depth of Field

From the Menu section, I selected Aperture & Depth of Field and you can see from the time schedule above, it has taken me to the 27th minute of the video where this section is explained, in detail.

Explanation

Here Karl can be seen clearly explaining Aperture and Depth of Field to the viewer.

Chapters

If you select Chapters from the Home Page you will see a complete list of all the chapters within the video. As in the Menu section above, if you select any chapter you will be taken directly to beginning of that section. Again this works faultlessly and is very fluid.

On Location

Whatever aspect of photography Karl is demonstrating he will take you to it. So if that happens to be right by the sea or in the studio, he will go there to make sure you completely understand that specific part that he is explaining.

In the Studio

Here Karl is demonstrating the differences between using a 22 mega pixel camera and an 8 mega pixel camera. First, he uses a model to take shots with both cameras. Not only is Karl about to explain and demonstrate the difference in image quality between the two photographs but he also showing you how to work well with a model.

Karl then goes on to show you how to get the images on to your computer from the camera and then clearly shows the differences between the two images of different resolutions.

Conclusion

Well, I can honestly say watching this app and the others in the series is like a breath of fresh air. Karl's enthusiasm and passion for photography knows no bounds, if you're not hooked on photography before you download this app, you certainly will be afterwards.

This is exactly the type of app the photography enthusiasts wants to download. It is more costly than most photography apps but you have to appreciate the level of planning, commitment and professionalism that has gone into it. These are very high end quality apps and if you want to learn more about photography then this is your starting point. Download now.