Equipment Reviews
Athentech Imaging Perfectly Clear
As more photos are made on more types of devices, there’s a need for resultant images that aren’t just “OK” but as good as they can be. And part of the need, it would seem, is that some folks don’t want to spend a lot of time learning complex programs to get the image results they want. Companies like Athentech Imaging aim to make it a one-click affair.
Let’s say you have an image that’s two stops underexposed and has a color cast similar to a 1969 Grabber Green Mustang. Or you have 10 images like that, or 20. Or, for pros, let’s say you just shot a wedding and have thousands of images you’d like to correct for viewing and printing. No problem.
Sony Alpha SLT-A99
The new SLT-A99 is Sony’s first full-frame camera with an electronic viewfinder. While former Sony full-format cameras like the A900 or A850 offered a standard SLR system, the new A99 offers an electronic viewfinder with extremely high resolution (2.3 million RGB dots). Due to the SLT system with fixed mirror, the camera is very fast and can even utilize the AF system while recording videos.
X-Rite i1Photo Pro 2 Color Management
I always enjoy trying out the best new high-end products. It’s fun, but more important it tells me how good the best performance can be. But when reviewing color management tools I realize that photographers are not color scientists or computer programming experts, so I thought I’d start this review with a bit of a tech briefing on why they are important to all photographers who want to get the most from their work.
Canon PIXMA PRO-10
Canon’s 13x19”-sized printers, the PIXMA Pro9500 Mark II and PIXMA Pro9000 Mark II, have had a longer life than most, but have been replaced with two new models that are similar to the PIXMA PRO-1, introduced over a year ago. New features on both the pigment-ink PRO-10 and dye-ink PRO-100 include Wi-Fi and AirPrint compatibility, a new plug-in to make printing easier, and a refined inkset.
Techniques
Talking Pictures
The January rainstorms had come to the Utah high desert mountains, making it a perfect day to capture the storm clouds.
Picture This!
Our Picture This! assignment was multiple exposures, combining two or more images either in camera or later in software.
Adventure Photography
Matthew Cohen has managed to find success in what has to be one of the ultimate photographic niches: nautical adventure photography.
Web Profiles
There are as many different ways to construct a website as there are to make a photograph, just as there are many genres of photography.
News
Hasselblad Ceases Production of 503CW
The decision, which comes into immediate effect, brings to an end over a half century of evolution of the company's original camera line.
Photo Contest
We want to see your best shots that could not have been accomplished without three legs under your camera.
LensPen DSLR Pro Kit
The DSLR Pro Kit includes everything you need to clean the optics on your DSLR: the Original LensPen for lenses, FilterKlear to clean filters and MicroPro for eyepieces.
Panasonic LUMIX GF6
Panasonic has introduced the DMC-GF6 (GF6), a new Digital Single Lens Mirrorless Camera which is the most compact of the LUMIX G family.
Latest Additions

News
Press Release Apr 30, 2013 0 comments
Manfrotto has announced a new addition to the 290 Series lineup: a foldable three-way head.
The head has three new kits built around it. It is designed to be precise and accurate, yet compact and lightweight.
Edited by Georg... Apr 30, 2013 1 comments
The EOS Rebel SL1 is an ultra-small SLR system; in fact it is smaller than many bridge cameras and even lighter than many other digital cameras.
Nevertheless it’s a real SLR system with Canon’s APS-C-sized image sensor, which is a little smaller than other APS-C-sized sensors made by Nikon, Sony and other manufacturers. Due to itsvery small body the grip on the right hand side is also is a bit smaller than usual and the handling of the camera is a bit tricky for photographers withlarge hands. The small body doesn’t allow for a status LCD on the top, so all information on image parameters and menu settings are shown on the LCD screen on the back.
Student Union
Jay McCabe Apr 26, 2013 Published: Mar 01, 2013 0 comments
Joseph L. Koch
We liked Joseph’s work right away, but when we found out that he took these photos in his kitchen, we were even more impressed. “The school has a full studio,” Joseph says, “but there are 2000 students, and booking studio time when I work full-time is difficult.” A home studio setup for product-related assignments turned out to be an ideal solution.

Joseph’s job is in retail, and upon graduation this March he’ll be working toward an art director position with a major corporation, a position that he feels will allow him to showcase his photo talents and creative eye. “The fascination is to come up with a concept and then implement it, to express an idea in powerful imagery.”

Lighting Equipment
Joe Farace Apr 26, 2013 Published: Mar 01, 2013 0 comments
The important characteristics of any studio lighting system are the quantity, quality, and color of the light they produce. Other factors such as recycle time, type of output control, build quality, and the ability to accept accessories may be crucial, but for many of us the most essential element is price. I was impressed by previous Flashpoint monolights (April, 2012, issue of Shutterbug) because they’re rugged, dependable, and significantly, for the advanced amateur and aspiring pro, inexpensive. Now Flashpoint has introduced a new family of monolights—the DG series—that builds upon all of the positive aspects of previous models and takes them in a new direction.
News
Press Release Apr 26, 2013 0 comments
Canon U.S.A., Inc.announced the world’s smallest and lightest DSLR camera: the EOS Rebel SL1 Digital SLR.

It features a newly developed 18.0-megapixel CMOS (APS-C) sensor and high-performance DIGIC 5 Image Processor for exceptional image quality and speed. With its combination of lightweight size, ease of use and outstanding image quality, the EOS Rebel SL1 is perfect for users looking for the ideal camera to bring sightseeing on vacation or to capture the everyday.

Web Profiles
Joe Farace Apr 23, 2013 Published: Mar 01, 2013 1 comments
I said it last month but it bears repeating: “Never was there a time when it was so easy or inexpensive to create a great-looking website than right now.” Yet one emerging trend is to pack as much text onto the opening screen as possible and if a picture must be used it should be tiny and maybe show a portrait of the photographer. There’s an old joke whose punch line is, “First, you have to get their attention.” That’s true of websites as well. That landing page should be your signature image—that gasp factor—that makes the viewer look, linger, and want to see more. Give it a try.
News
Press Release Apr 23, 2013 0 comments
The new S8400W features an improved CMOS sensor, advanced processing power and amazing optics to give consumers a great combination of photographic versatility in an easy-to-use and compactdesign. The S8400W has a 44x optical zoom lens with fast aperture of f/2.9 to f/6.5, anOptical Image Stabilization system for blur reduction and is capable of a Super Macro mode for users to get as close as 0.39” from a subject for great close-up shots. This all in one FUJINON lens consists of 17 elements in 12 groups, and combines aspherical and ED elements that help to reduce aberrations and promote a superior level of image quality.
Lighting Equipment
Joe Farace Apr 23, 2013 Published: Mar 01, 2013 1 comments
Speedotron’s power pack and head systems are the studio lighting world’s equivalent of the American muscle car. They’re powerful, made in the U.S.A., and ruggedly built to take hard use. Since its beginnings the company has offered two lines of lighting systems for photographers with different requirements. The premium-priced Black Line is intended for commercial shooters, while Brown Line products are aimed at portrait photographers, yet when used normally both have similar quality, reliability, and longevity.
Show Reports
Roger W. Hicks Apr 19, 2013 Published: Mar 01, 2013 0 comments
While a host of new digital cameras at photokina were covered in the January, 2013, issue of Shutterbug, this report focuses on some new out-of-the-mainstream cameras; new Zeiss and Schneider lenses designed to take advantage of ultrahigh-resolution sensors; and a couple of inkjet innovations that even I regarded as interesting. I say “even I” because I regard inkjet printing as being about as interesting as watching paint dry, which, after all, is what it is. Scanners will be covered under a future accessories report.
Lighting Equipment
Steve Bedell Apr 19, 2013 Published: Mar 01, 2013 1 comments
Like most photographers, I’m always trying to see just how versatile I can make my dedicated speedlights. In my case that would be Nikon SB-800 Speedlights. And when I really want to create a unique look I’ll sometimes use off-camera flash so I can vary the exposure on my subject in relation to the overall scene. That usually involves me adding light to my subject to either match or overpower the ambient light. When I do that I like to have a little more control over the quantity and quality of the light than what I’d have if I just aimed my flash at my subject with no modification.