LATEST ADDITIONS

Jack Neubart  |  Aug 01, 2012  |  First Published: Jun 01, 2012  |  1 comments

The most recent speed gains have been in SD format cards, making us wonder about the larger CF card. But that concern has been to an extent dispelled by some of the recent developments in this very fast-changing field. One of the newest developments unveiled at the show was a card that sits between those two sizes, the XQD card. The first camera to accept the new memory card is the Nikon D4, although the D4 also features a CF slot.

 

XQD has a smaller form factor than CF, so they’re not interchangeable. Sony, the company that introduced the world’s first XQD card, notes that you can record up to 100 Raw image frames from continuous shooting mode using the card and obtain 125MB/sec read/write speed when using a PCIe port; new XQD card readers are available as well. The casing around the card is “robust,” with contact pins inside the casing itself, which Nikon says helps eliminate problems in the field.

Press Release  |  Aug 01, 2012  |  0 comments
ExpoImaging, Inc. announced availability of three new Rogue Lighting Kits for small strobe lighting enthusiasts.

The Rogue Starter Lighting Kit is an entry-level collection of versatile light modifiers designed to improve the quality and variety of lighting choices available to photographers using speed lights on- or off-camera. The Starter Lighting Kit includes: Rogue Small FlashBender Reflector, Rogue Small Diffusion Panel, Rogue Bounce Card/Flag and Rogue Universal Flash Gel Kit.

The Rogue Portrait Lighting Kit is a larger collection of light modifiers providing greater light control for portrait and event photographers shooting with multiple speed lights. The Portrait Lighting Kit includes: Rogue Large FlashBender Reflector, Rogue Large Diffusion Panel, Rogue Bounce Card/Flag, Rogue Universal Flash Gel Kit and Rogue 3-in-1 Honeycomb Grid.

George Schaub  |  Jul 31, 2012  |  First Published: Jun 01, 2012  |  0 comments

Having worked with numerous types and brands of “metallic” surface papers I have some expectations as to what they can deliver. Metallic is a bit of a misnomer as these papers have a glossy surface on a paper (here acid-free) base with an opalescent sheen diffused throughout the emulsion coating. This gives a spark and edge to a print that glossy shares, but there is an extra kick in the paper surface that works quite well with some images, and not so well with others. It is a particular choice, one that should be part of your printing arsenal but hardly dominated by it.

 

I generally feel it is best to ignore marketing copy, but sometimes it’s fun to see how folks spin their yarn. Moab’s has always been somewhat transcendent, here telling us that the surface is “reminiscent of the ultra-smooth and slick sandstone surface of the famous bike trail that loops through the desert plains of Moab…” Well, never having done the loop that may well be so, but if so the bike’s tires better have crampons, since this surface is quite slick. What is more to the point is that the copy makes a more straightforward claim that “black-and-white images shine on this new paper producing deep blacks and ultra-bright highlights.” That, and other matters, was the subject of my printing tests.

Press Release  |  Jul 31, 2012  |  2 comments
Sun Sniper wowed the photography industry with its innovative camera straps - the Sun Sniper Pro and Compact. Both were a revelation to amateur and professional photographers alike. The ergonomic sling design, anti-theft wire and shock absorber are just a few of the unique design features that have set Sun Sniper camera straps steps above their competition.

Now Sun Sniper is announcing two new products to add to its impressive line of camera straps.

The Back-Pack-Strap allows photographers to transform their current backpack into a complete camera carrying system.

The Strap Surfer allows the same transformation to courier or messenger bags.

Joe Farace  |  Jul 30, 2012  |  First Published: Jun 01, 2012  |  0 comments

Tiffen’s Dfx 3.0 offers photographers software that can make their images stand out from the crowd. The bundle is a digital emulation of 2000 of the company’s glass filters that for convenience uses the same names of the company’s Soft/FX or Pro-Mist filters, so those who’ve shot with their filters in the past know exactly what to expect when applying their digital equivalents. For those who haven’t, rest assured that the company who made their name in filters knows their stuff. As a bonus, the software also includes effects created by lenses, lab processes, film grain, color correction, plus natural light effects.

 

I must confess that previous versions of Tiffen’s Dfx Digital Filter Suite, while interesting, did not make the final cut of power tools in my personal digital toolbox. All that’s changed in 3.0. It takes all of the good stuff from the previous versions, blends in new options, and wraps it around an interface that, while still containing a few less-than-elegant elements, retains its individuality and provides for smooth workflow.

Press Release  |  Jul 30, 2012  |  0 comments
The new 11x14 Slickrock format was introduced as a direct response to its customers seeking the new size for portfolio printing. Considered a standard for portfolios and framing, the 11x14 format matches original large format cameras, and as a result, became one of the default image presentation formats. Since its launch last summer, Slickrock Metallic Pearl 260 catapulted to become one of the top selling papers in the Moab family.

Designed for photographers seeking to enhance their images with a metallic look, Slickrock Metallic Pearl 260 transforms an image into lifelike, almost 3D quality. Black & White images shine on this new paper producing deep dark blacks and ultra-bright highlights.

Edited by George Schaub  |  Jul 27, 2012  |  7 comments

The Sony HX200V is a compact bridge camera with an SLR-like design. It offers an extreme zoom lens that is able to cover wide angle shots with a focal length of 27 mm and tele photos with an extreme tele of 810mm (35 mm film equivalent). The camera offers an integrated image stabilizer (Sony’s “Steady Shot”) to allow shooting with this extreme zoom range. This stabilizer works fine, but can’t really help if you are using the digital zoom function, which allows a 60x zoom, an equivalent of 1620mm.

Press Release  |  Jul 27, 2012  |  0 comments
Blue Crane Digital today announced its newest training DVD, “Introduction to the Nikon D3200– Basic Controls ”. The DVD helps you unleash the potential of your Nikon D3200 by teaching you how the camera features and controls work together, giving you all the tools you need to capture the best images under any conditions. This video will benefit anyone who wants an introduction to the D3200’s main controls and settings.Topics are arranged in chapters, allowing you to move at your own pace.
Steve Bedell  |  Jul 26, 2012  |  First Published: Jun 01, 2012  |  2 comments

Judging by the popularity of facial retouching software, there seem to be a lot of people out there who want to make their subjects look like they just arrived off a private jet from Monte Carlo. And they want to do it fast, and not get bogged down with little technicalities like learning how to use Photoshop. So, is it possible to just press a button and instantly have a complexion that looks like J.Lo after an hour in the makeup chair? Well, that’s what we’re here to find out, so let’s take a look.

 

First, let’s take a look at what we have. Perfect Portrait is one of six products that combined give you onOne Software’s Perfect Photo Suite 6. You can buy the whole bundle or you can buy just the individual products that you like. And while I’m not going to address the other products here, let me just add kudos to onOne for using the same interface for each product, something you’d think would be automatic with software suites but sadly is not.

Press Release  |  Jul 26, 2012  |  3 comments
ILFORD announced that it is expanding on its recent rebranding efforts by adding an enthusiast-pointed ILFORD Premium product category to live alongside its recently announced professional-grade ILFORD Prestige (5 star) range. With new archival quality papers added to each category, ILFORD is expanding its lineup with some award-winning photo papers that will allow photographers to recreate the excitement of the darkroom experience.

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