In This eNewsletter:
Test Report - The Sigma 8mm f/3.5 EX DG Circular
Industry Perspective - Consumer Habits
What's New This Month - MediaStreet, Tamron, Olympus and more
First Look - Canon EOS-1D Mark III
Vote! - Do you find that you have “dust issues” with your DSLR?
Workshops & Contests - Learn and Show
Shutterbug Forums - Your Photo & Digital Imaging Source

The Sigma 8mm f/3.5 EX DG Circular
A Full-Frame Fisheye Lens
by George Schaub

Fisheye lenses are definitely an acquired taste, but those who get hooked find themselves in another space entirely. I remember once suggesting that a student try one out at a workshop and that was the last we saw of any “straight” shots from her for the week. It’s just that kind of point of view.

There are two kinds of fisheye lenses, the rectilinear and the circular; the rectilinear delivers right angle corners while the circular gives you just that, a round image in a rectangular space. Both distort the heck out of the world. This one yields a 180° angle of view, which means that if you point it straight ahead you will usually get your shoes in the frame; in addition, you can point the camera in one direction and no one alongside you will ever know you are shooting their picture. Just as well, as anything that resides on the edges looks decidedly warped.
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Consumer Habits
By Ron Leach, Publisher

One of the best ways to gauge near-term trends in the photo industry is to take a look at what types of cameras are being purchased and what methods photographers use to output their images. We just received an interesting report from the Photo Marketing Association (PMA) that provides some up-to-date insight on both of these parameters.

When it comes to camera sales, the overall demand for still cameras was up 12.5% in March of this year as compared to March 2006, and up 16% year-to-date. Obviously, digital cameras dominated the mix with sales up 15.9 percent in March and up 19% year-to-date. By comparison, 35mm camera sales plunged almost 53% in March and 48% year-to-date.
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Canon EOS-1D Mark III
New Tech in a Pro Camera
by George Schaub

Contributor Joe Farace is currently working on a full test report of the new pro EOS-1D Mark III for the magazine, but I thought I’d give you a glimpse into some of its features. It’s quite a camera.

In short, Canon has restated the terms of what makes for a professional-level digital SLR with their new EOS 1-D Mark III. Replacing the EOS 1-D Mark II, yet selling for the same initial price of $3999, the III sports a 10.1 megapixel CMOS APS-H sensor (1.3X multiplication factor), which Canon claims has been optimized to increase the proportion of each pixel sensitive to light, dubbed the “fill factor.” In addition, the microlenses that distribute light to individual pixels, used to make the light path less acute, have also been improved. This is said to yield a greater potential for quality imaging in a wider ISO range, from ISO 50 to 6400 (with ISO 100 to 3200 being the “normal”, non-extended range.) Included in the camera are two new DIGIC III Image Processors, which perform parallel processing to speed image processing and framing rate, at 10 per second Large JPEG for 110 frame bursts for JPEG and 30 frame bursts in Raw. In addition, the sensor captures at 14-bit, expanding from the 12-bit capture of the Mark II.
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  Vote!
“Sensor dust” has become a real issue for some digital photographers, reminiscent of the days when you had to spot each print when enlarging if your enlarger or negative was not flawlessly clean. There are numerous ways to deal with this, with prevention being the best, but there are also “dust reference” images, dust removal in processing and even dust shake-off mechanics in cameras. Do you find that you have “dust issues” with your DSLR?
Briefly comment on your solution to dealing with dust on your DSLR sensor.

Digital Panoramic Photography weekend workshop with Howard Millard
Today, it’s easier than ever to make stunning panoramic photos using even a basic digital camera. You simply take a series of overlapping shots, then stitch them together with software.

The Artistry Corel Painter Retreat
Karen Sperling, who just celebrated the debut of her abstract art in an art gallery in New York's prestigious Chelsea section, has announced two new Artistry Retreats and Artistry GARTEL Marketing Seminars in August, 2007.

Photo Basics By Westcott/Shutterbug Photo Contest
Westcott is offering their Photo Basics by Westcott customers the chance to have their photos published in Shutterbug Magazine.

Hawk Mountain Paper 2007 Inkjet Print Contest
Hawk Mountain Papers holds a print contest every year, encouraging inkjet printers from all over the world to submit their best inkjet prints on Hawk Mountain paper.

Renovance.tv Picks the Legendary Italian Fashion Photographer Claudio Basso for Photography Workshops in New York City.
The Renaissance of Photography Training begins next month in NYC when Renovance.tv launches the first Reality Training Workshop, bringing a revolution to the way professionals and amateur photographers are trained.

Panasonic Lumix To Launch Digital Photo Academy
Panasonic LUMIX will launch the Digital Photo Academy, a series of workshops for all digital camera owners who want to maximize their cameras’ features and create more rewarding and enjoyable photo experiences.

Tamron Announces "Make You Mark" Photo Contest For Tamron Lens Users
The company is looking for images from photo enthusiasts that creatively capture a natural or manmade landmark.

LiveBooks Teaches National Geographic All Roads
LiveBooks, Inc. continues to support emerging, talented photojournalists with its sponsorship of National Geographic’s “All Roads Photography Project” by providing the winners of this year’s international competition with a hands-on workshop about web marketing best practices and their own liveBooks personalized website.

Digital Photography Workshops - Understanding Digital Photography
The mastery of digital imaging concepts and technology is essential for anyone working within the photographic arts today.

Anchell Photography Workshops
Steve Anchell is a contributing writer to Shutterbug and Rangefinder magazines. He is also the author of The Darkroom Cookbook and is working on a companion title, The Digital Cookbook. He has been teaching photography since 1979. For more information visit his website at www.anchellworkshops.com.

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