In This eNewsletter:
Camera Review - Impressions and Images: Panasonic DMC-L1 DSLR
Industry Perspective - Back to the Future
What's New This Month - Adobe, Phase One, Think Tank, Delkin, DxO
First Look- Canon Digital Rebel XTi
Vote! - In-Camera Processing
Workshops & Contests - Learn and Show
Shutterbug Forums - Your Photo & Digital Imaging Source

The Panasonic DMC-L1 DSLR is Panasonic’s first digital single lens reflex camera. Priced at just under $2000 with a Leica D Vario Elmarit f/2.8-3.5 14-50mm zoom lens (equivalent to 28-100mm in 35mm format) and 7+ megapixel sensor, it is a member of the Four/Thirds family. That allows you to use any lens from the Olympus and Sigma 4/3 mount offerings on the camera as well. It uses SD cards, and takes the newest SDHC cards with greater storage capacity. And the Leica lens uses Panasonic’s OIS (optical image stabilization) that helps you get steady shots in two to three less stops of light than usual when shooting handheld. The body also has a Live View mode similar to the feature found in Olympus’ recent DSLRs.

What I really like about the Panasonic is that it takes a slightly different tack than other DSLR cameras, and seems proud of the road less traveled. It has two auto exposure modes—aperture and shutter priority, but that’s not exactly what they seem to encourage. This is a camera with a mixed bag of tricks, one that had me shooting mostly in manual mode, something I hadn’t done for years, but which I enjoyed. The shutter speed is controlled via a dial surrounding the shutter release; aperture is controlled by click stops on the lens itself with 1/3 stop indents. If you want to shoot in AV or TV you set either of those controls to “A” and then the camera will handle the exposure using spot, center-weight averaging or it’s evaluative (multiple) system. I used the multiple in manual mode for most of my shots.
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Back to the Future
by Ron Leach, Publisher

Even though the calendar says it is mid-October, we are currently in production on the January, 2007 issue of Shutterbug magazine. That means it is once again time to take stock of where we’ve been and where we are going. To that end, we decided to look back at the turn of this new century when we asked Shutterbug’s regular contributors to offer their views on the millennium ahead. As you might suspect, we received a variety of interesting predictions from this very diverse group. So as we prepare for 2007, let’s take a look back at how a few of these experts envisioned the second 150 years of photography.
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First Look: Canon Digital Rebel XTi
by George Schaub

The Canon Digital Rebel line accomplished a number of things. It broke the $1000 DSLR price barrier, with room to spare, and as a result brought DSLR photography into the mainstream. What followed is history, with other makers bringing forth their “bargain” DSLR offerings, with the Rebel setting the bar. As is their wont, Canon followed up on the Rebel with other generations of this successful product, each one a modification that incorporated technology gotten from more current cameras and lessons learned from past Rebel products. The latest of these is the Canon Rebel XTi, a 10+ megapixel DSLR with a dust reduction system and simplified operating system.
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Legion Paper Photo Contest
Send us your entries in the following categories – Portraits, Nature or Still Life, for the opportunity to win one of the great prizes listed and have your work published in Shutterbug magazine. Contest runs from October 2006 through February 1, 2007.

Blue Pixel Presents Nature’s Best Photography Experience
Nature’s Best Photography™ Experience is a Unique Educational and Instructional Event Appropriate for Digital Photographers of All Experience Levels.

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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