onOne Software, Inc., has announced that Mask Pro 4 -- the upgrade to
the company's digital image masking plug-in Mask Pro 3 -- will begin
shipping on November 18, 2006. Mask Pro 4 provides a complete collection of
Photoshop plug-in tools that allow users flexibility when tackling the most
challenging masking job. And this new version focuses on teaching the user how
to best use each comprehensive toolset for masking a wide range of images.
Mitch
Goldstone, president and CEO of 30 Minute Photos Etc., Irvine, Calif., USA, reports
"Operation Photo," appealing to U.S. photographers to donate older model
digital cameras and accessories to families of military service members distanced
from loved ones, has been extended through July 4. Since its launch a few weeks
ago, Operation Photo has provided approximately $110,000 in donated digital cameras
to military families through www.operationhomefront.net.
"We needed to extend the deadline because there are so many more military
families requesting the cameras," Goldstone says.
...
The
Rainsleeve from OP/TECH USA is made for for avid outdoor photographers, offering
a shield from the elements that fits easily in the pocket or camera bag. It
features a unique eyepiece opening that adapts to most camera viewfinders, allowing
composition of shots through the camera's lens, not through the plastic.
All camera and lens controls are easily seen and operated through the Rainsleeve.
It can be used either handheld or on a tripod, and a small hole can be made
to accommodate mounting longer lenses to the tripod. The drawstring enclosure
will fit any lens up to seven inches in diameter and up to 18 inches long. The
product comes two to a package.
Opus Pro has introduced the L300 AC/DC Travel Kit, a set of two monolights and
a battery pack with three power source options for the studio or on-location.
The system uses a rechargeable battery that can fire two 300ws monolight heads
at full power for 180 flashes. In addition, the unit can also be plugged into
either a standard 120-volt household outlet or a 12V car outlet.
Without a doubt, the most popular images on the Internet (aside from cat photos) are of sunrises and sunsets. What is it about these daily acts of nature that so inspire us? It’s hard to say but easy to see.
To say that the Panasonic Lumix GH5 is versatile is an understatement. The long-awaited follow-up to the GH4, which was beloved by photographers and videographers alike, the GH5 takes the roots of its predecessor and expands on them.
Our Picture This! assignment this month was Panorama and thanks, in part, to some recent technical leaps in digital cameras, we received an array of impressive panoramic images. Some were created with panoramic “sweep mode” (in-camera stitch), which has made creating a panorama as easy as pressing the button and sweeping the camera in front of the vista before you. Others were comprised of a series of images that were stitched together in software on a computer. While there was really no wrong way to do it, because the process has become so easy, many images looked very similar. On the next few pages, check out the grand panoramic images we felt really stood out from the pack.
Other World Computing (OWC) http://www.macsales.com
has announced what they claim to be the highest capacity 7200RPM portable, bus-powered
storage solution on the market -- the Mercury On-The-Go 200GB portable
hard drive. The Mercury On-The-Go is said to be up to 50% faster than other
7200RPM drives; and at 200GB, it provides a 25% higher capacity than the competition.
The PLUS Coalition, a non-profit organization on a mission to simplify and
facilitate the licensing of images, has just completed an international, industry-wide
review of the PLUS Glossary, the first component of the Picture Licensing Universal
System (PLUS). Due for release in the fourth quarter of 2005, the PLUS Glossary
will provide standardized terms and definitions for use in image licensing transactions.