LATEST ADDITIONS

Nik Software has announced that Viveza, its popular digital photographic plug-in filter is now available for Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2 and higher. Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2.3 and Camera Raw 5.3, is available immediately for download at www.adobe.com/downloads/updates/. The Lightroom 2.3 and Camera Raw 5.3 updates, originally posted as release candidates for community testing on January 23, provide raw file support for the newly-released Nikon D3X and Olympus E-30 cameras and support for eight additional languages.

Viveza installs as a plug-in filter for Lightroom 2 and is accessible via the Lightroom Photo>Edit In… menu. Edits made using the plug-in within Lightroom are non-destructive in nature, with edits applied automatically to a newly generated TIFF file and not the original. Viveza also takes advantage of Lightroom and its efficiencies for every day tasks, like the ability to edit multiple images in one session, saving time for photographers.

All Nik Software plug-in products now feature Nik’s patented U Point® technology which revolutionizes the way photographers edit. U Point powered Control Points give photographers precise selective editing functions without the need to create complicated selections and layer masks. This innovative technology is easy to use and works directly on the image, empowering photographers to make selective enhancements in a fraction of the time needed by using other methods. 

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There was time when those seeking super-wide lenses for APS-C size sensor cameras didn’t have much choice, but new light gathering systems that distribute light evenly from lens to sensor, as well as new optical formulas from camera makers and independent lens manufacturers, have changed that point of view. The latest in this welcome new class of glass is from Tamron, with their 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 offering. Priced at around $500 (street) and weighing in at about 14 oz., the Tamron 10-24mm is useable for cameras that require “motor in the lens” operation, such as the Nikon D40X, on which this lens was tested.  The DiII designation tells you that this lens is for digital SLRs with APS-C sensors.

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If we’re to believe what it says on the energystar.gov website, breaking a Compact Fluorescent Light bulb is a scary proposition. CFLs contain mercury, the same stuff that’s in the fish we’re not supposed to eat. The gov’s FAQ suggests that if a mishap should occur, the first steps include ordering people and pets to vacate the area, airing out the room by opening a window for 15 minutes or longer, and shutting down the central forced-air heating system.

Wacom today unveils the long anticipated  Intuos4, a revolutionary new professional pen tablet that delivers new features and unparalleled performance to photographers, designers and artists seeking optimal control and improved productivity. Inspired by members of Wacom’s professional community, the next generation.

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