CES 2012: Fujifilm announces X Pro 1 lenses and accessories

Fujifilm has announced more details about upcoming accessories that will be available for the newly released interchangeable lens camera, the X Pro 1.
As well as a small grip to give better purchase on the body, a flashgun called the EF-X20 has been unveiled. Designed to compliment the X-series and with a guide number of 20m, the flash features automatic and manual control which is selected via a dial on the top.

Anybody with existing Leica M lenses, or with a strong urge to buy some, will be pleased as it has been revealed that an M mount will be available. This means that photographers will be able to invest in a camera body which is expected to be only a fraction of the price of the M9 while still using Leica optics, which are famed for their high quality.
For mere mortals without extremely deep pockets, several more lenses will also become available this year and in 2013. First up are a 14mm and 18-72mm f/4.0 zoom lens.

Looking ahead
In 2013, two more primes in the shape of a 28mm f/2.8 and 23mm f/2 will be joined by a 70-200mm f/4.0 Image stabilised and 12-20mm f/4.0 image stabilised lens.
All of the lenses are subject to change depending on customer feedback, so don't send your pre-orders in just yet.
The X Pro 1 is Fuji's first interchangeable lens camera since 2006 and features an APS-C sized sensor which thanks to technology drawn from the firm's analogue heritage is apparently capable of out resolving a full-frame sensor. As yet there are no prices available for the camera, lenses or accessories.

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Outdoor Photography Tutorial

Posted on 09 December 2011 by Sean Farmer
As an amateur photography I had always viewed outdoor photography as a blessing, due to the fact that I didn’t have to worry about setting up complex lighting arrangements, background selections, or any other complicated procedure involved in studio photography. Now as a professional photographer, I have started to loath outdoor photo shoots. I do not necessarily hate doing outdoor photography, but I do not prefer it to a control studio or indoor shoot. What created this disdain for me was as I grew into my own unique style of photography and I learned how I want to set up lights, models, and the like, but in an outdoor shoot you cannot fully control every variable. Granted you can carry reflectors, or bring portable lighting setups (which are not as portable as they sound), but overall you are at the mercy of natural and artificial light, not to mention seasonal changes, in the area you are shooting.

Image By ab.plan.alp photography

Because of this loathing I gained for outdoor shoots, I had to actually sit down and create a list of considerations, rules, and guidelines to broadly consider when doing an outdoor shoot. Here is the basics of the list I had complied for my own shoots.


Timing Consideration
If you’ve ever had to deal with clients, especially as a freelancer, you know or quickly learn that you do not work on your schedule, you work on the clients. This means that you have to create a windowed time frame that works for both you and the client. When considering an outdoor shoot this can be a real nuisance. Say you have a client who works 10:00 am to 6:00 pm, and they ask you to do some outdoor portraits. The only free time this client has is during the morning and afternoon, meaning either you try to finish the shoot before they go to work or before the sun sets. You need to consider the needs of the client and your own abilities. One way to work around this schedule, is to do a shoot in the morning before your client goes to work, review the shoot throughout the day, and then do a second shoot in the afternoon when they are off work.


Daylight Consideration
Just like the time consideration, you need to keep in mind the amount of daylight you have to complete an outdoor shoot. In addition to the amount you need to consider the direction and intensity of the natural light at the time of the shoot. For example if you did a shoot in the morning you will typically have a waxing light source that provides a cooler white balance and a direction source, in the evening it is just the opposite with a waning directional light source and a warmer white balance, but a mid day shoot will typically provide a nearly neutral white balance and a more omnipresent light source as well as a much higher exposure. Again determine what would work best for your particular shoot and aim for that lighting time frame. I personally find an afternoon shoot to work best when no really consideration is needed.

Example of an over exposure caused by shooting in broad daylight. Image by Craige Morsels

Location Consideration
Interesting locations are a crucial aid to an outdoor photographer, but an overly interesting location can be a bane. This is because if the location becomes more interesting than the model, you will potentially loose your subject in the background. This is particularly true for vibrant backgrounds. While you shouldn’t avoid these locations for this reason, you should take steps to prevent losing your subject. You can do this by cropping in on your subject tighter or even by allowing the background to be blurred to a degree.

Example of a way to keep the background from being to distracting. Image by Xelcise

These are the three most basic things to consider when doing outdoor photography.

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The Ins and Outs of ISO Speeds

Posted on 12 December 2011 by MatthewBamberg
In the old film days it used to be that before a shoot, you’d decide what kind of film to use: that is, choose the film’s sensitivity to light. While in those days the choices were ISO 100, 200, 400 and 800, today’s digital cameras have a wider choice in ISO settings with many cameras capable of taking images at ISO 6400 and beyond.

In terms of values, ISO speeds of 100 is considered slow. At ISO 200 the sensor is twice as sensitive, which means that the shutter can open and close faster, giving you less blur from camera shake.

When possible it’s best to shoot at the lowest ISO speed. You’ll obtain brighter, bolder colors and an image that is sharp without any noticeable noise at 100 percent resolution on the computer screen. Images are required to be noise-free and sharp at that resolution in the stock/microstock photography business.
When you use a tripod, go with the lowest ISO speed at which your camera can be set (usually ISO 100). If light conditions are poor shoot at a higher ISO.

If a surface of an object(s) is lit by sunlight, I shoot at ISO 100. On cloudy days and in shady spots, I shoot at ISO 200-400 and at the break of dawn, the last of dusk and anywhere indoors, I shoot at ISO 800.

Mandalay puppet show shot at ISO 1600.

Image by Matthew Bamberg

Setting any digital camera to a film speed greater than ISO 800 or shooting with film that’s over 400 ISO and scanning the prints or negatives/positives sometimes results in noise (referred to as pixilation in the digital world).
When I was in Mandalay, Myanmar, I went to the main attraction, the Mandalay Puppet Show. The theater is dark but there is enough light on the stage to get a decent image for the web, but not for print.

At 100 percent resolution, images shot at high ISO speeds can be soft and noisy.

Image by Matthew Bamberg

The image was shot at ISO 1600 with a Digital Rebel. At 100 percent resolution there is noise and some softness, which disqualifies the photo for any large magazine spread or for stock/microstock purposes.
Images
On the other hand, an image of a modern house I shot at 100 ISO is free of noise and remained sharp at 100 percent resolution. This is because I used a tripod.

Image at 100 percent resolution shot with a tripod.

Image by Matthew Bamberg

Another thing to keep in mind regarding ISO speed is the size of the camera’s sensor. The small sensors of most point-and-shoot cameras are more susceptible to noise at high ISO speeds because the pixels are smaller and can’t receive as much light as those that are bigger, like in the mirroless cameras and the dSLRs.

Finally, you can consider the make of the camera. For example, even though the Canon 5D Mark II has a 21 MP sensor, the images it takes at high ISO speeds are inferior to those taken with the 12 MP Nikon D 700 I’ve found that images taken above ISO 800 For the most part, Nikon has more advanced sensor sensitivity technology than Canon has.
Cameras are constantly being upgraded to shoot at high ISO speeds, but no matter how good they get, they’ll never beat the sharpness and clarity of a photo that is shot with a tripod.

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Photographing the Law–Your Rights

Posted on 16 December 2011 by MatthewBamberg
On my usual surfing jaunts on the Internet, I was looking at dpreview site and an article caught my eye. The site announced that the American Civil Liberties Union published a set of rights in which photographers are entitled.
I hadn’t been aware that photographers are free to photograph the police. I have a folder with some police shots that I’m working on as part of my photojournalism collection. The folder is filled with compelling shots.
A few years ago, I lifted my camera to photograph a policeman and he put his hand up and told me that I couldn’t. According to the newly published photographers’ rights, he was wrong.

Image by Matthew Bamberg

Of course, this is debatable. If a person—any person—doesn’t want his photo taken, proper photo etiquette is to abide by their command. One thing is for sure, if you go ahead and take a picture when a person doesn’t want to, you risk infuriating your subject, causing him/her to react violently. That is never a pleasant scene.

Image by Matthew Bamberg

An officer isn’t likely to get violent with you. There’s not much he can do. If he detains you, he’s working outside the law. He/she can only do that if they suspect you of a crime, and it is not a crime to photograph publically.
Here’s what the ACLU has to say about photographing police: “When in public spaces where you are lawfully present you have the right to photograph anything that is in plain view.” The guidelines state that this includes images of police and that such photography offers an oversight of the government.
While the police might demand to see the photos and/or that you dump them, they are also acting outside the law. Without a warrant they are not permitted to do that.
There is an aesthetic end to photographing police. Their uniforms are a great color—usually navy blue, and they all wear the same ones, making the shot a great example of repetition if you catch a few of them in one place.
In addition, police often ride bikes and even patrol on horseback in some places (like New York City), photo ops that photographers of all levels don’t want to miss.

Image by Matthew Bamberg

When you photograph a moving policeman or policewoman, make your shutter open and close as fast as it can. To do this, shoot at a high ISO speed (about 800) with you camera set to a wide aperture (about f/4) in Aperture Priority mode.
Finally, every photographer has his/her own limits. Some get a thrill out of taking chances. Others are more conservative, opting to do nothing that may get them into trouble.
Whatever you do, it’s best to not get in the way if someone is getting arrested or being restrained. Let common sense guide you.

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CES 2012: Take a close look at Samsung's high-end compacts

Samsung's WB850F and WB150F are compact cameras with longer than average zoom ranges making them an ideal choice for use when traveling on holiday.
The more advanced WB850F features a 21x zoom lens and GPS technology, while the WB150F has an 18x zoom and is a little smaller and lighter.
Both cameras are wifi enabled and can be controlled and triggered using the Remote Viewfinder app available for Android smart phones like Samsung's Galaxy SII.

WB150F

Like the WB850F, the WB150F has a Schneider Kreuznach lens, but its an 18x zoom rather than a 21x zoom.

Both cameras have a 3in AMOLED screen that provides a nice clear view of the scene.

A mode dial allows the user to select the shooting mode.

WB850F

The metal body of the Samsung WB850F has a high quality feel and the camera is heavier than the WB150F.

A small pop-up flash is useful for low light and fill-in.

As on the WB150F, a mode dial allows the user to select the shooting mode and a control around the shutter release is used to zoom the lens in and out.

The controls on the rear of the camera feel well made and responsive.

When the dial is rotated to ASM, the navigation controls are used to select the desired advanced shooting mode.

There's a collection of creative shooting options.

The WiFi connectivity allows images to be shared in variety of ways including via social media sites and email. Images can also be viewed on compatible TV's and smartphones.

The menu provides all the usual settings options.
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Nikon’s Mirrorless Dynamic Duo

Posted on 21 December 2011 by MatthewBamberg
Finally! Nikon, the first company of the Nikon-Canon dynamic duo to came out with its own version of mirrorless cameras. Two models–the J1 and V1 are small and powerful.
Nikon’s ploy of coming out with two new mirrorless cameras (called the 1 series) to compete against those put out by Panasonic, Olympus, Sony and Samsung puts it at the helm of abiding by Apple’s old slogan: “Think Different.”

The two cameras are different than the others—they have much smaller sensors, a kind-of-inbetween size that has many people puzzled as to why they would do that.
Nikon supposedly markets this camera not to professionals, but to “those who like to take pictures.”
The Nikon pair both have a sensor size of 13.2X8.8 mm, while the other mirrorless cameras are larger (Sony NEX which is 24X16 mm).
Four lenses are on tap for those who opt to shoot both landscapes and portraits: 10 mm f/2.8 (27mm equivalent), 10-30mm (27-81mm 35mm equivalent) f/3.5-5.6, 30-110mm (27-81mm 35mm equivalent) f/3.8-f/5, and 10-100mm(27-270mm equivalent) f/4.5-5.5 “power zoom” lens.

The cameras are also inferior to their big brothers (Panasonic, Olympus, Sony and Samsung) in that their resolution is much smaller 10 MP compared to, say, 24 MP for Sony’s new NEX 7.
No all the professional characteristics are lost, though—both models shoot in Raw format. Both cameras also have a pop-up flash and three-inch LCD display, which has a higher resolution than the other mirrorless cameras.
Just as intriguing in their comparison with other mirrorless models, is the comparison between the J1 and V1.
The V1 is bigger and a little better than the J1. The V1 has an electronic viewfinder and the J1 does not, the V1 has an external flash port for a small flash unit and the J1 has an external flash.
At $900 for the V1 and $650 for the J1, The cameras are not cheap, though cheaper than Sony’s Nex 7 ($1,350)

New options such as the Smart Photo Selector, which takes a series of 20 photos, choosing the 5 best, having you pick the best one; EXSPEED, what Nikon says is the fastest shooting speed in the world—60 frames per second; and you can record a full resolution still shot while the video recording keeps going.
Did someone say video? Yes, the cameras also have video. Both can shoot 20 minutes of 1080p video.
Nikon may be on to something here, but then again it might not.

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Nikon D4 Announced!

Versatile and Functional - Nikon's New Flagship D4 is Announced

06 January 12 - TOKYO - Nikon Corporation is pleased to announce the release of the Nikon D4, a Nikon FX-format camera that serves as the new flagship model in Nikon's lineup of digital-SLR cameras. Nikon will be exhibiting the D4 at the 2012 International CES, to be held Tuesday, January 10 through Friday, January 13 in Las Vegas, Nevada. This electronics exhibition is open to the public.

The D4 is equipped with a new Nikon FX-format CMOS image sensor (imaging size of 36.0 x 23.9 mm) and EXPEED 3, the latest image-processing engine specifically optimized for digital-SLR cameras, making it the next-generation flagship Nikon digital-SLR camera with the ultimate in versatility and functionality that offers superior image quality rich in detail along with excellent high-speed performance. It has an effective pixel count of 16.2-million pixels, and offers superior image quality under a broad range of lighting conditions with its image sensor supporting an incredible range of sensitivities from ISO 50 to ISO 204800.

The new 91K-pixel (approximately 91,000 pixels) RGB sensor supports the Advanced Scene Recognition System, which is able to recognize human faces even when images are framed using the optical viewfinder. In addition, the Advanced Scene Recognition System offers significant improvements in AF, AE, i-TTL flash control, and auto white balance (AWB) control accuracy. The 51 focus point AF system has been improved with faster initiation of autofocusing and the ability to detect and focus on subjects with less lighting. In addition, 11 focus points are fully functional when lenses with a maximum aperture of f/8 are used. All of this means more precise autofocusing when super-telephoto NIKKOR lenses are used with teleconverters (2.0x). The Multi-area Mode Full HD D-movie movie recording function is capable of recording full-HD movies at 30 fps, and offers three movie recording formats for selection according to recording conditions or creative intent.

What's more, the D4 records images to memory cards faster with built-in support for high-speed, UDMA 7-compatible CompactFlash memory cards and next-generation, high-speed XQD memory cards. In addition to built-in wired LAN features, the D4 also supports high-speed image transfer via wireless LAN when the new, compact, easy-to-use Wireless Transmitter WT-5 (available separately) is connected to the camera. The D4 is also equipped with a number of new functions that support a more efficient workflow for professional photographers, including one that allows users to add IPTC (International Press Telecommunications Council) information to images.

Development background

In 2007, Nikon released the D3 digital-SLR camera as its flagship model equipped with the new FX-format CMOS image sensor developed by Nikon. With its new image sensor, the D3 established a new level of image quality, speed, and support for high sensitivities. In December of 2008, Nikon released the D3X with an effective pixel count of 24.5-million pixels, which enabled superior imaging performance equal to that possible with medium format cameras. In the following year, the D3S proposed new possibilities in imaging expression with its expanded range of standard sensitivities from ISO 200 to ISO 12800 and a built-in movie recording function.

The superior performance of the Nikon D3 was recognized with three of the most prestigious domestic and international awards—Japan's Camera Grand Prix Camera of the Year and Europe's Technical Image Press Association's (TIPA) Best D-SLR Professional and the European Imaging and Sound Association's (EISA) Professional Camera of the Year. The D3X and D3S continued the success of the series introduced with the D3, being recognized by the camera industry for their superior performance with a number of awards of their own as well as extreme popularity with professional and advanced amateur photographers alike. In addition, the superior durability and reliability of the cameras has also been recognized by NASA, which ordered several models as-is, with no special modification, that are currently used aboard the International Space Station (ISS).

Nikon based development of the flagship D4 on the basic performance achieved with the D3 series, which has led the industry in imaging expression since its release. In addition to this high level of basic performance, a number of new functions and features were added in response to the needs and demands of professional and advanced amateur photographers, resulting in this next-generation digital-SLR camera that stretches the boundaries of functionality and performance with superior versatility.

D4 primary features

1. New Nikon FX-format CMOS image sensor

Support for an incredibly wide range of sensitivities, from ISO 50 to ISO 204800

The D4 is equipped with a new Nikon FX-format CMOS image sensor (imaging size of 36.0 x 23.9 mm) developed by Nikon. The superior performance of the FX-format CMOS image sensor with its effective pixel count of 16.2-million pixels offers excellent resolution and image quality under an incredible variety of lighting conditions. Despite the increase in pixel count, the D4 reads out data faster than the D3S. The range of standard sensitivities has been expanded to ISO 100 to ISO 12800. What's more, support for ISO 50 and additional expansion up to ISO 204800 is also possible, enabling effective shooting under a variety of lighting conditions without concern for any sacrifice in image quality. 

2. New EXPEED 3 image-processing engine with superior, high-speed processing capabilities 

The new EXPEED 3 image-processing engine built into the D4 offers better image quality and even faster processing speeds for vivid yet faithful color reproduction, a broader dynamic range, and rich expression of tones. It also effectively suppresses noise with advanced noise-reduction processing for images captured at high sensitivities under dim lighting, all while preserving definition and sharpness. Noise-reduction processing designed especially for movies maintains crisp, clear outlines in movies recorded in low-light situations. EXPEED 3 has high-speed processing capabilities for a variety of task, and it uses power effectively, contributing greatly to the camera's power-saving design.

3. 91K-pixel RGB sensor for the more accurate Advanced Scene Recognition System 

The D4 is equipped with the Advanced Scene Recognition System, which supports face recognition* when images are framed using the optical viewfinder. The new 91K-pixel (approximately 91,000 pixels) RGB sensor recognizes human faces for more frequent focus acquisition on human faces when Auto-area AF AF-area mode is used. When a human face is detected in the frame, 3D Color Matrix Metering III bases exposure control on the brightness of that face so that the face is optimally exposed even with backlighting. In addition, the high resolution of the metering sensor with its roughly 91,000 pixels enables extremely precise analysis of the scene for more accurate control over autofocusing, auto exposure, i-TTL flash control, and auto white balance.

*There is no display in the viewfinder that shows when a face or faces have been recognized.

4. Faster and more accurate AF with 51 focus points 

The 51 focus point AF system built into the D4 utilizes the new Advanced Multi-CAM 3500FX autofocus sensor module for faster, more accurate autofocusing that performs extremely well under dim lighting.

The 15 focus points at the center of the frame are cross-type sensors that detect phase differences both horizontally and vertically. All 51 focus points are fully functional when lenses with a maximum aperture of up to f/5.6 are used, and the cross-type sensors make the most of this capability. Precise focus can be quickly acquired with autofocusing using all AF NIKKOR lenses, even under lighting as dim as −2 EV (ISO 100, 20°C/68°F), the level at which the scene through the viewfinder can just be made out by the human eye. What's more, 11 focus points (five at center with an additional three to each side) are fully functional when lenses with a maximum aperture of f/8 are used. This enables very precise focus acquisition with sports photography and the like when super-telephoto NIKKOR lenses are used with a teleconverter (2.0x) at a combined aperture value of f/8.

In addition, adoption of a new algorithm enables faster autofocus initiation for even more certain and sharper capture of defining moments especially necessary when shooting sports scenes. The new high-speed AF system also supports high-speed continuous shooting at approximately 10 fps* in FX format with AF and AE tracking.

*Measured according to CIPA guidelines. Value with shooting in AF-C autofocus mode, [S] or [M] exposure mode, shutter speed of 1/250 s or faster, all other settings at their default values.

5. Multi-area Mode Full HD D-movie with three image area options

A dedicated movie-record button has been positioned near the shutter-release button for smooth starting and stopping of movie recording with a feel similar to that of still-image shooting. Full-HD movie recording at a frame size of 1920 x 1080 and frame rate of 30 fps is supported, and the H.264/MPEG-4 AVC video compression method has been adopted. Movies up to 29 minutes 59 seconds*1 can be recorded. Image sensor sensitivity begins at ISO 200 and can be expanded to the same ISO 204800 equivalent possible with still-image shooting.

Full-HD movies can be recorded with the D4 using one of three image areas: FX-based movie format*2, DX-based movie format, or 1920 x 1080; 30 fps/25 fps/24 fps crop. FX-based movie format makes full use of the large image sensor, enabling movies with an emphasis on pleasing blur characteristics. When a DX lens is attached, DX-based format is automatically selected.

This format is useful for creating an extension to the local length of an existing lens. For an even stronger telephoto effect, the 1920 x 1080 crop format brings an approximately 2.7x crop of the picture angle while delivering outstanding video quality and detail, obtaining 1080p Full HD. By choosing the movie format appropriate for the particular scene, the three image area options available with a single camera enable more flexible imaging expression through collaboration with the entire NIKKOR lens lineup, including DX lenses.

The D4 is equipped with a connector for external microphones that enables stereo recording. The camera also offers a headphone connector that supports stereo headphones, convenient for checking sound recorded with movies.

*120 min. depending on frame size/rate and movie quality settings.
*2Movies are recorded with an aspect ratio of 16: 9 regardless of the format selected. Aspect ratio is 3 : 2 with recording at a frame size/rate of 640 x 424; 30 fps and 640 x 424; 25 fps.

6. Smooth workflow from initial setup to image transfer

The entire photographic workflow is faster with the D4. Superior, high-speed response with a power-up time of approximately 0.12 s*1 and a release time lag of roughly 0.042 s*1. In addition, support for high-speed, next-generation XQD memory cards enables a continuous shooting frame rate of 10 fps for up to approximately 100 shots even with shooting in RAW format*2. The camera is also equipped with dual memory card slots, one for XQD memory cards and one for CompactFlash memory cards, for smooth handling of images. What's more, professional photographers can work much faster with high-speed transfer of images to a computer when an XQD memory card reader supporting SuperSpeed USB (USB 3.0)*3 is used.

• *1Measured according to CIPA guidelines
• *2When a Sony XQD memory card H-series (QD-H16G, QD-H32) is used with capture of compressed 12-bit NEF (RAW) images (based on Nikon testing standards
• *3Sony MRW-E80 (based on Sony testing standards)

7. The new compact Wireless Transmitter WT-5 with simple connection to the camera (available separately)

The D4 is equipped with an Ethernet port and functions for wired LAN connections. In addition, it also supports the new WT-5 (available separately), a compact wireless transmitter that is easily connected to the camera for high-speed transfer of images over a wireless network.* The D4 is also equipped with a number of new functions that support a more efficient workflow for professional photographers, including one that allows users to add IPTC (International Press Telecommunications Council) information to images.

The new WT-5 is powered by the camera, making a more compact size possible. In addition to IEEE 802.11a/b/g standards, the WT-5 also supports the new IEEE 802.11n (1 x 1) standard, enabling data transfer at twice the speed possible with the WT-4. The camera's HTTP server mode can be used to display a list of images stored on the memory card, and also enables basic camera control, live view, movie recording, etc. using the Web browser on a computer or smartphone. Synchronized release (WT-5 only) mode enables synchronized shutter release of up to 10 cameras D4 cameras, each with its own WT-5) with the D4 used as the controlling "master".

*The Wireless Transmitter WT-4 can also be used.

Other D4 functions and features

• Extremely durable shutter that has passed testing for 400,000 cycles

• Magnesium alloy adopted for the very strong, durably body that is very resistant to dust and water

• Effective sealing using O rings and packing make the camera more resistant to dust and water

• Silent shutter-release mode for live view photography that almost completely eliminates the sounds of the mirror and shutter operation

• A time-lapse photography feature, with which the camera automatically takes photos at selected intervals to record a time-lapse movie, which can be played back at 24–36,000x normal playback speed

• Operation optimized for both horizontal (landscape) and vertical (portrait) shooting

• Button backlights (illuminators) for increased visibility when working in dimly lit or dark situations

• High-performance viewfinder, utilizing a glass pentaprism, with a frame coverage of approximately 100% (FX format) and magnification of approximately 0.7x

• Four image area options for still shooting—FX (36 x 24), 5:4 (30 x 24), 1.2x (30 x 20), DX (24 x 16)—with viewfinder indicator that identifies the current image area

• A 3.2-inch, approximately 921k-dot LCD monitor with reinforced glass and wide viewing angle; integration of the glass and panel reduce internal reflections

• A virtual horizon that shows the degree to which the camera is tilted sideways (roll), forward or backward (pitch) with display in the monitor and viewfinder

• White balance that can be adjusted in units of 10 K; white balance can be specified separately for shooting (white balance applied to images) and monitor display with still-image shooting in live view mode

8. Capture NX 2 Ver. 2.3 for significantly faster processing

A trial version and free upgrade for Capture NX 2, Nikon's image editing software, were released on December 20 to coincide with release of the D4. This latest version is Capture NX 2 Ver. 2.3. In addition to offering image editing functions that allow users to achieve the intended results with intuitive operation, a faster image-processing algorithm has been adopted for much faster processing. What's more, operation is smoother and more natural with the addition of native compatibility with 64-bit operating systems.

Nikon SB-910 AF Speedlight i-TTL Shoe Mount Flash on Sale

The new flagship Speedlight, Nikon SB-910 AF, is now on sale at B & H:


Product Highlights

- Simplified Graphic User Interface (GUI)
- Advanced Protection Against Overheating
- Tungsten & Fluorescent Filters Included
- Auto White Balance to Match Filter
- FX/DX Format Identification
- Guide No. 111.5' (34 m) at 35mm
- 3 Light Distribution Patterns
- 17-200mm Auto Zoom Range
- Wireless Controller

For more information, pricing and delivery details, go to B & H:
Nikon SB-910 at B & H

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The Death of Point and Shoot Cameras?

Interestingly when I visited my folks in Kent and a trip to London recently, I decided for once NOT to take my full DSLR ensemble.
The reason being was two-fold. Firstly, I didn’t want to be lumbering around a rucksack full of kit when I really wanted to have fun with my kids and secondly, I didn’t want the pressure of always looking for that perfect stock shot.
Many times when I am out with my kids I am thinking more about stock photography than actually enjoying their company…not good.
I also didn’t want the aggro of taking my bridge camera so opted to just use the camera and video camera on the iPhone 4s. The resolution of stills is 8mp and the video is 1080p HD so that would be easily enough for fun, family photos and clips but not good enough for me to worry about trying to shoot perfect stock photos and footage.
This all meant that I could concentrate on enjoying our time with family and sight-seeing in London.
Strangely enough, my wife spotted an article in the Daily Mail yesterday that highlights this exact same thing. Many people are opting to use their camera phones these days rather than taking out a point and shoot camera. The article also talks about the rise in sales of the DSLR and lenses so is this really the death of the point and shoot?


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