Nikon D3 Firmware Update

Nikon have released a firmware upgrade for the D3. there are no major bug fixes other than one for a dead battery issue that some people have been experiencing with both the D3 and D300. There are however a a few additions worthy of consideration. Modifications enabled with upgrade of A and B firmware to v.2.00 Images captured with “Rotate tall”, in the playback menu, set to “On”, are not automatically rotated for display immediately after capture (image review). The following changes and additions have been made to “f4: Assign FUNC.Button > FUNC. Button + dials” ; “f5: Assign preview button > Preview + command dials”, and “f6: Assign AE-L / AF-L button > AE-L / AF-L + command dials” menus in Custom Settings: The “Choose image area” option has been separated into two options, “Choose image area (FX / DX / 5:4)” and “Choose image area (FX / DX)” A new “Shooting menu bank” option has been added. When “Choose image area (FX / DX / 5:4)” or “Choose image area (FX/DX)” is selected and the function button (Fn) is pressed, the image area setting is displayed in the top control panel, in the shooting information display, and at the bottom of the viewfinder. A “Copyright information” item has been added to the setup menu. When “Copyright information” is enabled, the copyright symbol ( © ) is shown in the shooting info display. “Recent settings” can now be displayed in place of “My Menu”. The virtual horizon can now be displayed with shooting in LiveView mode. The “Vignette control” setting can now be confimed in shooting information. The “Vignette control” item in the shooting menu now supports all types of G- and D-type lenses, except DX and PC lenses. The “Vignette control” compensation value has been optimized for shooting with “Active D-Lighting” the shooting menu. Electronic analog exposure displays are now shown in the control panel and shooting info display while the exposure compensation setting is being applied. The degree of the “High ISO NR” setting can now be confirmed in the shooting info display while the “High ISO NR” setting item, in the shooting menu, is being applied. Design of the FX-format icon in the “Choose image area” setting has been modified. Ankara, Riyadh, Kuwait, and Manamah have been added to the “Time zone” options for the “World Time” item in the setup menu. When a GPS device is used and no heading information is available, –.–° is now displayed for the “Position > Heading” option in the “GPS” item in the setup menu. When shooting in LiveView mode using Camera Control Pro 2 (ver. 2.2.0) or later with a PC-E lens, the aperture setting can now be adjusted from the computer. Autofocus performance has been improved. Auto White Balance performance has been improved. An issue that, in some rare circumstances, caused the battery indicator to blink, regardless of actual battery charge, has been resolved. Errors in the German help displays have been corrected. US customers can download the Nikon D3 Firmware 2.0 here.

Nikon Release D700 DSLR

Nikon have just released the D700 digital SLR camera. This DSLR is aimed at the Prosumer and is based upon technologies found in their D3, boasting pro-level performance and an extensive array of features and innovations. It also features the Nikon FX-format CMOS sensor, Nikon’s EXPEED Image Processing System, Nikon’s renowned 51-point auto focus system with 3D Focus Tracking and two Live View shooting modes. Having seen the liveview in use on the D3 it is something I wish I had on my Canon Eos 5D.

Xandros Acquires Linspire

Growth in the Linux business - that is, the Linux business desktop - is slow. But determined companies can make things happen (and grow somewhat faster too?) as long as they keep their eye(s) on the ball. I remember when Xandros was a struggling little startup, but oh how times have changed. We still think that Xandros is the most business-facing Linux distribution (with kudos to Linspire and Red Hat as well, no doubt), and Xandros continues to remain focused on expanding its footprint on business desktops. The acquisition of Linspire (another Debian-based Linux distribution) helps narrow the somewhat bewildering field of choices confronting any business considering a jump to Linux. Choosing something other than Windows or Mac OS X has never been risk free, but we really think that Linux is a safe bet these days especially with Microsoft Office file compatibility so well covered by OpenOffice for Linux.

Review of DPI Show in London

On Thursday Howard and I attended the Digital Photo and Imaging Show at the Business Design Centre in Islington. My first impression on entering the show was one of disappointment as it seemed a little on the small side, however this was soon to change as I made my way around the show. There were a few manufacturers present who were showing their solutions and we managed to spend some valuable time, one on one with their reps. On the software front there were a number of vendors showing their wares including Apple and Adobe. OnOne and Nik Software were also there showing their respective photoshop plug-ins and running continuous demos. A number of distributors and resellers were also on hand demonstrating other solutions. The live theatres from Adobe, Apple and DPI were running all day and were well attended, often with crowds spilling out into aisles. Printer manufacturers were there in force with stands from Canon, Epson and HP well manned and equipped with the latest in large format printers. Nikon were notable in their absence, disappointing really as there were plenty of Pro Users in attendance. There were the usual publications and associations present and it was nice catching up with some of them. The BPPA, BIPP and The SWPP were there looking for new members and spending time with existing members. Magazines such as F2, The BJP, Digital Arts Magazine and Macworld were on hand, giving out free copies and selling subscriptions. I was pleased with Canon's presence at the show as they were demonstrating a start to finish capability which other manufacturers lack. My associate Howard Carson, noted that Canon was able to demonstrate a complete solution for Photographers from Capture, Acquisition through to output. In addition to their pro cameras and output solutions they also had their projectors and pro video solutions on hand for demo. Other exhibitors included Skillset, who were there discussing their training programs for Digital Skills, photography and creative workflows. It's definitely worth checking them out. A number of retailers and resellers such as AJ Purdy, The Flash Centre, The Pro Centre and Rapid Group were there promoting their wares and services and selling discounted products and providing some excellent show specials. Other Vendors included Wacom who were demoing their excellent tablet solutions. Computer Unlimited were also in attendance demoing solutions from Corel, Datacolor, Shiraz and Vertus. The lecture program and seminar at the show was full and possibly offered many useful and valuable insights. Speakers presented on lectures and seminars useful to photo-libraries, portrait photographers, on documentary photography, celebrity shots, visual journalism and on the art of photography. Overall the show was small in scale but big on delivery, We were able to spend some valuable time with the companies we wanted to see. I hope that next years show will be similar in nature but somewhat larger in scale. Nikon should really be there, as should a few more third party software and hardware vendors.

Datacolor’s Spyder3 Gets Price Reduction

Datacolor announced a price reduction for its Spyder3 range. As of June the 1st 2008, their award-winning Spyder3Elite is reduced in price from £175 to £155.99 whilst Spyder3Print is reduced by £60 to £253.99, including VAT. For more information on the Spyder3 range visit Datacolor.

Wacom Wins 2 Coveted Red Dot Awards

Wacom have won 2 Red Dot Awards for the Bamboo Fun Pen Tablet and their Cintiq 12WX hybrid interactive pen display. This is the second red dot award for the Bamboo range, as the first model in the series also received the same accolade in June 2007. The Cintiq 12WX features a high quality 12.1” screen, which is optimised for direct input using the ergonomically designed digital pen. With this form of interaction activities such as drawing, painting, sketching, storyboarding, finishing, retouching and compositing allow the creative to work much as they would on paper. For more information on the Bamboo Fun and the Cintiq 12WX visit Wacom. For more information on the Red Dot award visit Red-Dot.org.

Akvis Relocate Headquarters To Canada

AKVIS Software Inc., the manufacturer of some excellent photo editing tools and plug-ins, has moved its head office to Vancouver in British Columbia, Canada. Founded in Russia, AKVIS is determined to improve their market presence by being able to get easier access to the North American software market.

Toshiba Tecra M9 Laptop review

Reviewed by: Mario Georgiou, June 2008 Manufactured by: Toshiba Requires: Intel® Core™2 Duo Processor T7500 2.2 GHz,Intel® Wireless WiFi™ Link, Genuine Windows Vista® Business Edition, 2GB of 667MHz DDR2 RAM (maximum 4GB), 160GB hard disk drive, DVD Super Multi drive (Double Layer), 14.1" (1,440 x 900) display, NVIDIA® Quadro® NVS 130M mobile video card supporting TurboCache™ technology, Bluetooth version 2.0 plus Enhanced Data Rate (EDR)Wi-Fi™, 802.11a/b/g/Draft-N, 87 key keyboard, spill-resistant keyboard, type II PC card slot, 5-in-1 media card reader, VGA out, mic/headphone connectors, IEEE-1394 (FireWire), three USB 2.0 hi-speed ports, serial port MSRP: US$1299.00 I currently own a terrific Toshiba m400 tablet PC. So when TalkToshiba called to tell me that they had a Tecra M9 available for review I jumped at the opportunity to find out what the latest generation of Toshiba laptops has to offer. The Tecra M9 is a laptop designed with business users in mind. The M9 ships with Windows Vista Business Edition. The Toshiba Tecra M9 is a very clean looking machine, and the 14.1 inch screen looks a lot bigger than it actually is. With the higher than normal resolution for a 14.1" display I was quite comfortable with using it compared to similar laptops. The display on this notebook and the lid feel very secure, with very little flex. As a result I didn't experience any of the usual warping and momentary discolouration seen when adjusting the angle of the screen. The matte finish does a good job of diffusing any reflections. The vertical viewing angles are more limited than I would like, causing most dark or midrange colours to washout or completely disappear moving vertically above or below normal viewing angles. Horizontal viewing is somewhat better, but still washes out sooner than I've experienced with other laptops. The Toshiba Tecra M9 is a very comfortable typing machine. The keys have a great feel, providing just the right amount of movement and feedback. Toshiba describes the M9's keyboard as spill resistant. The touchpad and pointer worked as expected, I also found that the left and right buttons used with the pointer control button were very nicely implemented. The keyboard and palm rest area exhibited a bit of movement when used compared to other laptops. However it wasn't enough to cause me any problems. The inclusion of a fingerprint reader for security also enhances the business-centric approach to the M9's design. Moving around the M9, starting on the front, you will find the indicator light array, a wireless on/off switch, firewire connector, headphone/mic jacks, and volume knob. The left side of the laptop features a modem jack, Kensington lock slot, exhaust port, one USB port, PC-card Slot and the SD card slot. The back of the unit has a serial port, VGA connector, and AC plug port. The right side features two USB ports, the optical bay, and the LAN port. The audio capabilities were what I expect from a laptop - clear and easy to hear. However I would always recommend using decent headphones for anything you really care to hear well. You can even try a pair of bluetooth headphones using the A2DP profile and the easy device discovery via Vista and Toshiba Bluetooth manager. The headphone jack had none of the telltale hiss and noise you would get from a sub-par connector, indicating good quality parts being used. Starting up and shutting down the M9 was quick and painless. With this unit's 2GB of memory and the 2.2 GHz T7500 Intel Core 2 Duo processor and nVidia NVS 130M graphics card, I found no noticeable issues while using any of the standard productivity software or even the creative tools(and resource hogs) like Photoshop. Trying any of the graphically intensive games (like Crysis) was problematic and I found there was no point in attempting to squeeze any sort of decent gamely out of the M9 as the graphics capabilities weren't up to the task. It's not really much of an issue though, because the M9 is really meant to be a business machine. Heat and noise didn't appear to be an issue at all for the M9. I kept the laptop running almost constantly for one day and found it quite comfortable to touch. The fan kept up quietly even when I took the laptop into a hot, noisy neighbourhood pub to test it out on a public wireless network. Battery life was as expected, with the standard battery giving about 2.5 hours (on average) use. I did find the hard drive shock protection alarm a little on the sensitive side. The warning popped up with the slightest knock of the M9. This feature however can be disabled/enabled by pressing the Toshiba Assist button located next to the power on/off on the top of the keyboard. Cons: Premature drop-off in display brightness. Somewhat oversensitive shock protection alarm. It's a business machine not a game platform, but a bit more graphics horsepower would provide a better all around experience with what is basically a very good laptop. Excellent screen resolution, but off-angle viewing could be better. Pros: Nice spill resistant keyboard. Standard three year warranty. Excellent wireless support. Solid build quality. Runs Microsoft Office, Photoshop CS3 and most common business software very smoothly. I was initially a little afraid that the screen on the M9 would be a little on the small side, but after working with the unit for a few weeks I found that the high quality and high resolution more than met my needs. The Toshiba Tecra M9 is a nice business laptop that will more than do the job. Recommended

Quark Announce QuarkXPress 8

QuarkXPress 8 is nearly complete and will be available within the next two months. Already Quark are promising to provide a free upgrade to folks who purchase and register QuarkXPress 7 in the next couple of months. XPress 8 includes new pen and picture tools, new drag and drop features, better file handling of Illustrator files, and better control over typography and layout. For more information on what's new in XPress 8 visit Quark.

ACDSee Photo Editor 2008

ACD Systems have released ACDSee Photo Editor 2008, the next version of their easy-to-use digital photo editing and design software. The new version offers: • Faster processing time • More custom creative tools and options for resizing, cropping and masking • Quick Web optimization & advanced printing functions • Artistic effects that can be added, modified or deleted • "Trim to shape" for quick-and-easy design templates • Advanced journaling and text curving capabilities Photo Editor 2008 is available for a 30-day trial ... for more info and to download a demo visit ACDSee.

DPI Show Reminder

For those of you who will be in and around London between the 26th and 27th of June, the Digital Photo & Imaging Show, taking place at the Business Design Centre in Islington, will the place to be. The DPI Show will provide pro-photographers and the whole photographic industry with a knowledge-based event where they can see and try the state of the art in creative tools and photographic equipment. Exhibiting at the DPI Show are Adobe, Apple Solutions' Experts, BJP, BPPA, Canon, Colour Collective, CU, DataColor, Digital Arts, Digital Photo Solutions, Dreamtek, Epson, Hasselblad, HP, Macworld, Native Digital, Nik Software, OKI Printing Solutions, onOne, Pantone, Peartree, ProCentre, Profoto Ltd, Rapid Group, Republik Agency, Shiraz, Skillset, SWPP, Vertus, Wacom.... For more info visit The DPI Show.

Photomatix 3.0.3 Released

HDRsoft have released an updated version of Photomatix which includes several bugfixes. Photomatix is a photo enhancement tool which deals with photography produced under difficult lighting conditions. Using Exposure Blending and Tone Mapping, images can be produced from multiple bracketed exposures, which offer a more balanced result. Photomatix 3.0.3 can be downloaded from the HDRsoft website. The upgrade from version 2.x to version 3.0 is free of charge. Download the Windows Version here and the Mac version here...

FocalPoint 1.0 Released

onOne Software, Inc., announced the release of their new software plug-in, FocalPoint 1.0 for Adobe Photoshop and Photoshop Elements. FocalPoint is a selective focus and vignetting plug-in designed to help photographers easily blur and/or vignette areas of an image. It is available for immediate download at onOne.

Essentials 2 for iPhoto

onOne Software, Inc., announced the availability of Essentials 2 software for iPhoto users. Essentials 2 for iPhoto is a collection of four easy-to-use software tools based on technology used in the professional level onOne Software Photoshop® plug-ins PhotoTune 2.2, FocalPoint 1.0, PhotoFrame 3.1 and Genuine Fractals 5. Essentials 2 is designed to be used in iPhoto to help correct color, creatively blur a photo for dramatic visual impact, add creative borders and resize digital images for high quality large prints. Visit onOne for more info.

CHDK - Hacking Your Canon Point & Shoot

lifehacker.com have posted an excellent article on the Canon Hacker's Development Kit. CHDK is a free, open source project with which you can add features like RAW shooting mode, live RGB histograms, additional photographic settings, motion-detection, time-lapse, longer video recording and even games onto your existing Canon camera. The beauty of CHDK is that it is non-permanent and non-destructive, you can use when you want to; CHDK makes no changes to your camera. Installing CHDK entails having a couple of files added to your camera's memory card. Removing it involves simply restarting your camera without the memory card present.

UK Photographers Rights

Simon Moran and Linda Macpherson have announced the launch of the UK Photographers Rights PDF. The guide is intended to provide UK Photograpehrs with a short summary of the main legal restrictions on the right to take and publish photographs. The guide was written by Linda Macpherson LL.B, Dip.L.P., LL.M, who is a lecturer in law at Heriot Watt University. The guide is a 2 page PDF, which can be printed out on the front and back of an A4 page. The guide is intended as an overview of the current legal situation in the UK for photographers, it is not a definitive bible of UK law. It can be downloaded directly from sirimo.co.uk, visit Simon Morans site for other useful information and articles.

PhotoAcute Version 2.8 Released

PhotoAcute have released Version 2.8 of PhotoAcute Studio, their Super Resolution based application for enhancing digital images. Their Super Resolution technology is designed to process sets of photographs taken in continuous mode to produce high-resolution, low-noise pictures. It increases image resolution, removes noise without losing image details, corrects image geometry and chromatic aberrations and expands the dynamic range. Visit http://www.photoacute.com/ for more information.

Two Thousand Photographers Test ACDSee Photo Editor

ACDSee Photo Editor has entered the final stage of Beta Testing, with over 2000 photographers involved in testing it. ACDSee Photo Editor 2008, will be an easy-to-use digital design and layout application created with avid photographers and scrapbookers in mind. The application comes with custom creative tools and exclusive designer templates. Look for a summer release.

Apple Release Their Aperture Plug-In SDK

Apple have released their free Imaging Plug-in Software Development Kit (SDK) for Aperture. It is now available through the Apple Developer Connection (ADC). Interested developers should visit the ADC website to download the SDK.

Xara Release Version 4 of Xara Xtreme and Xara Xtreme Pro

Xara Xtreme and Xtreme Pro have been updated to Version 4. Xara is one of the fastest and easiest creative tools to use. The flexibility of Xara Xtreme with its raster and vector capabilities is something worth trying. It is capable of drawing faster than pretty much any other package out ther. You can create 3D text, edit photos non destructively, create websites and even export flash animations. It also supports Photoshop plug-ins. Pop on over to the Xara Website to find out more and download a demo.

Adobe Releases Lightroom 1.41 and Camera Raw 4.4.1 Updates

Lightroom Product Manager Tom Hogarty announced the release of updates to the Photoshop Lightroom, Photoshop Camera Raw plug-in and DNG Converter to correct problems found in Lightroom 1.4 and Camera Raw 4.4. The revisions address several issues including: Lightroom Lightroom 1.4 incorrectly modified the EXIF time date field of images that had a metadata update applied. This incorrect modification does not appear in Lightroom or Bridge and is only viewable through third party EXIF tools. This error has been corrected in Lightroom 1.4.1 and all files in a Lightroom catalog that have been incorrectly modified will be corrected on their next metadata update. (Metadata can be updated by selecting the files in the Library grid view and choosing Command or CTRL + S to save and update the metadata.) Olympus JPEG files could render incorrectly in Lightroom 1.4, displaying an artifact in the exported file. Any conversion to DNG in Lightroom 1.4 (Windows Only) would cause the DNG file to become unreadable by Lightroom’s Develop Module or Camera Raw 4.4 in Photoshop. The issue has been corrected and files can be converted to DNG again in order to resolve the issue for existing files. Returning to the original native raw files is not necessary. The affected DNG files can be selected and converted again using the DNG Converter 4.4.1 available at www.adobe.com/dng/. This process is not required but recommended to ensure that a correct validation value is stored within the DNG files. Lightroom 1.4 provided degraded import performance relative to Lightroom 1.3. Camera Raw Camera Raw 4.4 incorrectly modified the EXIF time date field of images that were saved as TIFF or JPEG files from the Camera Raw dialog. This has been corrected in Camera Raw 4.4.1 Olympus JPEG files could render incorrectly in Camera Raw 4.4, displaying an artifact in the exported file. The updates have been posted to the following locations: Lightroom 1.4.1 - Mac - Win. Camera Raw 4.4.1 - Mac - Win.

Digital Photography & Imaging Show 2008

The DPI show is a new event dedicated to digital photography and imaging. It is being held on June 26th & 27th at the Business Design Centre in Islington in North London. The DPI show is designed to attract thousands of pro-photographers and agencies active in photojournalism, sports/action photography, portraiture, wedding and lifestyle photography, and those working in fashion and advertising, still life and macro. Industry leaders will come together to create a ‘Live Studio’, building a full-feature facility at the show with ‘celebrity’ photographers illustrating the facilities and capabilities of the studio. A busy seminar programme will present 40-minute sessions on latest products and solutions so you can receive first-hand expert advice and tips from specialists in the technologies and processes, hear of case studies and then visit the exhibition area for hands-on experience. Our conference programme will gather groups of speakers to look at improving workflow, at manipulating and storing images and at managing the demands of a modern photographic studio. The show will feature stands from Industry leaders such as Adobe, Apple Solution Experts, Epson, HP, Hasselblad, Color Confidence, Extensis, A J Purdy, The SWPP, onOne and a whole lot more ... Many publications will also be represented, including Digital Photographer, Digital Arts, The BJP, Digital Camera and Macworld. You can register for free at http://www.dpishow.com/

onOne Software Announces Plug-in Suite 4

onOne Software, Inc., announced the May release of their Plug-in Suite 4 software for Adobe Photoshop. Plug-In Suite 4 comprises of full versions of six essential software tools – Genuine Fractals 5 Print Pro, PhotoTools 1.0 Professional Edition, PhotoFrame 3.1 Professional Edition, Mask Pro 4.1, PhotoTune 2.2 and FocalPoint 1.0. The package should be available in early May to new users for $499.95, whereas existing users of Plug-in Suite versions 1, 2 or 3 can upgrade to Plug-In Suite 4 for only $199.95. For more information on Plug-In Suite 4, please visit onOne Software.

Adobe To Release CS4 64Bit Editions

Adobe have announced that they will be releasing their CS4 line in 64Bit Versions. They will not however be releasing the Mac OS X version in 64Bit until after the Windows Version. Where the 32 bit versions can generally only currently support 3-4 GB depending on the OS and application. After Effects supports up to 2 GB per processor on a multicore machine by assigning different processes to different cores. The 64-bit versions of Windows and Mac OS X 10.5 will potentially be able to access up to a theoretical limit of over 17 billion GB of RAM.

onOne Announce Free Liquid Resize Product Preview

onOne Software, Inc., announces today the availability of its Liquid Resize product preview. Available for immediate download at the products preview page. Their Liquid Resize software is a ground-breaking way to resize images using a technique known as "seam carving" to reduce the distortion that typically occurs when manipulating the aspect ratio of an image. The Technology is really interesting, check it out.

Adobe Release Lightroom 2.0 Beta

Adobe have made Version 2 of Lightroom available as a public beta. The beta is available as a 30 day tryout, for everyone who wants to try it, and even longer for registered users of Lightroom 1.x. It is suggested that everyone read the Release Notes document before using it. Beta Eligibility Q: Who is eligible for the Lightroom 2.0 beta? A: All Lightroom 1.0 customers. Lightroom 1.0 customers can download and install Lightroom 2.0 beta for use throughout the beta program Q: What about customers new to Lightroom? A: Anyone can download the Lightroom 2.0 beta and try it for 30 days Q: How can new customers try the beta for the entire program? A: An invitation program through labs.adobe.com allows Lightroom 1.0 customers to invite friends to try the beta beyond the 30 day trial until the beta expiration date Q: When does the beta expire? A: August 31, 2008 IMPORTANT NOTES, PLEASE READ Primary Known Issues Lightroom 2.0 beta will not upgrade Lightroom 1.x libraries. The beta is intended to be used for testing and feedback purposes. Lightroom 1.x and 2.0 beta libraries will be migrated to the finished version of Lightroom 2.0. While data loss is not expected, this is a very early ‘beta’ quality build and you should always work on duplicates of files that are securely backed up. Lightroom 2 beta will not overwrite or interfere with a machine that currently has Lightroom 1.3.1 installed. Develop settings applied in Lightroom 2.0 beta are not guaranteed to transfer correctly to the final version of 2.0. This is particularly true for localized corrections. The new Photoshop integration functionality is only available with Photoshop CS3 (10.0.1) and should only be used for testing purposes. Metadata associated with the original file may not carry over to the subsequent file saved from Photoshop Additional known issues are listed in the release notes. New Features Library Streamlined Library Layout Smart Collections Powerful Filter Bar to search and refine images Suggested Keywords for simplified keywording 10k pixel size limit raised to 30k pixels Output-based Collections Multiple Monitors: -Four flexible modes for an alternate window: Grid, Loupe, Compare, Survey(Check out the Live Loupe mode!) Photoshop CS3 Integration: Open files in Photoshop as a Smart Object Select multiple images to merge as a Panorama Merge multiple exposures into a single Photoshop HDR image Load multiple files or virtual copies into Photoshop as separate layers in a single document. Export Functionality: Auto-add exported images to the Lightroom catalog Auto Output Sharpening for images on export Develop Module Non-Destructive Localized Correction for dodging and burning specific areas of an image Post Crop Vignette Basic Panel Keyboard Shortcuts Improved Auto Adjustment Improved memory handling through 64-bit support on OS X 10.5 and Vista 64-bit.(Not limited to develop module) Print Module Picture Package for multi-page layouts Print Module output directly to JPEG Enhanced Print Sharpening based on PhotoKit Sharpener algorithms 16-bit Printing for Mac OS X 10.5 Additional Resources Lightroom video tutorials by Julieanne Kost: Lightroom 2 beta Tutorial Part I and Lightroom 2 beta Tutorial Part III. (Part II is on the way) Lightroom 2 beta preview by Ian Lyons Lightroom Tasmania Adventure Lightroom 2 beta review by Uwe Steinmueller at OutbackPhoto.com. Lightroom 2 beta review for our French-speaking photographers Photoshop Cafe provides a feature review and 1 hour training video. Thanks to Tom Hogarty at Adobes Lightroom Journal for the info posted above.

Adobe Launches Free Photoshop Express Beta

Adobe have launched a public beta of Photoshop Express, their new photo storage and editing application. This free solution allows users to store up to 2GB of images and edit them with a number of Photoshop’s most popular image editing tools. Users can upload their images to Photoshop Express and use the rudimentary editing tools to edit and modify images. This solution may be excellent for users with basic requirements but will lease anyone else wanting much more. Photoshop Express also features slide show options and offers users their own Adobe hosted, online gallery. Images hosted on the service can also be used on blogs or social networking sites such as Facebook. Adobe plan to expand the service/tool as it gets feedback from users of the open beta. To sign up for Photoshop Express visit Adobe’s website.

Nik Software & Vertus - Color Efex Pro 3.0 and Fluid Mask 3 Software Bundle

Nik Software, Inc. and Vertus announced a new software bundle which offers photographers and creative professionals Color Efex Pro 3.0 Complete Edition from Nik Software and Vertus’ Fluid Mask 3. These tools offer excellent capabilities for doing image extractions and creative enhancements. Available on both companies’ websites as an electronic download, the bundle is available for $429.95. For download and discount information please visit niksoftware.com or vertustech.com.

Apple Release Aperture 2.1 Update

Apple have released Aperture Version 2.1, a free update which includes an Apple developed plug-in. The plug-in is Dodge & Burn, a tool which adds brushed based tools to lighten or darken, affect contrast and saturation and that can sharpen or blur. Apple will be working with third-party plug-in developers to expand the capabilities with more plug-ins. Visit the Aperture page at Apple

Manfrotto 190XPROB Tripod Review

Mario Georgiou, March 2008 Manufactured by: Gruppo Manfrotto S.r.l. (a subsidiary of Vitec Group PLC), Manfrotto USA (distributed by Bogen Imaging also owned by Vitec Group) Requires: N/A MSRP: US$170, UK£110 The Manfrotto 190XPROB is the latest take on the base model 190, a tripod that has been in the Manfrotto line for many years. This 2007/2008 incarnation seems to incorporate all of the excellent characteristics of its predecessors and adds a couple of important new features. The 190XPROB is a black anodized tubular aluminum tripod with a three-faceted adjustable center column. The tripod has three-section legs made of 16mm, 20mm and 25mm diameter high strength extruded aluminum with a round cross section. Each section is retained or locked by Manfotto's patented flip-lock pressure leg locks. At 1.8kg (a little under 3.9 lbs) the tripod is a lightweight. Load capacity is 5kg (11 pounds, plus a head) making it broadly useful for a wide range of SLR and DSLR body and lens combinations. In my recent review of the Manfrotto 468MGRC0 Hydrostatic Ball Head I mentioned that I had replaced my old tripod with something more in keeping with the high standards I try to achieve and maintain. I think it's most important to follow a strategy when selecting a tripod and head: a) visit the makers' web sites to figure out what they recommend for your camera gear, b) match size, footprint and general weight of each item to create the lowest possible balance point — there are few things worse than a head that is too heavy for the tripod, c) how much weight you want to carry and what sort of tripod fits your travel, location and shooting needs, d) decide which models among the ones remaining on the list will suit your needs, and e) visit local stores in order to check out the models you've short-listed. After much consideration I decided on the new aluminium 190XPROB. For my needs, this model's center column design was very important. Swing the faceted centre column into a horizontal position by extending it fully and pressing a release button. The center column feature when combined with the fully adjustable and stable leg geometry means you have a tripod which provides excellent adaptability to most environments. After all due delibration and research I finally purchased the 190XPROB in a store in Cambridge, England during a photographic road trip in October 2007. Having got to grips with the tripod in very short order, I very quickly realized I'd made the right decision. I ended up using the tripod in marshland, on the side of cliffs, in torrential downpours, on large boulders and in a couple of streams, all without any real issues. The Manfrotto 190XPROB is beautifully designed and well constructed. The legs feature flip-lever pressure leg locks, which make opening, positioning and closing fast and easy. Lock pressure is adjustable using the supplied Allen/hex wrench. The user adjustable mechanism makes it a pleasure to use. The legs can also be adjusted to four different angles (25°, 46°, 66° and 88°), allowing for a very flexible geometry and an extremely stable platform from which to take your photos. The Manfrotto 190XPROB stands about 48in/122cm tall in its fully extended mode, center colum down. Extending the center column adds another 9.5in/24cm. You can invert the center column allowing you to shoot upside down. The patented design of the center column allows the photographer to position the camera on the head horizontally or vertically and, when used with a good ball or 3-way head, offers a platform which is perfect for macro work, product or table-based photography, low angle shooting or any work which requires the camera to be positioned off center. The adaptability of this tripod also makes it ideal for photographers who have to sit down for long periods and for those who are wheelchair bound. The only real gripes I have are that Manfrotto has chosen not to include a carrying strap and ground spikes. (Ed. Note: In early March 2008 we loaded another 190XPROB with a Markins Q20 ball head and a very heavy Nikon D3/300mm f/4 rig for a semi-frozen marshland walkabout just outside of Toronto. We also brought along a couple of shock cords to make boot loops to add some downward pressure to the rig to help combat instabilities when set up on unstable ground and when shooting in gusting wind conditions. When taking into account the downward pressure of the stabilizing shock/bungee cords, we easily exceeded the overall load rating of the tripod by at least 3x but it worked perfectly. Manufacturers' load ratings are conservative — we've obtained similarly excellent 'overloading' performance from a variety of Benbo, Benro, Gitzo, Hakuba Carmagne and other Manfrotto models.) Cons: No ground spikes or carrying strap included. Pros: The Manfrotto 190XPROB is extremely stable. Versatile leg and column adjustments don't compromise stability. Good vibration damping when matched with the right head. The Manfrotto 190XPROB tripod is ideal for use with a wide range of heads from Acratech, Arca Swiss, Gitzo, Kirk, Manfrotto and Markins. Great leg locks that never slip even when overloaded. Other than a couple of minor issues (see Cons above) I have to say the 190XPROB is worth every penny. All I want now is to get a carbon fibre version (for extended trekking) and I'll be very happy camper indeed. A great choice for amateur, semi-pro and professional photographers. Highly recommended.