Time Magazine has included the Sony Alpha A55 “SLT” camera in its list of the 50 best inventions of 2010.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Time Ranks Sony A55 Among 2010?s Best Inventions
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5 Ways to Get Creative with a Fisheye Lens
Using a fisheye lens is a surefire way to boost creativity and fun while taking pictures. Here's 5 tips on some of the many different uses for a fisheye lens.
by James Brandon
A fisheye lens is easily one of the best ways to get creative and have a blast with photography. As far as lenses go, a fisheye is relatively cheap (around $650) making them accessible to a wide group of photogs. It’s important to know what a fisheye lens is, where it came from, and where the uses of a fisheye lens begin and end.
Originally used for meteorology to study the sky and cloud formations, fisheye’s were originally called “whole-sky lenses.” These lenses quickly became popular in the general photography field because of their fun and unique uses, and of course their incredibly distorted lines. They can be used for many different purposes, both professional and for fun (but mostly for fun). Here are 5 creative ways to use a fisheye lens that you can implement immediately…
Shooting a wedding reception with a fisheye lens can be an absolute blast. These receptions are usually in low light and are a challenge to get great images out of. When I’m shooting a reception, I get right in the middle of the dance floor and just shoot away. To get this radial-blur effect, simply slow down your shutter speed to around 1/25th of a second. Next, you need to spin the camera 90 degrees counter clockwise. To do this, simply cradle the lens with your left hand while using your right hand to pivot the camera body around. Not every image is going to come out, but you can almost always walk away with a few keepers.
One thing to note when using a fisheye lens is this: The further you move an object or line to the edge of the frame, the more distorted it becomes. If you place the horizon in the middle of the frame, it will be perfectly straight across the entire image. The exaggerate this distortion, place the horizon dangerously close to the top of the frame. Just be careful, you might get home and find your legs in the bottom of the frame 
.
Sometimes, a fisheye can be used simply to capture everything you want in a scene. Sometimes, you don’t want distorted lines but still need that super wide angle. If you have a landscape without straight lines (buildings, trees, telephone poles, etc) you can sometimes position the lens in a way that it simply looks like a wide angle lens. Just make sure your horizon is towards the middle of the frame. Doing this will allow you to capture a nearly 180 degree view of a scene while avoiding the distorted, crazy look of a fisheye lens.
There’s no way you could capture this much of a ceiling with a normal lens. This was taken at the Gaylor Texan in Grapevine, Texas and this ceiling is absolutely massive. With symmetrical architecture like this, a lot of times there will be a clear marker on the ground to signify the exact middle of the room. When I looked up and saw this site, my fisheye was the only lens that crossed my mind!
The most important thing is to have fun Whether you’re shooting for fun, or for clients (as pictured above). A fisheye is a prime lens, meaning that you can’t zoom in or out with it. Therefore, it’s up to you to act as the zoom for the lens. Be sure to change perspectives and experiment with different angles and lines. Get down low to the ground, even if it means laying on your stomach in the gravel on a railroad track. Lean up against a wall and use the distortion of the lens to wrap the wall around the frame. Just have fun!
If you have examples of fisheye photography that you’d like to share, be sure and leave a link in the comments below!
Remotomatic Camera 1.1 for iOS
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Solar Spark Productions today announced Remotomatic Camera 1.1 for iOS, an update to their app that provides Bluetooth remote control of any iPhone camera. With this app, you can use any Bluetooth enabled iOS device as the remote control, and version 1.1 adds remote control of the iPhone’s video camera as well. Remotomatic Camera 1.1 is $1.99 and available through the App Store.
Solarspark Press Release
Remotomatic Camera 1.1 for iOS; Bluetooth Camera Control and Self-Timer
Solar Spark Productions today announces Remotomatic Camera 1.1 for iOS, an update to their app that provides Bluetooth remote control of any iPhone camera. A transmitter/receiver, it enables the user to control most camera functions remotely, producing high quality pictures with a tripod-mounted iPhone. The photographer may include themselves in the shot using either the remote or the self-timing, delayed shutter release. The version 1.1 update adds remote control of the video camera as well.
Hong Kong - Solar Spark Productions today is pleased to announce Remotomatic Camera 1.1 for iOS, an update to their app that provides Bluetooth remote control of any iPhone or iPod touch camera. Designed as a transmitter/receiver, it enables the user to control most camera functions remotely, producing high quality pictures with a tripod-mounted iPhone. The photographer may include themselves in the shot using either the remote or the self-timing, delayed shutter release. Other features include a Fast Snap mode, and a 7x digital zoom. The version 1.1 update adds remote control of the video camera as well, and also permits the use of an iPad as a controller. The app must be installed on two iOS devices for Bluetooth, remote control functionality.
An ideal solution for the iPhone photographer with unsteady hands, Remotomatic Camera provides wireless remote control of a tripod-mounted iPhone or iPod touch. Mounting the device on a tripod ensures blur-free photos, and for moving subjects the app includes a high shutter speed Fast Snap mode. Using the device with a tripod also has other benefits. It makes it possible for the photographer to leave the camera unattended so they may be included in the picture. The photographer can snap the picture using any Bluetooth enabled iOS device, or they may set the 5 - 15 second delayed release shutter.
Feature Highlights:
* Remotomatic Camera is a Bluetooth enabled remote control camera
* Control any iPhone/iPod touch still or video camera
* Use any Bluetooth enabled iOS device as the remote control
* Remote control of shutter, stop/start, zoom, flash, front/rear camera, and Fast Snap mode
* Ideal app for remote control of a tripod-mounted iPhone or iPod touch
* Release the shutter without touching the screen
* Digital 7x zoom, Fast Snap mode, and self-timing delayed release shutter
On launch in portrait mode, the app displays three buttons: Remote Controller, Bluetooth Controlled Camera, or Self-Timing Camera. In Controller mode the app allows remote control of the still camera shutter, the video camera start/stop, a 7x digital zoom for both cameras, the Fast Snap function of the still camera, flash on/off, and camera switching front/rear. In the slave, Bluetooth Controlled Camera mode, as well as the delayed release Self-Timing Camera mode, additional controls also allow user control of video/still camera, and Bluetooth connect/disconnect.
“We have had an overwhelmingly positive response to Remotomatic Camera,” stated CEO Spark So. “It was both ‘Voted as New and Noteworthy by Apple’, and listed in ‘App Store What’s Hot November 2010.’”
Device Requirements:
* iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch
* iOS 3.1 or later (iOS 4 tested)
* 3.4 MB
Pricing and Availability:
Remotomatic Camera 1.1 is only $1.99 (USD) and available worldwide exclusively through the App Store in the Photography category.
SolarSpark Productions: http://sparksolar.blogspot.com/p/about-sparksolar-productions.html
Remotomatic Camera 1.1: http://sparksolar.blogspot.com/2010/10/remotomatic-camera.html
Purchase and Download: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id398181866?mt=8
Based in Hong Kong, the SolarSpark Production team is an independent software company founded in 2009 by Spark So. With their strong blend of design and development skills, SolarSpark’s passion is to craft elegant, easy-to-use applications for iOS devices. Copyright (C) 2010 Spark So. All Rights Reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, iPhone, iPod, and iPad are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries.
DayFour Returns to London
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Prestigious photography magazine DayFour is returning to East London photographic gallery, theprintspace, for a special exhibition.
5 Ways to Get Creative with a Fisheye Lens
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A fisheye lens is easily one of the best ways to get creative and have a blast with photography. As far as lenses go, a fisheye is relatively cheap (around $650) making them accessible to a wide group of photogs. It’s important to know what a fisheye lens is, where it came from, and where the uses of a fisheye lens begin and end.
Originally used for meteorology to study the sky and cloud formations, fisheye’s were originally called “whole-sky lenses.” These lenses quickly became popular in the general photography field because of their fun and unique uses, and of course their incredibly distorted lines. They can be used for many different purposes, both professional and for fun (but mostly for fun). Here are 5 creative ways to use a fisheye lens that you can implement immediately…
1. Radial Blur
Shooting a wedding reception with a fisheye lens can be an absolute blast. These receptions are usually in low light and are a challenge to get great images out of. When I’m shooting a reception, I get right in the middle of the dance floor and just shoot away. To get this radial-blur effect, simply slow down your shutter speed to around 1/25th of a second. Next, you need to spin the camera 90 degrees counter clockwise. To do this, simply cradle the lens with your left hand while using your right hand to pivot the camera body around. Not every image is going to come out, but you can almost always walk away with a few keepers.
2. Exaggerate the Curvature of the Earth
One thing to note when using a fisheye lens is this: The further you move an object or line to the edge of the frame, the more distorted it becomes. If you place the horizon in the middle of the frame, it will be perfectly straight across the entire image. The exaggerate this distortion, place the horizon dangerously close to the top of the frame. Just be careful, you might get home and find your legs in the bottom of the frame 
.
3. Shoot Super Wide Landscapes Without The Fisheye Look
Sometimes, a fisheye can be used simply to capture everything you want in a scene. Sometimes, you don’t want distorted lines but still need that super wide angle. If you have a landscape without straight lines (buildings, trees, telephone poles, etc) you can sometimes position the lens in a way that it simply looks like a wide angle lens. Just make sure your horizon is towards the middle of the frame. Doing this will allow you to capture a nearly 180 degree view of a scene while avoiding the distorted, crazy look of a fisheye lens.
4. Capture Entire Ceilings
There’s no way you could capture this much of a ceiling with a normal lens. This was taken at the Gaylor Texan in Grapevine, Texas and this ceiling is absolutely massive. With symmetrical architecture like this, a lot of times there will be a clear marker on the ground to signify the exact middle of the room. When I looked up and saw this site, my fisheye was the only lens that crossed my mind!
5. Change Your Perspective and Embrace Those Lines!
The most important thing is to have fun Whether you’re shooting for fun, or for clients (as pictured above). A fisheye is a prime lens, meaning that you can’t zoom in or out with it. Therefore, it’s up to you to act as the zoom for the lens. Be sure to change perspectives and experiment with different angles and lines. Get down low to the ground, even if it means laying on your stomach in the gravel on a railroad track. Lean up against a wall and use the distortion of the lens to wrap the wall around the frame. Just have fun!
If you have examples of fisheye photography that you’d like to share, be sure and leave a link in the comments below!
Post from: Digital Photography School
DayFour Returns to London
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Prestigious photography magazine DayFour is returning to East London photographic gallery, theprintspace, for a special exhibition. The Ulysses II exhibition documents a day in the lives of 37 contributors around the world. The rules of the challenge were simple - participants had to avoid staging their photographs and had to work with whatever’s in front of them, no matter what. Ullysses II opens at theprintspace with a great opening night on Thursday, 2 December 2010 7pm-10pm and continues until 5 January 2011 Monday-Friday 9am-7pm (except for Christmas, 24 December – 4 January). Admission is free.
ThePrintSpace Press Release
DayFour returns to London with captivating images
LONDON, UK Prestigious photography magazine DayFour is returning to leading East London photographic gallery, theprintspace, this winter for a special exhibition, documenting the lives of 37 contributors around the world.
DayFour is a well-respected annual photography magazine, sharing the philosophy that in an ideal world, we could all work for three days a week, have a three day weekend and on the final day work on a project of our own that we are passionate about.
Six years ago, a group of photographers took part in the first Ulysses project. The idea is to take a photograph every hour, on the hour from waking up to going to sleep – no matter what you are doing.
Ulysses Day II is the sequel, involving 37 photographers around the world, documenting their lives as they happened on 29 June, 2009. There are simple rules; you cannot stage your photograph and you have to work with whatever’s in front of you, no matter what.
The result is a fascinating collection of the normal, the abnormal, boredom, excitement, loneliness, love and beauty of our daily lives. Meet the families, the pets, the cars, and streets that shape these photographers lives.
Ullysses II opens at theprintspace with a great opening night on Thursday, 2 December 2010 7pm-10pm (refreshments will be provided) and continues until 5 January 2011 Monday-Friday 9am-7pm (except for Christmas, 24 December – 4 January). Admission free.
Pentax K-5 Review
The Pentax K-5 is a new semi-professional DSLR camera, based around the same body design as the older K-7 and the same 16.3 megapixel image sensor as found in the Nikon D7000 and Sony A55 cameras. Key new features include a greatly expanded ISO range of 80-51200, Full HD 1080p video at 25fps, 7fps continuous shooting, upgraded 11-point SAFOX IX+ AF system with wider coverage and faster speed, improved High Dynamic Range mode, and a bigger range of in-built digital filter effects. The K-5 inherits the K-7’s dustproof, weather-resistant and cold-resistant construction, shutter designed for 100,000 releases, top shutter speed of 1/8000th second, through-the-lens optical viewfinder with 100% frame coverage and 0.92x magnification, 77-segment matrix meter, 3-inch LCD monitor with 920k dots, built-in dust removal and shake-reduction systems, Live View with Face Recognition AF, and automatic compensation of lens distortion and lateral chromatic aberrations with DA and DFA lenses. In the UK the Pentax K-5 is available in in three kits - £1199.99 with the 18-55mm WR lens, £1299.99 with the 18-55mm WR and 50-200mm WR lenses, and £1699.99 with the 18-135mm WR lens. In the US the Pentax K-5 is available body only for $1,599.95 or with the 18-55mm WR lens for $1749.95.
The Pentax K-5 is outwardly identical to its older big brother, the K-7, so a lot of comments that we made about that camera apply equally to the new K-5. The Pentax K-5 is the same size - 97(H) x 131(W) x 73(D) - and the same weight - 660g without the battery or memory card fitted. As soon as you pick the K-5 up, you can instantly tell that it's a serious camera, feeling as solid as its main rivals, the Canon EOS 60D, Nikon D7000, Nikon D300s and the Olympus E-5, despite being quite a lot smaller than any of them. This is mainly due to the K-5's stainless-steel alloy frame and lightweight magnesium-steel alloy body, which is a world away from Pentax's much smaller and lighter entry-level DSLR cameras, signifying the company's continued attempt to provide a DSLR that will appeal to more experienced photographers. The K-5 is dust, cold and water resistant, thanks to a system of 77 special seals used throughout the design, and it can operate at temperatures as low as -10°C. This shows itself most obviously via the battery compartment and the memory card slot. The former is opened via a small rotating latch, which is reassuring but a little fiddly to use if you're in a hurry.
The K-5 features a shutter unit which provides a fast top shutter speed of 1/8000th second and a very competitive 100,000 shutter release life-span, a figure more commonly associated with professional SLR cameras. The standard 18-55mm kit lens is better built and more weather-proof than the kits lenses of its rivals. The smc PENTAX-DA 18-55mm F3.5-5.6AL WR lens features a simplified weather-resistant construction designed to minimise the intrusion of water and moisture into the lens barrel. There's also a special coating which repels dust, water and grease and makes it easy to wipe off fingerprints and cosmetics. Consequently it feels well-matched to the K-5, although it's a rather slow lens at both ends of the focal length (f3.5-5.6).
As it's aimed at the more experienced digital SLR owner, the K-5 is a complex camera in terms of functionality and the number of external controls that it offers, with over 25 in total and a lot of them having more than one function. Despite the presence of so many buttons and switches, the Pentax K-5 doesn't feel too cluttered or intimidating, although it will certainly take some time to adapt to for people moving up from an entry-level SLR. Departing from the recent trend of ultra-compact SLR models, the K-5 is definitely designed for "normal" hands. The camera has a deep, contoured handgrip on the right-hand side, coated in a rubberized compound to aid grip, that enabled me to use three fingers to hold it and my right forefinger to operate the shutter button. There is a generous contoured area where your right thumb sits, with the rest of the body finished in a textured matt black. The shutter release action on the Pentax K-5 is much quieter than on the K7, which had a quite loud and mechanical actio, and therefore makes the K-5 a lot better suited to more close-up candid photography.
On the front of the camera body is the RAW / FX button, which instantly sets the image quality to whichever RAW format is selected in the menu system (either Pentax's PEF format or Adobe DNG), useful if you are shooting in JPEG and want to quickly switch to RAW mode for a particular image. This button can now also be customised to optionally control either Exposure Bracketing, Digital Preview, Electronic Level or Composition Adjustment. Located underneath is the Autofocus Mode switch, with three available modes, and above a small button for opening the pop-up flash, which extends quite high above the lens to help minimise red-eye. On the bottom of the K-5 is the weather-sealed battery compartment, housing the same rechargeable 1860mAh D-LI90 lithium-ion battery as used by the K-7. The camera managed an improved performance of over 900 shots using the supplied rechargeable Li-ion battery before being depleted. There's also a metal tripod mount that's perfectly in-line with the centre of the lens mount.
On the right-hand side of the K-5 is the weather-sealed SD / SDHC memory card slot, and located below is the remote cable release connector. On the left-hand side is a large vertical flap covering the DC In, AV Out and HDMI connectors. The HDMI port allows you to connect the K-5 to a high-def TV set, but only if you purchase an optional HDMI mini-cable. Above this is a small Mic port for connecting an external microphone, protected by a round rubber seal.
The Pentax K-5 follows conventional DSLR design in having a shooting mode dial on the top-left of the camera, which allows you to select either one of the advanced mode like Aperture-priority, Shutter-Priority and Manual, or the more point-and-shoot Auto and Program modes. There are no scene modes on this camera, signaling its intent as a serious photographic tool. You'll instantly notice that the K-5 has a couple of unusual shooting modes that you won't have seen before on any other camera (apart from the older K10D and K20D models). These are the Sensitivity-Priority and Shutter & Aperture-Priority modes, and they are genuinely useful additions.
Sensitivity-Priority automatically selects the best combination of aperture and shutter speed for your chosen ISO speed. The sensitivity can be shifted instantly (in 1/2 or 1/3 steps) by turning the rear control dial. This allows you to quickly select an ISO speed, without having to access the menu system, which is very useful in rapidly changing light conditions. In Shutter & Aperture-Priority mode the camera selects the most appropriate ISO speed for a shutter speed and aperture combination, allowing you to use ISO sensitivity as a third factor in determining the correct exposure. As digital cameras have always offered the unique ability to instantly change the sensitivity, it's surprising that Pentax are still the only manufacturer to allow you to use ISO in this way. At the base of the shooting mode dial is a switch which selects from one of the three metering modes - multi-segment, centre-weighted or spot - which all use the 77-segment multi-pattern metering system.
On the right hand side of the top of the K-5 is the small shutter button, surrounded by the on/off switch. This has a third setting, which by default activates the traditional Depth of Field Preview function, stopping down the lens so that you can see the effect of your chosen aperture. Located in front of the shutter button is one of the e-dials, predominately used to change the shutter speed, while behind it are the Exposure Compensation and ISO buttons - these commonly-used functions are ideally located for easy access. Pentax have retained the traditional top LCD panel which displays quite a comprehensive amount of information about the current camera settings, including the shooting mode, current aperture or shutter speed, flash mode, battery level, number of remaining frames and drive mode. A similar amount of settings are also displayed in the viewfinder. In addition, when you turn the K-5 on or change the shooting mode, a graphical overview of how that mode operates is briefly displayed on the rear LCD screen. The Pentax K-5 does a very good job of providing easily understood information about the settings that it's using.
The Pentax K-5 has a traditional eye-level optical TTL viewfinder which offers an impressive 100% scene coverage. Being able to see exactly what will be captured means that you can only blame yourself for poor composition and unwanted details creeping into the frame. The viewfinder is bright and free of any distortions or aberrations, making it suitable for both auto and manual focusing. It also features a Natural-Bright-Matte III focusing screen to improve focusing accuracy during manual-focus operation. The in-finder status LCD runs horizontally along the bottom and it shows most of the camera's key settings.
The rear of the camera is dominated by the large 3 inch LCD screen. The K-5's LCD screen has a very high resolution of 920K dots, wide viewing angle and it remains visible outdoors in all but the brightest of conditions, making it one of the best LCD screens that we've seen on a DSLR. The colour temperature of the screen can be modified if you think it doesn't match that of your calibrated computer monitor, but the contrast and gamma cannot be altered. The rear screen also doubles as a comprehensive status display, which can be called up by pressing the OK or Info buttons in record mode. If you then press the Info button again, you can also change all the settings right on the screen using a combination of the navigation pad and the rear e-dial. This ingenious solution spares you the pain of having to enter the menu, and makes most setting changes very simple.
Located above the LCD screen and to the left of the viewfinder are the self-explanatory Play and Delete buttons. To the right of the viewfinder is the rear e-dial, mainly used for changing the aperture, and the AE-L button, handily placed for locking the exposure. Underneath is a rather innocuous looking button with a small green dot that's unique to Pentax DSLRs. It has two uses - firstly, when shooting in Manual mode, a single push of the green button allows you to instantly set the correct exposure for the subject, as calculated by the camera, useful if you need a starting point for your own exposure. Secondly, the K-5 offers a Hyper Program function which instantly switches to either the Shutter-Priority or Aperture-Priority mode from the Program mode, simply by turning either of the control dials on the grip. Pressing the Green button then returns to the Program mode.
The AF button provides an alternative way of locking the focus, surrounded by the Autofocus Area switch which can be set to Centre AF, Auto/All 11 AF points, or User Selectable. The LV button turns on the K-5's Live View mode (see below for more details). The traditional 4-way navigation pad is split into separate buttons, providing instant access to the drive mode/self-timer, custom image, flash and white balance settings, with the OK button confirming actions. The Menu button accesses all of the 97 different menu options that the camera offers, reflecting the fact that this a complex and very customisable DSLR. Thankfully you will only have to set about half of the settings once and can then forget about them. The menu system has a fairly logical tabbed system with four main tabs, Rec. Mode, Playback, Set-Up and Custom Setting, each divided into several sub-pages, and it's easily readable with a bright display and a large font size making it perfectly visible even in low light.
You can use the Live View mode to hold the K-5 at arm's length or mount the camera on a tripod, with a single press of the LV button on the rear displaying the current scene on the LCD screen. Focusing is achieved by pressing the small AF button on the rear of the camera or by half-pressing the shutter-button. Alternatively you can use manual focus in Live View mode, with up to 10x magnification available via the Info button to help you fine-tune the focus (you can also use the Info button to magnify the subject by up to 6x when Auto Focus is on). Most of the main camera settings are displayed in Live View, including a helpful electronic level that helps to keep your horizons straight, a welcome histogram and the ability to highlight bright/dark areas. You can change the aperture, shutter speed, exposure compensation, ISO speed and a number of other settings when Live View is activated.
New to the K-5 is the magnified view feature, which zooms into the image and back out again to clearly show that the correct focus has been achieved. Although I appreciated this quick way to check the focus, the inability to disable it if required may annoy some users. Live View is fine for use with stationary subjects, but forget it if you want to track a moving subject. The AF system in Live View mode takes a couple of seconds to lock onto the subject, making it much better suited to subjects that don't move. The Face Recognition AF mode works quite well, as promised quickly identifying up to 16 people in the frame, but again it takes a couple of seconds to lock onto a non-moving subject. More impressively Live View can be used in the continuous shooting mode with no restrictions on the 7fps rate, as the K-5 sets the mirror to the lock-up position.
Live View is also used for the feature that will generate a lot of interest in the Pentax K-5: its movie mode. This is the fourth Pentax DSLR camera to shoot HD quality video but the first to be able to record Full 1080p HD footage, recording high-definition video at either 1920 x 1280 pixels or 1280 x 720 pixel resolution at 25fps in the Motion JPEG (AVI) format. The maximum size of a single video clip is either 4 gigabytes or 25 minutes. There's a built-in microphone for mono recording and also a socket for connecting an external stereo microphone. It also has an HDMI port for playback on a HD TV, using the industry-standard HDMI mini-out connection, but note that you'll need to purchase a suitable cable separately. You can also still connect the K-5 to a standard TV set via NTSC/PAL.
There are some notable drawbacks to the Pentax K-5's video mode. It's quite difficult to actually start recording one. You have to set the Mode Dial to the Movie mode, then press the AF-On or half-press shutter button to set the focus, then press the shutter button to begin recording (with the same button ending the movie). It's not on a par with the one-button system that some rivals offer, and you can't take a still shot during recording either. As with most other DSLR cameras that offer a video mode, you also can't autofocus during movie recording, something that the Nikon D7000 does offer. Pre-focusing before beginning recording, then focusing manually during the take is the only option.
In addition you can't set the aperture from the camera during recording, only before, so you will want to use lenses that have an aperture ring if possible. The K-7 can be set to Auto Aperture Control, which removes the flexibility of being able to set the aperture yourself but at least enables the camera to change it during recording to suit the subject matter. The shutter speed cannot be set by the user in movie mode either, so you will have to rely on the camera's auto-exposure system while filming.
The Pentax K-5 features a built-in Shake Reduction system. Turn it on via the main menu option and the K-5 automatically compensates for camera shake, which is a slight blurring of the image that typically occurs at slow shutter speeds, providing approximately 2.5 to 4 shutter steps of compensation. As this system is built-into the camera body, it works with almost any lens that you attach to the K-5, providing a significant cost advantage over DSLRs from Canon and Nikon, which use a lens-based image stabilisation system (compatible lenses are the PENTAX K-, KA-, KAF-, KAF2- and KAF3-mount lenses; screw-mounted lenses (with an adapter); and 645- and 67-system lenses (with an adapter)). In practice I found that it does make a noticeable difference, as shown in the examples on the Image Quality page. You don't notice that the camera is actually doing anything different when Shake Reduction is turned on, just that you can use slower shutter speeds than normal and still take sharp photos. The K-5 also displays a blur icon in the viewfinder to warn you that camera-shake may occur, regardless of whether or not Shake Reduction is on.
If you've had a bad experience with DSLRs and dust in the past, then the K-5 offers a Dust Removal mechanism. This automatically shifts the low-pass filter located in front of the CMOS image sensor at very high speed, shaking the dust off the low-pass filter. If you do still notice any dust, there's a neat feature called Dust Alert which is designed to show exactly where the dust is on the image sensor. A vertically and laterally correct image of the sensor shot at f/16 is shown on the LCD screen, indicate exactly where any stubborn dust particles may be lurking. While this feature won't prevent dust from getting onto the sensor, it does provide a quick and easy way of checking for it. In addition Dust Removal can be set to activate whenever the camera is turned on, and you can also use the built-in Sensor Cleaning function to lift the mirror and clean the image sensor with a blower brush or third-party cleaning solution.
The Pentax K-5's improved High Dynamic Range (HDR) Capture option (only available for JPEGs) takes three images with different exposures, with 4 different strengths on offer, and then records a single image that combines the properly exposed parts of each one, expanding its dynamic range. It's important to always use a tripod to prevent camera shake from blurring the HDR image, and it doesn't work very well for moving subjects. Similar to Nikon's D-lighting, Sony's DRO, and Olympus' Shadow Adjustment Technology, Pentax's D-Range allows you to correct the highlights (On or Off) and/or the shadows (3 different levels) before taking a JPEG or RAW image. Although this option is always at your disposal, remember that it is meant to be used in strong, contrasty lighting at base ISO. The Pentax K-5 also has a multi exposure mode that allows you to combine between two and nine different JPEG or RAW images into a single photo and a Cross Processing mode with four built-in effects and custom options that replicates the traditional effect of cross-processing film (remember that?!).
Pentax's Custom Images, similar to Nikon's Picture Styles and Canon's Picture Controls, are preset combinations of different sharpness, contrast, saturation and colour tone settings. You can change the saturation, hue, high/low key, contrast and sharpness for each of the nine options, which now include Bleach Bypass and Reversal Film?. The Pentax K-5 additionally offers seven different Digital Filters, which allow you to quickly apply an artistic effect to a photo before taking it (JPEG images only). Note that applying the Digital Filters slows the camera down somewhat, as it has to process the image for a few seconds after it's taken. The K-5 can also be set to automatically compensate for both distortion and lateral chromatic aberration of any DA- and DFA-series lenses.
The rather innocuous-sounding AF Adjustment custom function will be of particular interest to current Pentax owners. If you have a collection of older Pentax lenses and you've never been quite sure how accurate they focus when mounted on a DSLR, this is the function for you. Essentially it allows you to alter the focus of each lens. You can use a focusing target like the LensAlign range of products to test if the lens focuses correctly, and if it doesn't alter it slightly using the AF Adjustment option, then test again until perfect focus is achieved. With most other DSLR systems you'd have to send the camera and lens off for calibration (and maybe even have to pay for it), but with the K-5, you can calibrate all of your lenses in the comfort of your own home.
The start-up time of the Pentax K-5, from turning the camera on to being ready to take a photo, is very quick for at around 1 second. Focusing is also quick and consistent in good light with the standard 18-55mm kit lens, with the revised 11 point AF system now offering more generous scene coverage, and the camera happily achieves focus indoors and in low-light situations. Note that the 18-55mm lens has an annoyingly loud focusing mechanism though. The powerful AF Assist lamp can be used even if the built-in flash isn't raised.
It takes about 1 second to store a JPEG image at the highest quality setting with no discernible lockup between taking shots, allowing you to keep shooting as they are being recorded onto the memory card. For RAW images the Pentax K-5 takes about 2 seconds to store an image and again there is no lockup between shots. In the continuous shooting mode you can hold down the shutter button and take 7 shots per second for up to 22 JPEGS or 20 RAW files (with the firmware version 1.01), an impressive performance given the large 16 megapixel files that this camera produces. The camera does lock up for a few seconds once the maximum number of shots is reached, although you can continue to shoot continuously, just at a much slower rate.
Once you have captured a photo, the Pentax K-5 has a good range of options for playing, reviewing and managing your images. You can instantly scroll through the images that you have taken, view 9 thumbnails, zoom in and out up to a magnification of 32x, and see very detailed information about each image by pressing the Info button. You can also delete, rotate, resize, protect and crop an an image, view a slideshow and set various printing options. There are an expanded range of 16 digital effects available which can be applied to JPEGs plus a Custom option to create your own unique effect. The camera shows you a preview of what the effect will look like when applied, and the effect is applied to a copy of your image, thus preserving the original intact.
Image Comparison allows you to compare two images side-by-side complete with zoom. The Index option creates an index print from up to 36 images, Save as Manual WB sets the camera's Manual White Balance setting to the colour balance of the current image, and RAW Development converts a RAW file into a JPEG or TIFF with various conversion parameters available. Move Editing lets you divide or extract segments from your movies. Importantly the Pentax K-5 offers a histogram after taking a photo which is a great help in evaluating the exposure, plus any areas that are over-exposed flash on and off in the LCD preview to show you want you should be compensating for with your next attempt. If you have never used a digital camera before, or you're upgrading from a more basic model, reading the comprehensive but relatively easy-to-follow manual before you start is a good idea. Thankfully Pentax have chosen to supply it in printed format, rather than as a PDF on a CD, so you can also carry it with you for easy reference.
ShareThis If you enjoyed this review, please spread the word by bookmarking or promoting it on social sites, post it on Facebook, or email it to a friend!Pentax K-5 Review, pentax, k-5, k5, k5 review, DSLR, digital SLR, prosumer, 16 megapixel, 3 inch LCD, 7fps, hd, hd video, 1080p, full hd, dustproof, freezeproof
PhotographyBLOG is a member of the DIWA organisation. Our test results for the Pentax K-5 have been submitted to DIWA for comparison with test results for different samples of the same camera model supplied by other DIWA member sites.
Sony A850 Review
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The Sony A850 is the most "affordable" full-frame DSLR camera, featuring a 24.6 megapixel sensor, 3 inch LCD screen and an anti-shake function integrated into the body. Retailing for around $1999 / 1999 Euros / ?1700, does the Sony A850 have what it takes to compete with its main rivals? Read our in-depth Sony A850 Review to find out...
The Sony A850 is the most "affordable" full-frame DSLR camera, featuring a 24.6 megapixel sensor, 3 inch LCD screen and an anti-shake function integrated into the body. Retailing for around $1999 / 1999 Euros / ?1700, does the Sony A850 have what it takes to compete with its main rivals? Read our in-depth Sony A850 Review to find out...
Paused and Poised
I read articles, one after another and yet I still have no idea what exactly is planned for Coney Island or what will actually come to fruition. Apparently, wide scale development is coming. And, as might be expected, the sentiment is all over the spectrum - the detractors, the disgusted and the hopeful.
The passions are completely understandable. Coney Island is a very important piece of real estate and it is amazing that beachfront property in New York City can sit fallow in such a disgraceful state for decades.
You are also not just dealing with a piece of real estate here. Coney Island is for many a world of nostalgia, childhood memories, sights, sounds, smells, play, a world renowned boardwalk and for some a neighborhood to call home. Many have memories of it as a world class resort. And this is New York City, where multi-generational family is heralded and neighborhood pride runs deep.
I visited yesterday, a somewhat bleak but clear November afternoon. It was like a ghost town before sunset. A few photographers were setting up tripods for a sunset shot. Seagulls soared overhead. A few food concessions were open with a handful of patrons. The boardwalk was free of debris. The beach was empty as far as the eye could see, less one woman. The rides were eerily quiet - the various parks closed, the Cyclone and Wonder Wheel idle. Everything paused and poised ...
Panasonic Shows Off MW-20 Digital Photo Frame
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Tags: Audio, digital, dock, iPhone, iPod Touch, mw-20, pansonic, Photo Frame, picture frame
Photographers big and small know that actually taking the pictures is only half the fun. Displaying your works of art to your friends, family, co workers, clients and so on plays a big roll in the gratification associated with photography.
Normally you’d have to either develop your film yourself or have it developed for you but thanks to digital photo frames, that is a thing of the past. If you are looking for a new digital photo frame then you should definitely check out Panasonic’s recently announced MW-20.
This photo frame features a high resolution 9-inch display and packs a 5.6 mm Super Slim Semi Dome speaker that will help add to the MW-20’s functionality. As you can see from the above picture it also features an iPhone dock that will allow you to stream audio to the device and play it out through the above mentioned speakers.
Unfortunately the MW-20 will not come cheap as?Panasonic?has let us know that it will be available later this month for around $249.99.
Press release after the break.
New Panasonic MW-20 is a Versatile and Stylish Multimedia System,
Compatible with iPod Touch? and iPhone? for Convenient Playback
Panasonic announced the MW-20, a digital photo frame that doubles as a stereo sound system, complete with iPod Touch? and iPhone? compatibility ? using the supplied cradle to display photos and play music stored on the popular mobile devices is easy and convenient. The MW-20, a slim multimedia system, also charges the iPod Touch/iPhone while it is connected to the cradle.
The Panasonic MW-20 can play back videos and photos on its large, high-resolution 9-inch screen, while incorporating advanced audio technology to provide superb sound quality.
Below the screen, there is a 5.6-mm Super Slim Semi Dome Speaker and a diffuser that optimizes the sound. In addition, the built-in DSP (Digital Signal Processor) adjusts the audio signal to suit the audio characteristics of this speaker system.
?The Panasonic MW-20 has a stylish and slim design that will complement any home d?cor and given its versatility to display photos, videos, play music and even charge an iPhone ? we think this will be a welcomed addition this holiday season,? said David Fisher, Product Manager, Imaging, Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company. ?Beyond its design and versatility, the MW-20 is also a powerful gadget ? with exceptional sound quality to listen to music and a large nine-inch screen to view digital photos and videos.?
The MW-20 has an Adjustable Angle Display1 system that allows the angle to be changed to suit the viewing direction. With the supplied fixture, the MW-20 can be positioned in landscape orientation or hung on a wall. ? ? ? ?The MW-20 can display photos shot with a digital still camera by inserting an SD Memory Card into its slot. The MW-20 has 2GB of built-in memory for additional storage. The MW-20 features the LUMIX Scene Mode Playback function, which enables users to play back selected groups of photos shot with a Panasonic LUMIX digital camera using the iA Intelligent Scene Selector mode (Night Scenery, Portrait, Scenery, etc.). The MW-20 features 15 different display patterns to show a calendar, clock, photo ? whichever combination the user prefers.
The MW-20 features an environmentally-conscious power-saving feature, with a luminance sensor that automatically adjusts the brightness of the screen according to the room lighting. For instance, when a room is dark, the MW-20 automatically shuts off. The Panasonic MW-20 will be available in late-November 2010 with a suggested retail price of $249.95. For more information, visit www.panasonic.com.
1 Only when used in landscape orientation
Tags: Audio, digital, dock, iPhone, iPod Touch, mw-20, pansonic, Photo Frame, picture frame
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Time Ranks Sony A55 Among 2010’s Best Inventions
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Time Magazine has included the Sony Alpha A55 “SLT” camera in its list of the 50 best inventions of 2010. Calling the A55 “the camera that never blinks”, the magazine’s editors cited the combination of a fixed semi-transparent mirror, a robust AF system and a solid 10fps burst mode as the reason for their choice. The Sony A55 is the only camera on the list aside from Looxcie, a small hands-free camcorder worn over the ear.
Website: The 50 Best Inventions of 2010
Travel Photography Subjects: Downtown
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My Favorite Downtown: Seattle
?The lights are much brighter there
You can forget all your troubles, forget all your cares and go
Downtown, things’ll be great when you’re
Downtown, no finer place for sure,
Downtown, everything’s waiting for you?
-Petula Clark
Yes, I really did start this post with a pop song from the 60’s because it is rings in my head every time I come to this Travel Photography Subject on my checklist.
It also demonstrates one person’s view of what downtown is about. Granted, the composer (Tony Hatch) had a certain city in mind when he wrote it, that being New York City. I’m guessing most of us who have visited NYC might have a different view and that’s the great thing about a city’s downtown area. There usually is a variety of action and characters weaving through the fabric that makes up downtown.
When visiting a downtown of any major city you will likely see some common themes. Crowds, shops, skyscrapers, garbage, commerce and a liveliness that sets the tone for the rest of the city. Or maybe the downtown area is depressed, abandoned, clean or well organized. No two cities will be the same, not even the Twin Cities.
If you’re just passing through, chances are great you will be staying in the tourist area of a downtown, if it has it. Hotels are often crowded together, usually close to a variety of restaurants or other popular attractions. What’s not so obvious for the casual tourist are the other areas of downtown that give it its lifeblood. International districts, financial districts, art districts, city parks, poor areas, rich areas; the list is large when breaking down a city into its elements. While taking in the typical sites, don’t forget to wander a little.
Some good ways to do this are with a taxi, rickshaw, bus or other local transport. Many tour companies can present a wide swath of the city in a small amount of time and impart valuable insight while on the road. A cabbie in a taxi can often do the same. Just agree to a price before getting in for a one hour tour around the less popular areas of town. Explain you want to stop often to take photos and be sure to tell the cabbie if you have any particular interests (art, history, architecture, etc…).
Even if you will only be in town for just a day, on your way to some other exotic region of the country you are visiting, try to spend an hour wandering the city’s downtown area to get a feel for ‘local life’. It may not be as grand as the tourist traps nearby, but it will let you in on a bit of the city’s secrets if you listen and watch.
Do you have a few downtown shots from your travels that you would like to share?? Post them in the comments section below!
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Previous articles in the Travel Photography Subjects series include Water, Old People, Young People, Religion, Sports, Socializing, Icons, Rich, Poor, Transportation, Economy, Food, Food Preparation, Weather, Art and Modern Vs. Traditional.? These posts are not intent on telling you everything you need to do, step by step, to capture perfect, cookie-cutter pictures while traveling.? Instead, they are intent on pointing out some vital elements to capture when on the road and highlight thought provoking questions you may want to ask yourself.? My hope is they help guide you to find your own means to better expressing what your travels have meant to you and present that in the best light possible.? Be sure to subscribe to this site to receive the other four subjects as they are posted!
Post from: Digital Photography School
Sony Cyber-Shot TX7 Gets $20 Price Cut For Early Black Friday Deal
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Tags: Black Friday, coupon, Cyber-Shot, Deal, Digital Camera, saing, Sony, sonystyle, tx7
Thanksgiving is coming up and you know that means - lots of great food and lots of great deals. The day after Thanksgiving has largely been regarded as the biggest shopping day of the year. It’s the day where stores open early and offer some of the most impressive deals we will see.
However, leading up to Black Friday, companies have been known to let loose some deals and give us treats here and there to hold us over. One such deal comes from Sony who has issued a $20 coupon for their Cyber-Shot TX7 digital camera.
Add this to a sale that is already going down and you’ll be able to grab the camera for just $279.99.
To get down on this deal just head to SonyStyle.com and use the coupon SONYTX7SAVE20. However, if you’re looking to get down on this you better do so fast as it lasts expires on November 24th or after 400 uses - whatever comes first.
Tags: Black Friday, coupon, Cyber-Shot, Deal, Digital Camera, saing, Sony, sonystyle, tx7
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