Thursday, December 2, 2010

Win a Lomography Camera!

type="html">

News image




Win a Lomography camera in our Festive Competition!


Read more and comment »




View the original article here

Canon EOS 5D Mark II and 7D Locking Mode Dial

« Back to news

News image

A locking mode dial modification for the Canon EOS 5D MarkII and EOS 7D DSLR cameras is now available in the USA. This modification is available for $100 per body to owners of these cameras who would prefer a Mode Dial which locks in place and can’t be accidentally moved during normal camera operation.

Canon USA Press Release

http://www.usa.canon.com/cusa/consumer/products/cameras/slr_cameras/eos_7d?pageKeyCode=prdAdvDetail&docId=0901e02480245968

Effective December 6, 2010, Canon will start to provide as a chargeable service, a locking mode dial modification for the “EOS 5D MarkII” and “EOS 7D” digital single-lens reflex cameras.

This modification is available, for a fee, to owners of these cameras who would prefer a Mode Dial which locks in place and can’t be accidentally moved during normal camera operation.

For USA residents, the pricing of the locking mode dial modification service for EOS 5D Mark II and 7D cameras has been set at $100 per camera as of December, 2010. (Pricing and availability subject to change without notice.) For further details, see contact information for inquiries below.

Once modified, users must first press and hold down the central lock-release button in order to turn the Mode Dial. The modification is intended to prevent the Mode Dial from accidentally moving, once set to a particular exposure mode by the user.

Applicable Products
EOS 5D Mark II Digital SLR Cameras
EOS 7D Digital SLR Cameras



View the original article here

Sony A900 and A850 Firmware Upgrade

« Back to news

News image

Sony have released a major firmware upgrade for the A900 and A850 DSLR cameras. The upgrade includes quicker and more responsive autofocus, an increase in exposure compensation to to ±5EV and exposure bracketing to 6.0EV, and a new menu option that allows the shutter release to be enabled even when the camera body doesn’t detect an attached lens. The latest firmware upgrade for the A900 and A850 is available free of charge.

Sony UK Press Release

2nd December 2010

SONY ANNOUNCES FIRMWARE UPGRADE FOR DSLR-A900/A850

Creative shooting enhancements for full-frame ? cameras

A firmware upgrade that refines shooting responses and creative options for the ?900 and ?850 35mm full-frame DSLR cameras from Sony.

All new and existing customers are advised to install the upgrade, available to download from the ‘Support’ area of the Sony web site.

Autofocus is quicker and more responsive than ever, thanks to improved AF motor control and smarter distance detection of out-of-focus objects.

Creative options are extended by a broadened range of exposure value (EV) compensation settings, now increased from ±3EV to ±5EV. Selected compensation value is displayed in the navigation display on the main LCD screen of both cameras. This boosted EV compensation range gives extra headroom when composing extremely high- or low-key images.
Exposure bracketing range has also been increased from a maximum of 4.0EV (three shots at -2EV, 0EV, +2EV) to a maximum of 6.0EV (-3EV, 0EV, +3EV). This wider range gives added flexibility when capturing multiple frames at different exposure values – for example when acquiring images for the creation of powerful post-shooting HDR effects.

As a further refinement, a new menu option allows shutter release to be enabled, even when the camera body doesn’t detect an attached lens. It’s useful for specialist applications such as astrophotography when the camera is attached to a telescope.

The latest firmware upgrade by Sony for registered ?900 and ?850 DSLR customers is available free of charge from http://support.sony-europe.com/dime/DSLR/dslr.aspx



View the original article here

TrueHDR 2.1 for iOS

« Back to news

News image

A new version of TrueHDR is now available on the App Store. TrueHDR enables you to take two pictures at different exposures, and then takes the best features of each and merges them into one picture that has vivid colours and details in both the shadows and highlights. Version 2.1 offers a new “Natural” mode for taking HDR photos with realistic colours, fast processing, and low image noise. TrueHDR 2.1 is available at a price of $1.99.

Press Release

TrueHDR 2.1 brings choice and control to HDR photography on iOS

Massachusetts based Pictional LLC today released TrueHDR 2.1, an update to their popular HDR photography app for iOS. TrueHDR enables you to take two pictures at different exposures, and then takes the best features of each and merges them into one picture that has vivid colors and details in both the shadows and highlights. Version 2.1 offers a new “Natural” mode for taking HDR photos with realistic colors, fast processing, and low image noise.

Boston, Massachusetts - Pictional LLC today is pleased to announce the release and immediate availability of TrueHDR 2.1, an update to TrueHDR, a high dynamic range (HDR) photography app that is one of a highly select group of fifty apps named by Apple to the “App Store Essentials Hall of Fame” in November 2010.

TrueHDR’s latest release offers an all new “Natural” mode for taking stunning photos with realistic, natural colors; faster processing; and low image noise. With the addition of “Natural” mode to complement the existing “Enhanced” mode, TrueHDR now offers two distinct HDR styles on iPhone 4, 3GS, and iPod touch 4G, giving users greater control to achieve the look they want.

TrueHDR is designed to address the issue that cameras can only capture a limited range of brightness in a single photo. In other words, when people take photos of a scene that has a large range from bright to dark, they often have to choose between the bright areas and the dark areas. TrueHDR enables you to take two pictures at different exposures, and then takes the best features of each and merges them into one picture that has vivid colors and details in both the shadows and sun.

TrueHDR’s all new “Natural” mode was built from the ground up using the latest image processing techniques, leading to beautiful true-to-life colors, reduced image noise, and faster processing speed. With two outstanding HDR modes (“Natural” and “Enhanced”), TrueHDR picks up where Apple’s HDR leaves off, offering better HDR photos with more realistic details and greater user control.

TrueHDR also offers users choices in how they capture the original (pre-HDR) images. TrueHDR’s Rapid Autocapture mode makes it easier than ever to take HDR pictures - it automatically measures the brightness of different parts of a scene, and chooses the optimal exposures to capture the most detail. TrueHDR also offers SemiAuto and Manual capture modes which give users more control in choosing exposure points. Users can share their HDR photos from within the app using Facebook, Twitter, or email.

Feature highlights:
* Choice of Natural or Enhanced modes, with Natural for the most realistic look and Enhanced for slightly more vivid colors and contrast - pick the look you like
* All new Natural mode gives you beautifully natural true-to-life colors, faster processing, and reduced image noise
* Easy capture with Rapid AutoCapture mode
* Greater control over exposure points with SemiAuto capture mode and manual mode
* Automatically saves original images for use with desktop HDR programs if desired
* Works on iPhone 3GS where the native camera does not offer an HDR option
* Full support for front facing camera in all three modes (Auto, SemiAuto, and Manual), making composing and taking self portraits easier and more fun than ever
* Convenient sharing features (Facebook, Twitter, email)

Device Requirements:
* iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad
* Requires iOS 4.0 or later
* 4.1 MB

Pricing and Availability:
TrueHDR 2.1 is $1.99 USD (or equivalent amount in other currencies) and available worldwide exclusively through the App Store in the Photography category.
TrueHDR 2.1: http://www.pictional.com/TrueHDR/
Purchase and Download: http://itunes.apple.com/app/truehdr/id340741871?mt=8
Gallery: http://www.pictional.com/TrueHDR/Gallery.html

Pictional LLC, located in Boston, Massachusetts, is dedicated to creating computational photography and imaging applications. Applications and algorithms developed by Pictional are based on the solid foundations of computer vision and signal processing. Copyright (C) 2009-2010 Pictional LLC. All Rights Reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, iPhone and iPod are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries.



View the original article here

Lightroom’s Selected and Most Selected Images

One of confusing things when you’re getting started in Lightroom is understanding the concept of selected images and the most selected image in Lightroom.

LR_most_selected_image_step1.jpg

To see this at work, start in the Library module and press G to move to Grid view. Click on any image to select it and Shift + Click on another image. You’ll now have a sequence of images selected.

Notice that in both Grid view and on the Filmstrip the first image that you selected has a lighter border around it than all of the other selected images and notice that the unselected images have darker borders.

The image with the lightest border is the most selected image and it is the image that will be affected by changes that you make to various settings, in particular when you are working in Loupe view with multiple images selected.

LR_most_selected_image_step2.jpg

What you have selected in Lightroom and the view you are in impacts how changes are applied to an image.

In Grid view if you select the Quick Develop panel and choose a different white balance setting then all the selected images that are selected will be altered.

LR_most_selected_image_step3.jpg

However, if you are in Loupe view and if you make the same change only the most selected image will be altered and not all the selected images.

Grid and Loupe view work very differently and it’s important to understand, particularly in Loupe view, that when you have multiple images selected, there is one that is most selected.

LR_most_selected_image_step4.jpg

When you have all images in a folder or collection selected it can be difficult to see just how to deselect the images. To deselect a selection, click outside the thumbnail area of any of the selected images in an empty area of the cell it is in. This deselects the current selection so only the image that you just clicked will be selected.

Helen Bradley is a Lifestyle journalist who divides her time between the real and digital worlds, picking the best from both. You can view her site at helenbradley.com. She writes and produces video instruction for Photoshop and digital photography for magazines and online providers world wide. She has also written four books on photo crafts and blogs at Projectwoman.com.


View the original article here

Cameras Underwater Adds Full Range of Subal Kit to its Product Range

« Back to news

News image

Cameras Underwater has announced that it will now be distributing the Subal range online and in store. Manufactured to exacting standards using state of the art technology, Subal products are used by some of the world’s best known and well respected underwater photographers including Alex Mustard and Howard Hall. The full Subal range is available now at the website below.

Website: Cameras Underwater (UK)

Press Release

1st December 2010: Cameras Underwater, the UK’s leading specialist in underwater photography, is delighted to announce that it will now be distributing the Subal range online and in store.

The Subal brand prides itself on quality that endures and excites. Manufactured to exacting standards using state of the art technology and designed by enthusiasts for enthusiasts. Some of the world’s best known and well respected underwater photographers have long since used Subal. The likes of these include underwater photo legends Alex Mustard and Howard Hall.

Jenny Rosenfeld, Managing Director of Cameras Underwater says of the new partnership “We are very excited at Cameras Underwater to be stocking yet another prestigious and well respected brand. Our passion at Cameras Underwater is helping everyone to understand how exciting and fun underwater photography can be. We want everyone to be able to produce underwater photos they will be proud of”

The full Subal range is available now from Cameras Underwater.



View the original article here

360 Panorama 3.0 for iPhone

« Back to news

News image

Colorado-based Occipital has just introduced 360 Panorama 3.0 for iPhone and iPod touch devices. Using 360 Panorama, users simply pan their camera and see the application “paint” the panoramic scene in front of them from live video. Moments later the panorama is ready to be saved, emailed or uploaded via Twitter. 360 Panorama 3.0 requires iOS 4.0 or later, and is temporarily on sale for $0.99 USD (normally $2.99) and available worldwide exclusively through the App Store in the Photography category.

Occipital Press Release

360 Panorama App Brings Instant Surround-View Sharing

Colorado based Occipital today introduces 360 Panorama 3.0 for iPhone and iPod touch devices. 360 Panorama completely reinvents the way panoramas are captured and shared. Users simply pan their camera and see the application “paint” the panoramic scene in front of them from live video. The result is not simply a flat panoramic image file, but rather an interactive 360 viewer that allows anyone with an iOS device or Flash-enabled browser to experience the scene immersively.

Boulder, Colorado - Occipital, the company that developed RedLaser, today is pleased to announce the introduction of 360 Panorama 3.0 for iPhone and iPod touch devices. 360 Panorama completely reinvents the way panoramas are captured and shared.

Using 360 Panorama, users simply pan their camera and see the application “paint” the panoramic scene in front of them from live video. Moments later, after the scene is captured, users simply press done and the panorama is ready to be saved, emailed or uploaded via Twitter. What’s more, the result is not simply a flat panoramic image file, but rather an interactive 360 viewer, like Google’s street view, that allows anyone with an iOS device or Flash-enabled browser to experience the scene immersively.

“The days of clumsily stitching photos together to create panoramic views are over,” says Jeffrey Powers, co-founder of Occipital. “360 Panorama lets anyone capture immersive surround views in seconds.”

Device Requirements:
* iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, and iPod touch (4th generation)
* Requires iOS 4.0 or later
* 1.0 MB

Pricing and Availability:
360 Panorama 3.0 is temporarily on sale for $0.99 USD (normally $2.99) or equivalent amount in other currencies and available worldwide exclusively through the App Store in the Photography category.

360 Panorama 3.0: http://www.occipital.com/360
Purchase and Download: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/360-panorama/id377342622?mt=8
Screenshot: http://a1.phobos.apple.com/us/r1000/055/Purple/9a/f9/9a/mzl.ryekssjj.320x480-75.jpg
App Icon: http://a1.phobos.apple.com/us/r1000/043/Purple/67/31/24/mzi.uvieaofw.175x175-75.jpg

Occipital develops groundbreaking consumer applications that give mobile devices a sense of vision by way of built-in cameras. Occipital’s RedLaser app, launched in 2009 and acquired by eBay Inc in June 2010, is the most popular barcode scanning application on the iPhone, and has garnered worldwide attention, including being featured in an Apple TV ad. Copyright (C) 2010 Occipital. 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.



View the original article here

Announcing the Winners of the Trey Ratcliff HDR Tutorial Giveaway

Wow! We had an absolutely incredible response to the HDR Tutorial giveaway! When I cut off the comments around 8am this morning, we had over 1200+ comments of people around the world telling us why they loved HDR. Now that the comments are closed, it’s time to pick the winners. These 3 people were chosen completely at random. The winners are:

Kevin ThompsonLisandro RiveraJen may

Congratulations to the three of you! You will receive an email shortly with a link and free coupon code to get your copy!

If you didn’t win, don’t worry. All is not lost, you can still learn HDR photography! Trey Ratcliff has agreed to provide a 10% off coupon for all of his HDR Video Tutorials from now through the new year. Just use the coupon code “DPSISREALLYAWESOME” at checkout for the discount.

Trey also has a free text version of his HDR Tutorial over at his website, and we just finished a 3 part series here at DPS “A Beginners Guide to HDR Photography.” There are plenty of resources to learn this new and exciting art form, so don’t get down if you didn’t win!

James Brandon is a photographer located in Dallas and a lover of iced tea, Chipotle and his wife Kristin (but not in that order). Be sure to check out his daily photo blog and follow him on twitter at @jamesdbrandon.


View the original article here

November 2010 Competition Winners

type="html">

News image




The winners of the November 2010 Photography Blog Competition have been announced.


Read more and comment »




View the original article here

Point Grey Grasshopper2 Vision Network Cameras

type="html">

Point-Grey-Grasshopper2-GS2-GE-20S4-and-GS2-GE-50S5-GigE-Vision-Network-Cameras The Grasshopper2 GS2-GE is the new GigE Vision network camera series announced by Point Grey. Both the models GS2-GE-50S5 and GS2-GE-20S4 are designed based on the image sensor of Sony. They support high speed 1000 Mbit/s transmission, thereby complying with the GigE v1.2 Vision specification. GS2-GE-20S4 point grey is the GigE digital camera which runs 1/1.8" Sony ICX274, 2-Mpixel sensor and captures 1600?1200 images at 30 fps.


The second model, GS2-GE-50S5 point grey has a very small framework that makes use of the Sony ICX625, an extremely sensitive 5-Mpixel CCD sensor which captures at 2448?2048/15 fps. These compact digital cameras are prepared with 14-bit ADC, frame buffer of 32 MByte and boast a non-volatile flash memory of 512 Kilobyte. They also have power sensors and an on-board temperature monitor to watch the status of camera.


The GS2-GE-50S5 and GS2-GE-20S4 are available in black & white and color versions at $2995 and $1645 prices.


No tags for this post.

Related posts





View the original article here

Anastasia Taylor-Lind in Conversation with Laura Noble

type="html">

News image




On 2nd December, award-winning 29-year-old photojournalist Anastasia Taylor-Lind will be in conversation with writer and gallerist Laura Noble, where she will discussing her experiences on becoming a photojournalist and best practice within the field.


Read more and comment »




View the original article here

Do You Write Holiday Thank-You Notes? Reader Survey

type="html">

112610-thankyou.jpg

'Tis the season for giving, but when it comes to receiving are you on the ball when it comes to Thank-You notes? Although they might seem old fashioned, that little extra step can make your gift giver feel extra special, but if you're not on the ball it's easy to forget. Take our survey below and share your thoughts on making sure a Thank-You note gets in the mail!





Read Full Post




View the original article here

Divine Composition With Fibonacci?s Ratio (The Rule of Thirds on Steroids)

type="html">

Are you a stickler for little details? Well, if you’re a photographer, you had better be. Discovering the rule of thirds is a big milestone for any photographer. Suddenly, you realize that all you ever did before was center your subject right smack dab in the middle of the frame, because that’s where the camera’s focus grid is located. Makes sense right? The rule of thirds took you to new heights in your photographic journey, moving your subject off to one side or another in your frame, or to the top or bottom. But don’t some of these photos look a bit crowded being so close to either side of the frame? Sure it works in some cases, but what if there was still another rule you could incorporate into your photographic repertoire?


Enter Fibonacci’s Ratio…


Also known as the Golden Mean, Phi, or Divine Proportion, this law was made famous by Leonardo Fibonacci around 1200 A.D. He noticed that there was an absolute ratio that appears often throughout nature, a sort of design that is universally efficient in living things and pleasing to the human eye. Hence, the “divine proportion” nickname.


Since the Renaissance, artists and architects have designed their work to approximate this ratio of 1:1.618. It’s found all over the Parthenon, in famous works of art like the Mona Lisa and the Last Supper, and it’s still used today. The divine proportion has been used by companies like Apple to design products, it’s said to have been used by Twitter to create their new profile page, and has been used by major companies all over the world to design logos. It’s not talked about in most photography circles because it’s a somewhat advanced method of composition and can be confusing to a lot of people. It’s so much easier to just talk about the “rule of thirds” because it’s exact, precise and easy to follow.


This ratio can be used in many ways to compose a photograph. Lightroom 3 even has a golden ratio overlay option when you go to crop on image. This way, you can line up a grid of the golden ratio to coincide with lines or points of interest in your photograph. At this point, you may be quite confused. If you are, please take a few moments to watch any one (or all) of these videos that seek to explain this ratio.


Video 1: Natures Number: 1.618

Video 2: Nature by Numbers

Video 3: Golden Ratio


Ok, hopefully that made things a bit more clear? By now you should know that this is NOT a conspiracy theory or fuzzy math. This is a real aspect of composition that has been used by historical famous artists and architects, and Fortune 500 companies. When applied to photography, this ratio can produce aesthetically pleasing compositions that can be magnets for the human sub-conscious. When you take the sweet spot of the Fibonnaci Ratio and recreate it four times into a grid, you get what looks to be a rule of thirds grid. However, upon closer inspection you will see that this grid is not an exact splitting of the frame into three pieces. Instead of a 3 piece grid that goes 1+1+1=frame, you get a grid that goes 1+.618+1=frame. Here are a few examples a Phi grid placed over some images that I’ve used it on in the past…



In the above example, I placed the slightly more dominant eye of the horse on one of the Phi intersections. Consider that if I had placed a rule of thirds grid over this photo and lined the eye up with that, the head would be crowding the left side of the frame. In this photo, the head isn’t center, it’s not crowding either side. It’s just right, would you agree? Let’s take a look at another…



This one is slightly different. If you’re a REAL stickler for details, you may have noticed that there is a slight difference between the intersecting lines of the Phi graph, and the sweet spot of Phi itself. In this image, I made sure to align the head of my subject within the spiral and placed the left eye approximately over the sweet spot. Ok, moving on…



In this photograph, from Key West, I lined up the horizon with the top line of the Phi grid. In my opinion, when you line up the horizon with a rule of thirds grid, the separation is too…obvious. I think it would leave a bit too much of what isn’t the subject in the image. In this photo, the sky and clouds are the perfect compliment to what I’m trying to convey in the photo: The church on the bottom right, and the famous Duval street on the left. But with any more sky than is already present in the photo, the viewer might think the sky is actually the subject. Here’s one more…



In this example, I used multiple lines on the Phi grid for my final composition. I lined up the doors with both vertical lines, as well as the bottom horizontal line. This provided for a perfect amount of ceiling to lead the viewers eye to the door. Here’s a few more examples without the grid. See if you can imagine the grid over the images and determine why the image was composed the way it was.





Conclusion


Hopefully, this article has shed some light on a somewhat mysterious subject in the world of photography. Fibonacci’s Ratio is a powerful tool for composing your photographs, and it shouldn’t be dismissed as a minor difference from the rule of thirds. While the grids look similar, using Phi can sometimes mean the difference between a photo that just clicks, and one that doesn’t quite feel right. I’m certainly not saying that the rule of thirds doesn’t have a place in photography, but Phi is a far superior and much more intelligent and historically proven method for composing a scene.


If you’d like to start incorporating this powerful composition tool into your photography, you’re in luck! I’ve included a PNG overlay of both the Fibonacci Spiral and the Fibonacci Grid. Just click this download link to start using them. These overlays are for use in Photoshop. Just place them into the file you are working on, then scale them to the correct size of the image.


Post from: Digital Photography School








View the original article here

Not Moving to Florida


I recall an uncle extolling the virtues of living on Eagle Lake in Maine in the winter, telling me how wonderful it was, about ice fishing and how you had the entire lake to yourself. Not to offend and retort aloud, I thought to myself - of course you have it to yourself, who would want Eagle Lake in the winter?Although not as extreme, the seasons of New York City are never pleasing to me (see Weather Means Whether). I look forward to the Spring, the harbinger of all good things to come, but it is always a disappointment. It is often too wet, colder and windier than I would like. Flying kites or trying to sit on a park bench seems to be an exercise in hand rubbing. But not to worry, summer is on the way, certainly the season we wait for and celebrate. Until we have a few unseasonably warm days in late spring and I realize that summer in the city will be oppressive, crowded with tourists and there is no respite from the heat without leaving - autumn and winter look very appealing now. After all, the solution to cold is quite simple, is it not? Just add more clothing. Summer arrives and all my worst fears and memories are realized. The teaming masses mixed with high humidity and relentless sun make New York City in the summer virtually unbearable. But summer is actually quite short and autumn is just over the horizon.Autumn, however, is just a tease for what a perfect world might feel like (see Quito here) and a clear reminder that what nature giveth, it also taketh away. Days are often too cool to spend extended periods outdoors and we now have more of the hand rubbing of spring. Leaves are falling, things are dying and I am already fearful of the death grip of winter which is fast arriving. Winter arrives and although we are blessed with little snow in the city, it is more uncomfortable than I remembered. The respite from the heat I wished for in July and August looks foolish now - what was I thinking? The holidays do provide a much needed distraction before the bleak stretch of winter starting in January. Soon I am looking to spring again only to reflect and reprimand myself for not enjoying what I had last year.As winter closes in and I realize that every season in New York City has its shortcomings, the thought of other, perhaps better places rather than other seasons, rears its head. But I am a little wiser now. I have been down that road too. No, best I enjoy images of a foliated New York in summer, because, at least for now*, I'm not moving to Florida :)

* Interestly, my aforementioned uncle, steadfast in his commitment to Maine and its hard winters, eventually became a snowbird and moved to Florida late in life where he lived out his life.

Photo Notes: Top - The Dakota as seen from the Lake in Central Park. Center - West 4 th Street. Bottom - the Ramble in Central Park.

View the original article here

Topaz InFocus

« Back to news

News image

Topaz InFocus is a new Photoshop plug-in used for image sharpening and blur reduction. Auto-blur estimation and advanced deconvolution technology that helps reverse the effects of image blur completely changes the way detail refinement is done, by recovering true details, restoring image clarity and offering natural sharp-looking enhancements. InFocus works with a variety of host programs including Photoshop, Photoshop Elements, Aperture, iPhoto and Lightroom, and is compatible with Windows and Intel-based Macs. Topaz InFocus retails for $69.99, but is being offered at a one-time introductory price of $29.99 until December 3, 2010.

Topaz Labs Releases New InFocus Software

New Topaz Photoshop plug-in is the first to offer a blur estimation feature designed to help detect and solve complex blur types

DALLAS—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Topaz Labs announces the release of Topaz InFocus, a Photoshop plug-in used for image sharpening and blur reduction. It is the first commercial software that offers auto-blur estimation and uses advanced deconvolution technology to help reverse the effects of image blur. This new sharpening approach completely changes the way detail refinement is done, by recovering true details, restoring image clarity and offering natural sharp-looking enhancements. The range of achievable sharpening possibilities have been dramatically improved and simplified with this new tool, allowing users to easily go beyond the lens to increase the sharpness and definition of any image.

“Recovering clear and sharp details from a blurry image is a very challenging problem that has been under intense research; and only in the last couple of years have there been some impressive breakthroughs in this area,” said Dr. Feng (Albert) Yang, developer and president of Topaz Labs. “We are pleased to have achieved the necessary technology required to provide a practical and useful tool to the hands of photographers everywhere.”

“Topaz InFocus actually recovers blurred detail and finds edges, as opposed to other common sharpening methods which simply boost edge contrast to create a perceived sharpness,” said Ashley Robinson, product manager of Topaz Labs. “By mathematically reversing image blur caused by lens imperfections, atmospheric haze, camera sensor abilities, focus issues and camera shake, we are able to help photographers achieve detailed and naturally sharp images.”

Topaz InFocus can be used prior to image enhancements to help reverse the effects of blurry and out-of-focus images or as a post-enhancement solution that can help refine image clarity and vividness – making it a versatile sharpening solution designed for professionals and photo enthusiasts. The program also includes a micro-contrast tool for adding additional finesse to image detail and structure.

InFocus is a plug-in that works with a variety of host programs including Photoshop, Photoshop Elements, Aperture, iPhoto and Lightroom. It is compatible with Windows and Intel-based Macs. Topaz InFocus retails for $69.99, but is being offered at a one-time introductory price of $29.99 until December 3, 2010. InFocus is also joining Topaz Photoshop Bundle, which offers photographers a complete image enhancement toolbox for all of their post processing needs. The bundle, including InFocus, retails at $199.99. For more information about Topaz InFocus, visit the homepage at http://www.topazlabs.com/infocus.

Topaz Labs LLC, a privately owned company in Dallas, Texas, is an innovative provider of advanced image and video enhancement technology. With today’s widespread use of digital still cameras, digital video cameras, and HDTV, the need for high-quality digital images and videos has greatly increased. Topaz Labs’ mission is to bring practical state-of-the-art image and video enhancement technology to both photography and videography professionals and consumers.



View the original article here

1 Million Monthly Visitors for Photography Blog

type="html">

News image




Over 1 million photography enthusiasts visited Photography Blog in November 2010.


Read more and comment »




View the original article here

Pentax UK Demo Days

« Back to news

News image

Try a Pentax camera before you buy around the UK this December. Five demo days are taking place throughout this month in Dursley, Barnstable, Carmarthen, Norwich and Exeter, giving you the opportunity to try out the new K-series DSLRs, lenses, accessories and RS1000 or RZ10 compacts.

Pentax UK Press Release

Try before you buy this Christmas!

PENTAX Imaging Systems is pleased to announce that the company will be showcasing and demonstrating its latest array of products at several locations throughout December.

So if you are looking to try out a Digital SLR from the K range or discover the new compacts – RS1000 or RZ10 – or simply view and test an array of lenses and accessories then be sure to visit one of the demonstration days below.

Clifton Demo Day – December 04 – Dursley [Clifton Cameras, 28 Parsonage Street, Dursley, Gloucestershire, GL11 4AA]
J&A Cameras Demo Day – December 09 – 2pm-8pm – Barnstable [Gammon Walk, Barnstable, EX31 1DJ]
Carmarthen Demo Day – December 11 – Carmarthen [Carmarthen Camera Centre, 1 Parcmaen Street, Carmarthen, Carmarthenshire, SA31 3DP]
Warehouse Express Demo Day – December 11 – Norwich [Warehouse Express Showroom, Unit B Frenbury Estate, Drayton High Road, Norwich, NR6 5DP]
Devon Camera Demo – December 16 – 12 noon- 6pm – Exeter [Devon Camera Centre, 14 Waterbeer Street, The Guildhall Shopping Centre, Exeter, EX4 3EH]

For further information on all products, visit http://www.pentax.co.uk .



View the original article here