Photo&Cameras

The Life of a Photograph is a new National Geographic book by photographer Sam Abell. Drawing on 40 years of Abell’s fieldwork, the book takes readers on assignment and inside the heart of this master photographer to witness the making of nearly 200 images. Many photographs are complemented by text from Abell, providing background on the photograph and how he crafted the image. The Life of a Photograph will be available at the end of October for $40.

THE LIFE OF A PHOTOGRAPH

Sam Abell Offers Master Class in Photography with Powerful Images

In THE LIFE OF A PHOTOGRAPH (National Geographic Books; ISBN 978-1-4262-0329-9; Oct. 21, 2008; $40), Sam Abell, one of the foremost photographers of our time, shares some of his most powerful and unforgettable images and answers the question, “What gives life to a photograph?”

Drawing on 40 years of Abell’s fieldwork, the book takes readers on assignment and inside the heart of this master photographer to witness the making of nearly 200 truly great images. Abell has selected photographs that speak most powerfully to him. They include notable images that he has made for National Geographic magazine and books, as well as photographs from his personal body of work that are published here for the first time.

THE LIFE OF A PHOTOGRAPH is organized around Abell’s perspectives on landscape, still life, street scenes and the photography of daily life. Selections cover geography and wildlife from the Arctic to the Amazon, and cultures from Australia to the American West. 

In an original concept for a photography book, images are displayed in a unique, highly involving way that allows the viewer to be engaged in the photographic process. By showing similar images side by side, or sequences of photographs of the same event, the viewer is placed in the field and in the editor’s chair. Displaying images in this way allows the viewer to see how a setting appears before the subject enters, like an actor on a stage, and how subtle differences in point of view, framing, timing and perspective can lead to strikingly different photographs.

By presenting alternative images and clear, compelling text, Abell describes that act of seeking the picture — “a process with no absolute ending, as time and thought continue to shape the life of a photograph.”

With each image Abell presents a master class in photographic thinking. Through his lens, even the most mundane sights — a puddle of water, a bathroom faucet, a circle of laundry drying on the line, a plate of baked beans and toast — are transformed into artful, meaningful creations. Many photographs are complemented by text from Abell, providing background on the photograph and how he crafted the image.

“As a photographer my intent is to bring the world under my aesthetic control,” he writes. “Making a picture just right takes time even when the thing you’re photographing isn’t moving. Instead you do the moving — closer, not so close, change lenses, commit to a tripod, micro compose some detail, step back, reconsider, recompose, step back. And when it looks right, it also feels right — just so. Therefore it’s not only things that have made their way into my photography, but also the poetics of them in their setting.”

THE LIFE OF A PHOTOGRAPH is part of National Geographic Books’ new Focal Point imprint, which draws on National Geographic’s legendary photographic archive of more than 10 million images and the work of distinguished photographers around the world. The imprint will present the finest in documentary photography past and present, and monographs will celebrate individual photographers’ unique style, vision and skill.

Abell, who learned his craft from his father Thad S. Abell, has photographed for National Geographic magazine for almost 40 years. He is the author of the National Geographic book “Seeing Gardens” as well as “Stay this Moment,” a mid-career retrospective accompanied by an exhibition at the International Center of Photography, New York. His retrospective “Sam Abell: The Photographic Life” was accompanied by a traveling exhibition that opened at the University of Virginia Art Museum. Abell also collaborated with Stephen Ambrose on two best-selling National Geographic books, “Lewis and Clark: Voyage of Discovery” and “The Mississippi River.”

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The six lucky winners of our fantastic August 2008 Newsletter contest have been randomly selected from the PhotographyBLOG Newsletter subscriber list.

Frances Heaton , Henryk Fibich, Melanie Hopgood, Stephan Konjer, Mick Durnall and Neil Morgan each win a Kata DC441 Shoulder Bag, worth ВЈ50 / $70 each.

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The RAW development software Bibble Pro has just been updated to support the new Nikon D700 DSLR camera. Version 4.10.1 additionally supports new lenses and addresses a compatibility issue with upgraded firmware on the Pentax K20D. Bibble 4.10.1 is available now in both “Pro” ($129.95) and “Lite” ($69.95) versions for Windows, Macintosh (PPC/Intel as a Universal Binary) and Linux. Bibble Labs have also released further details about Bibble 5, which will be released later this year.

Bibble Labs Press Release

Bibble Pro Version 4.10.1 Adds Nikon D700 Support, And Bibble 5 First Look

Updated versions of Bibble 4 have been posted on the download section of our website (http://bibblelabs.com). This update includes support for the new Nikon D700, new lenses and addresses a compatibility issue with upgraded firmware on the Pentax K20D. Several other minor issues were resolved in this version, so we recommend upgrading (for free, of course) at your earliest convenience.

Bibble 5 continues to approach completion, and we’ve begun to expose more information about it. Please visit the Bibble 5 information page to see our new First Look video that shows a glimpse of the new interface in action.  The video shows just a tiny fraction of the great new features and power we’re building into Bibble 5, but should give you an idea of the workflow benefits we have in store for you.

Bibble 5 was also recently shown at the Microsoft Pro Photo Summit as part of Eric Hyman’s “Five minutes to WOW” presentation on multi-core performance.  Video from the event isn’t yet available, but on the Bibble 5 page you can see a video recreation of the level of performance he demonstrated live on a 16 Core AMD System.  While Bibble 5 will run fast on any system, this video demonstrates the unmatched speed that is possible by combining Bibble 5 with the latest hardware.

Availability
Bibble 4.10.1 is available now in both “Pro” ($129.95) and “Lite” ($69.95) versions for Windows, Macintosh (PPC/Intel as a Universal Binary) and Linux. Visit http://bibblelabs.com for further details and to download a fully functional 14 day trial version. New licensees of Bibble will also receive a free upgrade to Bibble 5, once available later this year.
Bibble 5 will be released later this year.

About Bibble Labs
Located in Austin, Texas, Bibble Labs Inc was founded in 2000 to develop technologies and software for high quality processing of raw files from a wide variety of digital cameras. Bibble Labs’ stand-alone products are used by thousands of photographers all over the world to quickly and accurately process their raw photos. Bibble Labs’ technologies and expertise are increasingly becoming the standard other companies turn to when they wish to embed raw image processing technology in their products. For more information, please visit our web site at http://bibblelabs.com .  Licensing, distribution, and retail inquiries may be addressed to .

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Your photo could feature on the cover of Lonely Planet’s �Encounter’ guides, the main prize in a new competition. Run by Lonely Planet, the world-leading travel guide publisher, and Pikeo.com, a new photo-sharing website, you could also win a free trip to India, Russia, Morocco or Kenya courtesy of Intrepid Travel. You need to tsubmit unique and inspiring pictures of London, Paris, Barcelona and Istanbul to enter. The competition is open to those in the UK, France, Spain, USA and Canada and entries close on September 8, 2008.

Pikeo.com Press Release

LONELY PLANET AND PIKEO SEARCH FOR TRAVELLERS’ COVER SHOTS

Have you ever dreamed of seeing your travel photos published on the cover of Lonely Planet?  Well now’s your chance…

Lonely Planet, the world-leading travel guide publisher and Pikeo.com, the new photo-sharing website, are inviting photographers to submit their most unique and inspiring pictures of London, Paris, Barcelona and Istanbul. 

Four winning shots will be chosen for the cover of Lonely Planet’s �Encounter’ guides to each city. The panel of judges consists of travel photography experts including representatives from the Association of British Photographers and Lonely Planet Images.

The winners of each cover will also receive a free trip to India, Russia, Morocco or Kenya courtesy of Intrepid Travel. In addition, twelve runners-up will receive prizes, as will a small selection of highly commended entries.

The winning images, plus Lonely Planet and Pikeo’s favourite shots, will be launched and showcased at a gallery exhibition in London when the guides go on sale next year.

To enter, simply visit the competition page on Pikeo at http://lonelyplanet.pikeo.com and follow the instructions.  Photographers can also take advantage of Pikeo’s many presentation features, including the ability to organise photos into albums and create a professional online gallery.

The competition is open to those in the UK, France, Spain, USA and Canada and entries close on September 8, 2008.

Lonely Planet and Pikeo tips for a winning image:
– Images must be taken from a street perspective
– Use a reportage/documentary style
– Make the viewer feel they are actually there
– Have a central focal point
– Ensure composition is bold and colours are rich
– Avoid things looking staged by showing locals going about their everyday life
– Use iconic sights or architecture in an everyday context
– Always include people within your shots

Pikeo (http://www.pikeo.com) is a groundbreaking new photo-sharing website, launched in 2007. It incorporates the latest mapping and mobile technology, allowing users to upload photos via internet or mobile from anywhere in the world, share them with friends or publish them to the whole world.

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TrustedReviews have reviewed the Casio EX-Z200, a new 10 megapixel compact digital camera.

“Despite the many similarities between the Z200 and the Z100, for some reason the camera’s overall performance is very different, and not in a good way. It takes nearly three seconds to start up, and nearly as long to shut down again, which is very slow by current standards. In single-shot mode at maximum image quality the shot-to-shot time was approximately 2.5 seconds, which is again extremely slow. I thought that maybe the large size of the image files in this mode (over 7MB for some shots) was the cause, but the performance is the same in lower quality modes.”

Website: TrustedReviews – Casio EX-Z200 Review

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Following a recent stock-image agreement between Getty and Flickr, PhotoShelter’s CEO Allen Murabayashi has cautioned photographers to carefully scrutinize the details of Getty’s contract terms. According to Murabayashi, photographers who sign-up to the deal will agree to exclusive sales rights and cede as much as 80% of every sale to Getty. “Over the past two years, Getty has approached us on multiple occasions with a similar partnership deal. We rejected Getty because we felt it was bad for photographers on many fronts and would not allow us to accomplish our mission of providing diversity to buyers and commercial independence to photographers, by sharing with them a greater percentage of every sale.” commented Murabayashi. The PhotoShelter Collection is a global stock photography marketplace where photographers from 130 different countries contribute over 4,000 new images daily for rights-managed and royalty-free licensing.

PhotoShelter Press Release

PHOTOSHELTER CEO COMMENTS ON PARTNERSHIP ANNOUNCEMENT BETWEEN GETTY IMAGES & YAHOO! FLICKR

Announcement validates PhotoShelter’s approach to stock photography; Counsels Flickr photographers to mind the details on exclusivity and compensation

New York, NY, July 9, 2008 – PhotoShelter Inc., the leading online destination where more than 37,000 photographers sell stock photography and access powerful solutions for e-commerce and image storage, today released a statement from CEO Allen Murabayashi, commenting on the recent partnership announcement between Getty Images and photo sharing website flickr. Murabayashi directly linked the strategic move by Getty and flickr to the positive, tangible impact that PhotoShelter’s business model is having on the stock photo industry, and cautioned photographers to carefully scrutinize the details of Getty’s contract terms before agreeing to exclusive sales rights and ceding as much as 80% of every sale to Getty. 

“The Getty-flickr partnership validates that PhotoShelter is driving positive changes in the stock photo industry and is threatening Getty’s domination at the high end of the market. We entered this industry with a mission to change it after seeing how industry giants like Getty have grown increasingly out of touch with buyer needs and ever more exploitative of photographers’ rights and royalties. Our solution: offer image buyers new levels of freshness and diversity by cultivating a global community of photographers, giving them an open, commercial platform to sell their work as stock, and ensuring they get a fair deal on every sale. The structure and timing of this announcement validates that we are achieving our mission. Getty sees a successful approach that compromises their market share, margins, and control of the industry. They are tapping into the flickr community to find image diversity and new talent. In other words, they’re searching for exactly what is occurring every day at PhotoShelter. As we close the first half of 2008 with strong growth in photographers joining our movement and big ticket licensing deals to large clients that have traditionally bought through Getty, we view this partnership as a logical move by a threatened industry leader.. 

“Over the past two years, Getty has approached us on multiple occasions with a similar partnership deal. We rejected Getty because we felt it was bad for photographers on many fronts and would not allow us to accomplish our mission of providing diversity to buyers and commercial independence to photographers, by sharing with them a greater percentage of every sale.

Getty’s Fine Print
“Flickr users should be aware that the standard Getty contract terms give Getty exclusivity on selling their images, enables Getty to control the pricing and usage terms, and guarantees them pennies on the dollar for every sale. Sharing 20% to 40% of every sale with the photographer is simply a raw deal. When the agent for the sale earns a larger share of revenue than the artist who produced the work, that’s just inappropriate. Through PhotoShelter, photographers earn 70% of every sale and have access to the fastest growing set of commercial licensing opportunities to ad agencies, magazine and book publishers, corporations and leading design firms. This could mean a difference of thousands of dollars on a single sale. 

The standard Getty contract also prohibits a photographer from selling an image elsewhere, and gives Getty control to dictate pricing and usage terms. Through PhotoShelter, photographers set their pricing and usage terms, and are not bound to exclusively list images here. We are promoting photographers’ commercial success and don’t seek ways to control or restrict that success.

Image Buyers Embrace PhotoShelter
“Image buyers have embraced PhotoShelter’s approach because they demand the ultimate in diversity – fresh, high-quality images being replenished by thousands of photographers across the world on a daily basis. The only true way to achieve this is to cultivate deep relationships with a truly global community of photographers that are focused on commercial success, provide photographers with both a fair deal and the right incentives to continue to produce quality work, and share with them the tools and insights that push them to achieve their full potential in the business and art of stock photography. We believe image buyers will see this new partnership as a half hearted step toward offering greater diversity while battling the competitive threat posed by the organic community we are growing.

“In an attempt to address changing buyer demand and tap into a new source of content – this new arrangement still perpetuates Getty’s old-world business model that’s based on exploiting photographers and providing the minimum selection necessary to buyers, while focusing on eliminating competition. This partnership falls short of addressing the real movement—that’s changing the industry for the better.”

About PhotoShelter Inc.
PhotoShelter is an online photo community where 37,000 of the world’s photographers find new opportunities and liberation from the traditional model of selling their work.

The PhotoShelter Collection is a global stock photography marketplace where photographers from 130 different countries contribute over 4,000 new images daily for rights-managed and royalty-free licensing. Through PhotoShelter, photographers keep an unprecedented 70% of every sale, compared to the industry standard of 35%. The Collection provides image buyers with a freshness that results when accomplished pros and undiscovered hobbyists share their distinct perspectives in an edited collection designed to add diversity and authenticity to any project.

PhotoShelter Personal Archive is the leading online solution that enables independent photographers to succeed in selling their images directly to clients. Personal Archive provides state-of-the-art tools for image storage and protection, searchable galleries and slideshows and ecommerce capabilities for easy website integration and instant online sales of prints and licenses. A true solution designed to make the business of photography easier to manage – Personal Archive offers security, global accessibility, and advanced marketing tools so photographers can make their images work harder for them. 

To join our community, visit http://www.photoshelter.com.

All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

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Nikon Coolpix P80 review : Many people consider a small model with a large optical zoom range the ideal digital camera. This type of easy-to-carry camera enables you to take every picture you like. The so-called Megazoom cameras are therefore still extremely popular, even though reflex cameras are gradually becoming smaller and cheaper. Nikon may have bid the Megazoom concept farewell just a tad too soon, as they rushed into their undeniably successful line of DSLR cameras. With the availability of the Nikon Coolpix P80, Nikon meet the demands of consumers; a demand that still exists in spite of the success of the digital SLR camera.

Nikon Coolpix P80 digital camera
The specifications of the Nikon Coolpix P80 are extremely promising. 10 Megapixels, 18x optical zoom, ISO range up to 6400 and an in-house produced EXPEED processor also found in the latest generation of DSLR cameras of Nikon, and all of this in a body with dimensions of only 110×79x78 mm. The Nikon P80 weighs a mere 365 grams without its battery and this is a lot less than a standard DSLR. The optical zoom range is large, starting at 27 mm which offers you a true wide angle. Thankfully, manufacturers are slowly but surely starting to recognize the benefits of a wide angle.

Optical image stabilizer on the Nikon P80
At maximum telephoto mode a focal length of 486 mm is obtained compared to a 35mm camera, and that is not bad. In order to obtain a sharp picture, you do need an optical image stabilizer. Nikon chose for the Coolpix P80 to apply a moveable sensor; which is a true image stabilization system that should guarantee carefree use of the large optical range in practice.

Edit pictures on the Nikon Coolpix P80
Nikon do not limit to picture-taking alone, also editing afterwards is taken into account. Like most Nikon cameras, the Nikon P80 has also been equipped with D-lighting. Dark areas in a picture are brightened, resulting in a more natural contrast. Naturally, this is done without overwriting the original. This is a very convenient functionality that can be frequently used in practice.

Nikon Coolpix P80 camera review
The Nikon Coolpix P80 is ranked in Nikon’s top class which makes the expectations rise sky-high. We expect a high performance when we look at the impressive specifications, although we are aware of the fact that Nikon place the bar really high for themselves. We had the camera in our possession for quite a while and have submitted it to some extensive tests. Whether or not Nikon have had to compromise can be read in the following Nikon Coolpix P80 camera review.

Source: www.letsgodigital.org

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Sigma have released a new firmware update, version 1.04, for the DP1 compact camera. The new Sigma DP1 firmware version offers the following improvements:

– A customizing function has been added to the Digital Zoom button.
– The ft (feet) indicator has been added to the scale bar in MF mode.

Website: Sigma DP1 Firmware Update 1.04

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Kodak has introduced the world’s first 50 million pixel CCD image sensor for professional photography. With an 8176 x 6132 pixel array, the KAF-50100 sensor provides the highest resolution available in the popular 48 mm x 36 mm optical format used in medium format photography. The new Kodak KAF-50100 sensor is the first to utilise the new KODAK TRUESENSE 6.0 micron Full Frame CCD Technology Platform, which increases both the resolution and camera performance available to photographers. In an aerial photo of a field 1-½ miles across, you could detect an object about the size of a small notebook computer (1 foot by 1 foot). The KAF-50100 is first being used in the new Hasselblad H3DII-50 camera.

Kodak UK Press Release

Kodak Achieves New Breakthrough in Imaging Technology

World’s First 50 Megapixel CCD Sensor Sets New Standard for Professional Photographers

London, UK, July 8 – Eastman Kodak Company (NYSE:EK) has achieved another breakthrough in its storied history of imaging technology innovation with the introduction of the world’s first 50 million pixel CCD image sensor for professional photography.

At 50 million pixels, or megapixels, the sensor captures digital images with unprecedented resolution and detail. For instance, with a 50 megapixel camera, in an aerial photo of a field 1-ВЅ miles across, you could detect an object about the size of a small notebook computer (1 foot by 1 foot).

What’s more, the KODAK KAF-50100 Image Sensor features a newly designed pixel that is smaller in size than the pixel used in current products for this professional market. This new pixel also reduces “click-to-capture” time for improved camera response, lowers power consumption for improved battery life, and improves colour fidelity without compromising on the benefits to be enjoyed from larger pixel sizes.

“Professional photographers need to capture ever-increasing image detail with higher camera performance, and that drives us to develop new technologies and products to serve this important market,” said Michael Miller, manager of Kodak’s CCD Image Sensor Business, part of the company’s Image Sensor Solutions group.  “Kodak image sensors have been known as the professional imaging standard for years, and today’s announcement reaffirms our dedication to provide industry-leading image sensors that give professional photographers a real competitive advantage.”

The new Kodak sensor is the first to utilise the company’s new KODAK TRUESENSE 6.0 micron Full Frame CCD Technology Platform, which increases both the resolution and camera performance available to photographers.  Based on a newly designed 6.0 micron pixel, the platform provides increased data throughput for faster frame rate, a reduced “click to capture” time for improved camera response, lower power consumption for improved battery life, and improved colour fidelity, while still retaining key performance parameters available from the larger, 6.8 micron pixel used in current products.  With an 8176 x 6132 pixel array, the 50 million pixel sensor provides the highest resolution available in the popular 48 mm x 36 mm optical format used in medium format photography. 
The KAF-50100 is the latest addition to Kodak’s family of full-frame CCD image sensors for the professional photography market.  Engineering grade devices of the KAF-50100 are currently available, with volume production planned for Q4, 2008.

For additional information regarding this technology, please contact Image Sensor Solutions, Eastman Kodak Company at (585) 722-4385 or by email at .  For more information on Kodak’s entire portfolio of image sensors, please visit http://www.kodak.com/go/imagers.

About Kodak
As the world’s foremost imaging innovator, Kodak helps consumers, businesses, and creative professionals unleash the power of pictures and printing to enrich their lives.

To learn more, visit http://www.kodak.com, and our blogs: 1000words.kodak.com, PluggedIn.kodak.com, and GrowYourBiz.kodak.com

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This week Nikon have announced the Nikon SB-900 Speedlight to go with their new Nikon D700 DSLR .

It is a top of the range flash and will be available in August 2008 with a retail price of $499.95 USD.

Learn more about the Nikon SB-900 Speedlight in the promotional material from Nikon below.

Nikon SB-900 Speedlight News Release

New Nikon SB-900 Speedlight Advances Flash Technology At The Speed Of Light With Expansive Zoom And Intelligent Features

Nikon’s Newest Flagship Speedlight Offers a Powerful Addition to the Versatile Nikon Creative Lighting System (CLS)

Nikon, Inc. today introduced the SB-900 Speedlight to provide Nikon digital SLR photographers with a flash capable of a wide zoom range, increased versatility, faster recycling time, and a wealth of intelligent features to enhance the already vast functionality of the Nikon Creative Lighting System (CLS). Building on the success of the popular SB-800 Speedlight, the SB-900 provides users with extensive creative lighting possibilities with a simplified interface and the ability to stay up to date with future technologies through user-applied firmware updates.*

The SB-900 offers unprecedented zoom range coverage from 17 to 200mm, to increase flexibility in a variety of shooting conditions, while automatically adapting itself to Nikon’s FX or DX-format cameras. Additionally, light output has been increased to a maximum guide number of 48/157.5 (ISO 200, meters/feet at 35mm FX-format and Standard). Photographers can now also select from three light patterns; “Center-weighted” provides the highest guide number and is suitable for images such as portraits, where light falloff at the image edges is of less importance. “Standard” provides a familiar pattern, similar to the SB-800, and is ideal for general photography and “Even” which delivers the most consistent edge-to-edge coverage, making it ideal for situations such as group photography. Additionally, Nikon’s newest flagship Speedlight provides photographers with advanced wireless i-TTL capabilities allowing the utilization of multiple Speedlights with ease and confidence on location or in the studio.

“Nikon is proud that its innovative leadership in flash technologies has been praised by photographers who have realized the versatility and power that the Nikon Creative Lighting System contributes to their photography,” said Edward Fasano, general manager for marketing, SLR System Products at Nikon, Inc. “The SB-900 Speedlight now provides photographers with a new level of portable lighting functionality, with performance and intelligent features that adapt to an even wider scope of lighting challenges.”

The SB-900 Speedlight is engineered to address the creative lighting challenges faced by today’s photographers including a need for fast, on-demand performance, and the ability to adapt seamlessly to nearly any lighting scenario. The SB-900’s innovative design has the Xenon flash tube and reflector system moving independently – allowing for a wider zoom range from an extreme wide angle of 17mm (FX) to the telephoto setting which reaches 200mm without the aid of accessories or as wide as 12mm in DX mode with the built-in wide-angle panel engaged.

The SB-900 offers a quick recycle time of 4.0 seconds (at full power) with four Alkaline AA batteries which drops to a mere 2.3 seconds (at full power) while using four rechargeable NiMH batteries—about 25 percent faster than the SB-800 with its fifth battery attachment.

While ease of use has always been a defining hallmark of the Nikon CLS System, the user interface has been even further refined to simplify control and offer faster operation. Controls for setting the wireless Master and Remote have been relocated to the outside of the unit for easier access and frequently used functions are easily adjusted with a new Rotary Select Dial. A larger LCD screen is easy to read, even in direct sunlight, and photographers can assign “My Menu” hotkeys for quicker access to commonly used functions. A new thermal cut-out protection system monitors conditions when the flash might overheat due to excessive rapid bursts. Helpful operating temperature information is provided to the photographer with an innovative temperature gauge displayed on the LCD screen.

For the first time, Nikon SB-900 Speedlight users will have the ability to take advantage of future performance advancements, by way of user-uploadable firmware. The user will be able to download the firmware onto a flash media card and upload it to the flash through select digital SLR cameras.*

The SB-900 Speedlight is Nikon’s most intelligent Speedlight ever, created in response to the needs of today’s digital photographic professionals. When using the included fluorescent or incandescent filters and adaptor, the flash automatically recognizes what filter is being used and automatically adjusts white balance accordingly on the latest Nikon D-SLRs.* Additionally, the SB-900 aids auto focus with a broader AF assist beam that covers a wide 20-105mm that is matched to all of the D3, D700 and D300’s 51 focus points. The bounce and swivel capability of the SB-900 has been expanded to include: tilt up to 90 degrees, down minus 11 degrees, and a full 180-degree swivel left or right, allowing more creativity for on or off camera use, or as a remote Speedlight.

The SB-900 serves as the new core for the Nikon Creative Lighting System when used in combination with Nikon SLRs, and supports Advanced Wireless Lighting as a master or a remote Speedlight, inviting photographers to discover endless creative possibilities. While using one or more Nikon Speedlights wirelessly, photographers can artistically use shadows, highlight details, and light complicated angles with ease. Along with the SB-900, the Nikon Creative Lighting System features a comprehensive assortment of personal lighting tools that include the agile SB-600 and SB-400, and the remarkable R1 and R1C1 Wireless Close-up Speedlight systems.

Available accessoriesThe SD9 Battery Pack boosts flash recycle time to a mere one second (at full power). For faster recycling or all-day shooting it accepts up to eight AA batteries. To enhance the weatherproof ability of Nikon D-SLRs, optional Water Guards will be available for select cameras to protect the connection between the flash and camera, allowing users to utilize the flash when weather conditions are less than ideal.

Price and availabilityThe new Nikon SB-900 Speedlight is scheduled to be available in August 2008, and will have an estimated selling price of $499.95.** The SB-900 will come packaged with the Speedlight Stand, Bounce Adapter, Color Filter Holder, Intelligent Color Filter Kit, Diffuser Dome and the Soft Case. The SD9 Battery Pack is also scheduled to be available in August 2008 with an estimated selling price of $230.00.

Source: www.livingroom.org.au

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