Photo&Cameras

Success in photography is like success in anything else, growth comes in steps. You spend time learning your craft and about the time that you begin to think that you are becoming accomplished in it, you find someone else who is a little bit better, or you become more critical and find that there is something missing that you can't quite put your finger on. George Barr, in his book, Take Your Photography to the Next Level: From Inspiration to Image will attempt to do just that — show you what is missing.

Take Your Photography To The Next Level is for the photographer who strives to achieve a higher level of results in their work. It is based on a series of essays that were published on the Luminous-Landscape and have been expanded, updated, and added to with new essays. It is 199 pages divided in to six main chapters. There is also a forward by Michael Reichmann from the Luminous-Landscape.

Chapter 1, "Seeing," begins by stating what should be obvious, but I believe is missed by many photographers. To see, you must first look. According to the author, the single most important exercise for any photographer is to study the work of the masters. You must make a study of your particular interest, and of other styles of photography. You must not only study photography, but paintings, and even sculpture. In this chapter the author helps you understand how to see.

Chapter 2, "Finding Images," challenges your ability to see, to extract the image from the setting. Just because you see a rusting old truck, does not mean that it has to be the center of your image. In this chapter, you will learn how to "work" the scene. The author includes tips and techniques for when you know that there should be an image, but it is just not coming at you.

Chapter 3, "Composing" an image is certainly an important factor in capturing a great image. In this chapter you will learn some exercises that will, over time, allow you to compose great images in your head. You will explore complexity, centers of interest, decisions, compromise, framing, and cropping.

Chapter 4, "Assessing Images," explores what it takes to truly assess images. Many times you come back from a shoot only to be disappointed in the images that you have created. These disappointments can come from a number of sources. Here the author gives suggestions on what you should do; one of the most important in my opinion is to not discard those images that you think are bad. Here he gives his top ten reasons that images fail.

Chapter 5, "Mind Games," shows that even photographers can get into ruts and get a form of "writer's block." You begin to think that your images are too similar to each other, or that you can't create a good photograph. In this chapter you will explore 12 ways to challenge yourself.

Chapter 6, "Take Your Photography to the Next Level" is all about what it takes to move to that next level. According to the author, most of us spend many hours "agonizing over technical issues (sometimes not even the right ones), while mostly ignoring the aesthetic." In this chapter you will begin by finding your level, determining where you are. Then you will learn how to get help to assess your level. Finally you will learn how to move on to making better images to the next level.

Take Your Photography To The Next Level is a motivating book, focusing on what it takes to evaluate your skills and how to improve upon them. It spends a lot of time reinforcing scrutiny of photographs and examining what makes them good and what constitutes problems with them.

While there are many great photos in Take Your Photography To The Next Level, there are also many inferior ones that the author shares as a way to evaluate one's work. By treading into rarely discussed aspects of successful photography, one can really learn to grow as a photographer. This is not a technical book, but rather more of a practical aesthetic book that will develop your photographic eye.

From: feeds.blogcritics.org

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Click photo for more views of the Samsung GX-20 DSLR, a near-replica of the Pentax K20D. Samsung has announced a new 14.6-megapixel digital SLR in the lead-up to the 2008 PMA trade show in Las Vegas, NV. The camera appears to be identical to the Pentax K20D, announced earlier this week, with the exception that it saves RAW images in DNG format only, while the K20D provides a choice of DNG or PentaxВ’s PEF format.

The GX-20 will be available in March 2008. Samsung has announced a $1399 retail price for the camera (body only), but we expect the actual street price to be substantially lower, given the $1299 price tag on the K20D.

Souce: feeds.feedburner.com

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Eye-Fi, makers of wireless SD cards for digital cameras, has announced enhanced Mac functionality with the card now able to import photos directly into iPhoto. In addition the device is now compatible with OS X 10.5 aka Leopard and Safari 3 may be used to access and change settings. The updated software is available for download via the Eye-Fi site and will be included with new cards.

Press Release:

Eye-Fi offers wireless photo delivery to iPhoto and support for Leopard and Safari

Eye-Fi’s Wireless Memory Card for Digital Cameras Featured at Macworld

Macworld, SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 14, 2008 – Eye-Fi, makers of the world’s first wireless memory card for digital cameras, today announced new capabilities for Mac users, including wireless photo uploads directly into iPhoto and support for Safari and Leopard. This week, Eye-Fi will be demonstrating the Eye-Fi Card at booth number 1338 at the Macworld Conference and Expo in San Francisco.

The Eye-Fi Card allows users to wirelessly and automatically send photos directly from their digital camera to their Mac or favorite online photo sharing site using their home Wi-Fi network. The new downloadable Mac upgrade will enable iPhoto to automatically import photos uploaded wirelessly to the Mac, eliminating a manual process and saving iPhoto users time. In addition to iPhoto, Eye-Fi users can upload to any one of 19 leading online photo sharing, printing, social networking or blogging sites.

The Mac upgrade will also allow Mac users to use the Safari 3 browser to access the Web-based Eye-Fi Manager for managing card settings and upload preferences. And, it offers full Eye-Fi software and service compatibility with the new Leopard version of Mac OS X (10.5). The downloadable upgrade is free to current Eye-Fi Card users and will be included in new Cards.

"With iPhoto, Apple has made saving and managing photos a cornerstone of the Mac experience, so adding new Mac capabilities is an important step for Eye-Fi,” said Ben Bajarin, Creative Strategies. "This new automatic import feature for iPhoto will save users time and hassle and deliver the seamless experience Apple customers demand.”

"We know that Mac users especially cherish the kind of simplicity and effortlessness we strive for. We think this is one of the reasons the Eye-Fi Card has been so popular with Mac users,” said Jef Holove, CEO of Eye-Fi. "The Mac community is dear to us and the Mac upgrade will give Mac and iPhoto users the very best experience when saving and sharing their memories.”

The 2GB Eye-Fi wireless SD memory card for digital cameras recently won the Yahoo! Tech "Last Gadget Standing” competition at CES. The Card retails for $99.99 USD. For a complete list of Eye-Fi’s activities at Macworld and for more information, please visit www.eye.fi

By: www.dpreview.com

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CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4 offers more than 50 new and significantly enhanced features. “The end result is CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4 - a suite that provides users with easy-to-use tools that deliver outstanding results, while also having a dramatic and positive impact on their day to day productivity”. said Gérard Métrailler, director, product management, graphics at Corel. CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4 will be available across Europe for a suggested retail price of £329 for the full version and £149 for the upgrade (excluding VAT).

Corel Press Release

CorelDRAWВ® Graphics Suite X4 Unveiled Today

Newest Release of Award-Winning Suite Delivers Major Workflow Enhancements, Online Collaboration Tools and Expanded Resources to Inspire and Guide Users

London, UK – 22 January 2008 – Corel Corporation (NASDAQ: CREL; TSX: CRE), a leading developer of graphics, productivity and digital media software, today unveiled the newest version of its award-winning graphics suite, CorelDRAW® Graphics Suite X4. With more than 50 new and significantly enhanced features, CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4 provides users with the tools, resources and confidence to tackle a wide variety of projects - from logos and Web graphics, to multi-page brochures, to high impact signage and digital displays. New text and page-layout enhancements, market-leading file format compatibility, and an expanded collection of high-quality content make this powerful suite the ultimate design partner, helping users turn inspiration into stunning results.

A comprehensive suite of intuitive page-layout, illustration, photo-editing, and bitmap-to-vector tracing applications, CorelDRAW Graphics Suite is the trusted choice of millions of professional and aspiring designers worldwide. The latest version of the suite includes new tools designed to fuel the creative process, simplify project management, and optimise the graphic design workflow.

“As we developed the newest version of CorelDRAW Graphics Suite, we consulted with users from a wide variety of industries. We sat with them to observe how they worked, gathering their feedback on how we could create an even better user experience,” said Gérard Métrailler, director, product management, graphics at Corel. “The end result is CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4 - a suite that provides users with easy-to-use tools that deliver outstanding results, while also having a dramatic and positive impact on their day to day productivity”.

Delivering a Superior User Experience Through Improved Usability, Enhanced Interactivity, and Streamlined Workflow
CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4 features more than 50 new and significantly enhanced features, including:

New! Live text formatting: CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4 introduces live text formatting, allowing users to preview text formatting options before applying them to a document. With this time-saving feature, users can now preview many different formatting options, including fonts, font size, and alignment, removing the “trial-and-error” typically associated with the design process.
New! Font identification: CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4 now integrates with WhatTheFontв„ў, the online font identification service from MyFonts.com. Users can save time by quickly identifying the font used in existing bitmap designs, artwork or other images received from clients.
New! Independent page layers: Users can now control and edit layers independently for each page of a document, reducing the occurrence of pages with empty layers. Users can also add independent guidelines for individual pages and master guidelines for an entire document. This gives users the ability to create different layers on a page-specific basis, unconfined by a single document structure.
New! Interactive tables: The new, interactive Table tool in CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4 lets users create and import tables to provide a powerful, structured layout for text and graphics. Users can easily align, resize, or edit tables and table cells to suit their designs. In addition, users can convert delimited text and easily add and adjust images in individual cells.
Enhanced! Windows VistaВ® integration:CorelDRAW Graphics Suite is the only professional graphics suite Certified for Windows VistaВ®. CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4 has been designed to take advantage of the latest innovations from Windows Vista, while still offering a superior experience for WindowsВ® XP users. CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4 integrates with the desktop search capabilities of Windows Vista directly from within the Open and Import dialog boxes, enabling users to search for files by author, subject, file type, date, keywords, or other file properties. Users can also easily add their own keywords, ratings or other notes when saving files in order to better organise their projects.
New! CorelDRAWВ® ConceptShareв„ў integration:The new CorelDRAWВ® ConceptShareв„ў docker, accessible from within CorelDRAW Graphics Suite, integrates a valuable online collaboration tool directly within the user workflow. In a Web-based environment, CorelDRAW ConceptShare lets users share their designs and ideas with colleagues or clients in real time. Users can easily create multiple workspaces, upload their designs, and invite others to provide feedback or submit their own ideas without sending large files over email.
New! File format support: CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4 maintains its position as market leader in file format compatibility by adding support for MicrosoftВ® Office Publisher. Users can also expect seamless compatibility with Microsoft Word 2007, Adobe IllustratorВ® Creative SuiteВ® 3, Adobe PhotoshopВ® CS3, PDF 1.7 (AdobeВ® AcrobatВ® 8), AutoCADВ® DXFв„ў and AutoCADВ® DWGв„ў, and Corel Painterв„ў X, making it easier than ever to exchange files with clients and colleagues.
New! Professionally designed templates: CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4 includes 80 professionally designed and customisable templates, giving users a springboard to the design process. Flexible and easy to customise, the templates are accompanied by Designer Notes that provide information on the design choices made for the template, tips for outputting a design based on the template, and instructions for customising the template while still adhering to design principles.
New! Specialised fonts: An extended selection of new fonts in CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4 helps users ensure their output is optimised for its intended audience. This specialised collection of fonts includes single-line engraving fonts and OpenTypeВ® cross-platform fonts, which offer enhanced language support for Latin, Greek, and Cyrillic outputs in WGL4 format.
New! Welcome screen: With a new Welcome screen, CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4 provides users with a centralised location to access recently used documents, templates, and learning tools, which include Tips & Tricks and video tutorials. To inspire users, the Welcome screen also includes a gallery that showcases designs created by CorelDRAW Graphics Suite users from around the world.

New Additions to Corel PHOTO-PAINTВ®
New! RAW camera file support: Corel PHOTO-PAINTВ® now includes support for RAW camera file formats, enabling users to import RAW camera files directly from their digital camera.  With support for approximately 300 different camera types and interactive controls that provide real-time previews, users can view file properties and camera settings, adjust image color and tone, and improve image quality, all from within Corel PHOTO-PAINT X4 and CorelDRAW X4.
New! Straighten image: Using Corel PHOTO-PAINT, users can quickly and easily straighten images that were scanned or photographed at an angle. With interactive controls, a grid with vertical and horizontal guidelines and an integrated histogram that provides results in real time, PHOTO-PAINT makes it easier than ever to straighten crooked images. In addition, users can choose to have their images automatically cropped.
Enhanced! Tone Curve adjustments:With the enhanced Tone Curve dialog box, Corel PHOTO-PAINT X4 users can adjust their images with greater precision. With an integrated histogram, users now receive real-time feedback as they make adjustments to their images. In addition, the new Eyedropper tool lets users pinpoint specific color locations on the tone curve of their image, as well as select, add, or delete nodes along the tone curve.

What Is Included with CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4
CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4 continues to offer the industry’s best combination of usability, performance, and price. The latest version of the award-winning suite includes the following core applications and content: 

CorelDRAWВ® X4: An intuitive vector-illustration and page layout application, CorelDRAW X4 delivers results fast, whether users are creating a company logo or working to meet demanding production schedules.
Corel PHOTO-PAINTВ® X4: Corel PHOTO-PAINT is a professional image-editing application that lets users quickly and easily retouch and enhance photos. It is specifically designed for use in a graphics workflow.
CorelВ® PowerTRACEв„ў X4: Professional designers often receive poor-quality bitmap images from clients and face the challenge of turning these bitmaps into high-quality vector images for business cards, brochures, signs, or other promotional items. Corel PowerTRACE X4 solves this problem by letting users quickly and accurately convert bitmaps into editable vector graphics.
Corel CAPTUREв„ў X4: A one-click screen-capture utility, Corel CAPTURE X4 lets users capture images from an application or the Internet.
CorelDRAWВ® Handbook - Insights from the Experts: The new CorelDRAW Handbook features the designs of accomplished CorelDRAW experts. Providing step-by-step guidance and design insights, experts from a variety of industries demonstrate the power and versatility of CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4.
Training videos: CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4 includes two hours of training videos on the DVD. Topics include illustration, design, and image-editing fundamentals, industry-specific design principles, and output details for various media, such as print or the Web.
Increased content with more than 10,000 handpicked, high-quality clipart and digital images: CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4 includes 4,000 new images, 1,000 professional, high-resolution digital photos, 1,000 OpenTypeВ® fonts - content worth thousands of Pounds if purchased separately. The suite also includes printed documentation and a Digital Content Guide to help new users get started quickly.

Pricing and Availability
CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4 will be available across Europe for a suggested retail price of ВЈ329 for the full version and ВЈ149 for the upgrade. The latest version of the suite will be available in English, French, German, Italian, Dutch, Spanish, and Brazilian Portuguese from February 2008. All prices exclude VAT. 

For more information on CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4 or to download a full-featured, free trial version, please visit http://www.corel.co.uk/coreldraw.

About Corel
Corel is a leading developer of graphics, productivity and digital media software with more than 100 million users worldwide. The Company’s product portfolio includes some of the world’s most popular and widely recognized software brands including CorelDRAWВ® Graphics Suite, CorelВ® Paint Shop ProВ® Photo, CorelВ® Painterв„ў, Corel DESIGNERВ®, CorelВ® WordPerfectВ® Office, WinZipВ®, WinDVDВ® and iGrafxВ®. Designed to help people become more productive and express their creative potential, Corel’s software strives to set a higher standard for value with full-featured products that are easier to learn and use. The industry has responded with hundreds of awards recognizing Corel’s leadership in software innovation, design and value.

Corel’s products are sold in more than 75 countries through a well-established network of international resellers, retailers, original equipment manufacturers, online providers and Corel’s global websites. The Company’s headquarters are located in Ottawa, Canada with major offices in the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, China, Taiwan, and Japan. Corel’s stock is traded on the NASDAQ under the symbol CREL and on the TSX under the symbol CRE. http://www.corel.com

В© 2008 Corel Corporation. All rights reserved. Corel, CorelDRAW, Corel PHOTO-PAINT, PowerTRACE, Corel CAPTURE, Paint Shop Pro, Painter, Corel DESIGNER, WordPerfect, WinZip, iGrafx, InterVideo, WinDVD, Ulead, and the Corel logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Corel Corporation and/or its subsidiaries. All other product names and any registered and unregistered trademarks mentioned are used for identification purposes only and remain the exclusive property of their respective owners.

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Joby introduced a new Gorillapod kit at the 2008 Consumer Electronics Show. The Gorillapod Go-Go! package includes an Original Gorillapod tripod and three mounting clips. One clip has a standard tripod screw for attaching a camera equipped with a tripod mount, the second clip has an adhesive strip so that it can be permanently attached to any device, and the third clip has a suction cup that can be used to temporarily attach a camera phone or any other electronic device. That allows the Gorillapod to be used both as a stabilizer while shooting photographs and video, and as a stand for devices that are displaying photos or videos. The Gorillapod legs are flexible and can be wrapped around available objects for creative camera positioning.

The Gorillapod Go-Go! package will be available in March 2008 for $34.95. Gorillapod owners will be able to purchase the three clips separately for $11.95.

Souce: feeds.feedburner.com

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Canon PowerShot A610 digital camera review : The second half of the year 2005 was dominated by a massive Canon introduction of printers and cameras, among which the Canon PowerShot A610 digital camera. This new PowerShot camera succeeds the Canon PowerShot A510 camera and enhances the resolution from 3 to 5.0 Megapixels. The PowerShot A series digital cameras of Canon are well-known for their high quality features that are borrowed from the advanced Canon digital cameras like the PowerShot G-series and S-series. In fact, the Canon A610 is a combination of the best of two worlds: refined advanced features and entry-level user-friendliness. A digital camera from the PowerShot A-line always offers remarkable features and combines comprehensive functionality with low entry level.

Canon A610 - DIGIC II processor
The difference between the Canon A510 and A610 is the size and flexibility of the monitor on the back of the camera; it is enlarged from 1.8 to 2.0 inch and is able to tilt. The effective resolution has also made a huge step forward from 3.2 to 5.0 Megapixels. This resolution of 5 Megapixels suffices to print a beautiful A4 picture. Another important feature is the integrated fast DIGIC II processor. This is Canon’s strongest trump compared to the competing brands. The DIGIC II processor is also used in other Canon models, among them the professional EOS 1DS Mark II digital SLR camera. The powerful DIGIC II enables the Canon A610 to start up fast, to realise a short release lag and to process the images quickly. Various digital camera tests have proven the value of this processor. It’s admirable that Canon is capable of rapidly integrating innovative developments from the professional digital world in the amateur line of digital cameras. The consumer benefits from it!

Canon PowerShot A610 - 4x optical zoom
Besides the 5 Megapixels and the DIGIC II processor the Canon PowerShot is equipped with a 4x optical zoom (focal range of 35-140mm equivalent of a 35mm camera). This lens lets you take close-ups as well as portraits. The lens features eight elements in seven groups and is equipped with two aspherical elements. The focus performance at low light conditions is improved to 2 steps which should ultimately result in extra photographic freedom when shooting with low light intensity.

Canon A610 digital camera review
The Canon PowerShot A610 nicely fills up the successful A-line of Canon. This line is quite popular and offers the novices among us an entry-level camera combined with attractive and creative functions. The Canon A610 had to prove in practice that not only its specifications are interesting so we tested it thoroughly during some time to find out how the camera performed in practice. Our experiences can be read in the following Canon PowerShot A610 digital camera review.

Source: www.letsgodigital.org

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The US Department of Transportation has announced new safety rules relating to the storage of rechargeable Lithium batteries when flying to, from and within the USA. The new restrictions, effective from January 1st 2008, dictate that loose Lithium cells may not be packed in checked baggage under any circumstances - batteries installed in equipment are unaffected. Carry-on baggage may contain up to two loose batteries but only if there is no possibility of short-circuit, containing them individually within simple plastic bags or their original packaging is sufficient to prevent this and will satisfy inspectors.

Press release:

PHMSA 11-07

Friday, December 28, 2007

New US DOT Hazmat Safety Rule to Place Lithium Battery Limits in Carry-on Baggage on Passenger Aircraft Effective January 1, 2008

Passengers will no longer be able to pack loose lithium batteries in checked luggage beginning January 1, 2008 once new federal safety rules take effect. The new regulation, designed to reduce the risk of lithium battery fires, will continue to allow lithium batteries in checked baggage if they are installed in electronic devices, or in carry-on baggage if stored in plastic bags.

Common consumer electronics such as travel cameras, cell phones, and most laptop computers are still allowed in carry-on and checked luggage. However, the rule limits individuals to bringing only two extended-life spare rechargeable lithium batteries*, such as laptop and professional audio/video/camera equipment lithium batteries in carry-on baggage.

"Doing something as simple as keeping a spare battery in its original retail packaging or a plastic zip-lock bag will prevent unintentional short-circuiting and fires," said Krista Edwards, Deputy Administrator of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration.

Lithium batteries are considered hazardous materials because they can overheat and ignite in certain conditions. Safety testing conducted by the FAA found that current aircraft cargo fire suppression system would not be capable of suppressing a fire if a shipment of non-rechargeable lithium batteries were ignited in flight.

"This rule protects the passenger," said Lynne Osmus, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) assistant administrator for security and hazardous materials. "It’s one more step for safety. It’s the right thing to do and the right time to do it."

In addition to the new rule, PHMSA is working with the FAA, the National Transportation Safety Board, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the battery and airline industries, airline employee organizations, testing laboratories, and the emergency response communities to increase public awareness about battery-related risks and developments. These useful safety tips are highlighted at the public website: http://safetravel.dot.gov.

*Examples of extended-life rechargeable lithium batteries (more than 8 but not more than 25 grams of equivalent lithium content):

Extended-life 130 watt-hour “universal” lithium ion battery.

Extended-life 160 watt-hour lithium ion battery.

By: www.dpreview.com

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Canon FS100 : Canon revitalizes the Standard Definition (SD) market with the launch of a stunning new camcorder that records movies to flash memory. The Megapixel Canon Digital Video Camcorder FS100 is not only compact and power efficient - the FS100 is also graced with a stunning new sense of style. In fact, this designer camcorder is the ideal solution for all types of moviemaker: from teens in the park, to office workers on a night out and grandparents on holiday. Thanks to solid state memory, the Canon FS100 flash memory based camcorder offers the kind of storage capacity previously only seen in Hard Disk Drive (HDD) models, yet is housed in a body no larger than the size of a family digital camera.

Canon FS100 camcorder - Memory
With ever-larger SDHC memory cards now on the market, users can easily increase the overall recording capacity of these models, all the while retaining the ability to just pick up and shoot when a card isn’t to hand. The Canon FS100 records to SD/SDHC memory cards only - compact and easily removable, they are ideal for sharing with friends and family. As Canon camcorders, all three models naturally benefit from class-leading video technologies, including the new 45x Advanced Zoom system.

Canon FS100 video camera - Latest technologies
“The FS series is a groundbreaking addition to Canon’s range of digital imaging devices, offering content creators and family moviemakers everywhere the ultimate in style, compactness and convenience,” said Mogens Jensen, Head of Canon Consumer Imaging Europe. “The style and good looks of each model are reminiscent of Canon’s popular range of compact digital still cameras - the introduction of flash memory recording demonstrates that Canon remains committed to refining and improving its camcorder range, bringing the latest technologies to every user.”

Canon FS100 digital camcorder - Video and Photo
Ideal for spontaneous shooting, the Canon FS100 records video and photos to standard SD or SDHC memory cards. Memory cards are an easy-to-share way of shooting since they can be easily removed from the camcorder and handed to friends and colleagues. Footage can also be easily uploaded to a computer using a compatible card reader or via a USB connection.

Canon FS100 features
• Direct to SD/SDHC recording - perfect for sharing
• Stylish, lightweight design that incorporates a high resolution Megapixel CCD
• True Wide High Resolution 16:9 recording
• New 45x Advanced Zoom with genuine Canon video lens and DIGIC DV II1 processor
• Compatible with Canon’s new standalone Canon DVD Burner DW-100
• New Intelligent battery system displays remaining recording time (accurate to the minute)
• Still image capture to SD memory card
• Microphone input connection for superior quality audio
• Software Solution Disk and Application Disk supplied
• Stylish, lightweight design

Canon FS100 video cam - Lighter and Compact
Flash camcorders offer several key advantages. Along with lower power consumption and faster start up times, flash memory is physically smaller than tapes, DVDs, and Hard Disk Drives. This fact allows flash camcorders to be made significantly lighter and more compact - the FS series is ergonomic and refined, sitting comfortably in the palm of the hand. And since flash involves no moving parts, each camcorder can withstand bumps and knocks without endangering stored footage. FS series camcorders set a new benchmark in powerful imaging performance packaged in a truly compact design. Across the range, a Megapixel CCD provides superior image quality and True Wide High Resolution 16:9 recording. After the shoot, a 2.7” 16:9 LCD screen allows widescreen movies to be previewed in the correct dimensions.

Canon FS100 digital Flash Memory cameras - Image processor
With a 45x Advanced Zoom, the Canon FS100 sets a new standard in the market. The Advanced Zoom system is an innovation that allows users to capture distant events – such as the action of a sports match - in perfect clarity. Combining the quality of a genuine Canon optical zoom lens with the processing power of the unique DIGIC DV II image processor, users can get closer to the action than ever before.

Canon FS100 - Lithium Ion battery system
To make sharing footage with friends and family even easier, the FS100 is compatible with Canon’s new standalone Canon DVD Burner DW-100. The burner connects directly to the camcorder, allowing videos to be copied to a full-size DVD without the need for a computer - the perfect accessory for anyone who enjoys sending movies to distant relatives and friends. A new Intelligent lithium-ion battery system displays exactly how much recording time is left. Accurate to the minute, the system makes it easier to monitor available power and therefore avoid running out at the crucial moment. Writing to flash memory has a far lower power requirement than other recording formats, too - over three hours of shooting is possible with the supplied battery pack.

Canon FS camcorder - Digital photography features
Combining video recording with advanced digital photography features, the Canon FS100 captures high quality stills. Photos are easily transferred to a computer via USB. A Canon Solution Disk, supplied with every model, helps users store, enhance and manage their digital still photos. Each FS series model features a microphone input connection, allowing superior quality audio to be captured. By attaching an external microphone, users are better able to record a strong soundtrack in otherwise challenging circumstances - at a school concert for instance, or similar occasions when ambient noise might otherwise interfere with what is being recorded.

Souce: www.letsgodigital.org

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“Maoi with topknot on Easter Island (Rapa Nui)”. Taken by Gary

Source: planetearthdailyphoto.blogspot.com

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Paint Like 'Monet' is a series of actions, brushes, borders, and movies that will have you creating works of art in no time. While the art history brush is available back to Photoshop version 7, to take full advantage of this product you will need to have Photoshop CS2 or greater since this is what the creative actions will work with. Also this product is not compatible with Photoshop Elements or other graphic imaging software.

Paint Like 'Monet' allows you to transform your standard ordinary images in to ones that emulate various painting styles; including watercolor, pencil sketch, abstract, sprayed, metal imprint and others. It includes the brushes to create these works, Actions to automate them, as well as movie tutorials that will show you how emulate them in very easy steps. Once you have created your work of art, there are borders that are included that will further enhance your image.

How does Paint Like 'Monet' work? Well there are two options to allow you to create your images. The first is by using the brushes that come with the product. You will have to install the 13 brushes, but with the video that is included, installation is a snap. Once the brushes are installed, you open up an image, create a new white layer and begin brushing. This video shows how really easy it is. My first image was done with this method.

The second method is using the actions. There are 12 actions that come with Paint Like 'Monet' and they too must be installed. Again there is a video that will show you exactly how to do this and this as well is a breeze.

Once your action is installed, you open your image select the action you want to use, start it, and let it do its thing. Sometimes it will prompt you for information, or allow you to make adjustments, and sometimes it will just complete the image. Once it is complete, you will end up with your artistic image and you can take it from there, adding your own enhancements or even adding more actions to the image. The second image was done this way.

Also included in Paint Like 'Monet' are 11 borders that can be added to your image to enhance the look. There are also a number of movies; each lasting 2 to 4 minutes that will take you through learning how to use these tools.

Paint Like 'Monet' is available at the Photo online store for $84.95. But since there are four additional packages available, you can save up to 50% if you purchase all five. Here is a breakdown of how the discount works.

1 set $84.95
2 sets $129.00 (20% off)
3 sets $165.00 (30% off)
5 sets $ 199.00 (50% off)

To watch a short video example of what can be done with Paint Like 'Monet', you can visit the Photographers Photoshop website. Or to just see what other examples this set is capable of visit the Paint Like 'Monet' page.

I found that Paint Like 'Monet' is a very easy to use product and can create very stunning images. Like all things Photoshop, it will take time to get really good at it, but the learning curve is really short. The biggest help is also probably the biggest down side that I can see. The videos add to the size of the product; in this case it is over 300 megabytes. On the other side, it is what shortens the learning curve so I can live with it. If you want your images to look like you Paint Like 'Monet', then the Photographers Photoshop is the place you want to go.

From: feeds.blogcritics.org

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