Photo&Cameras

Adobe has delayed an update that will add support for Flickr users to its Photoshop Express online image editing and storage service. The service, currently at the Beta stage, allows images to be stored or pulled from the users’ other websites and edited without over-writing the original. The latest update, which also adds a ‘Save As…’ feature and the ability to embed slideshows in other websites, has been postponed to allow bugs found late in the development process to be fixed.

The update, which was to have launched at 4:01 GMT today is currently unavailable. Here is the UK press release about the service, which at present only allows users to sign up as US residents.

Press release:

Adobe Photoshop Express Public Beta Adds Flickr Support

“Save As” and Embeddable Player Now Available as Community Feedback Drives New Features

London— May 8, 2008 —  Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) today announced a major update to Adobe® Photoshop® Express beta (www.photoshop.com/express), including integration with Flickr and a “Save As” functionality, two of the most requested features by early adopters. Additionally, a new embeddable player will allow users to post their Photoshop ® Express ® slideshows to sites such as Facebook, Myspace, blogs and more. Released as a public beta in March 2008, Photoshop Express is a free rich Internet application (RIA) available to anyone who wants to store, sort and show off digital photos with eye-catching effects. As the newest addition to the Photoshop family line, Photoshop Express has taken much of Adobe’s best image-editing technology and made it simple and accessible to a new online audience. Within the first week of launch, hundreds of thousands of people registered for an account and within the first month, over 60,000 public Web albums were created.

“We’re overwhelmed by the positive response to the Photoshop Express beta and all the people who are actively editing and showing off their photos,” said Doug Mack, vice president of Consumer and Hosted Solutions at Adobe. “Photoshop Express will continue to evolve over time as we listen to user feedback and build a complete hosted solution that gives people the right balance of performance, convenience and that ‘wow-factor’ that makes their photos stand out from the rest. We’re fortunate to have innovative technologies in our arsenal like Flex® and Adobe Flash® Player that guarantee the overall experience will always be engaging and dynamic.”

Enhancements Extend Community, Accessibility and Creativity
Photoshop Express provides convenient access from right within the application to photos posted on social networking sites like Facebook, Photobucket, Picasa and now Flickr. Photoshop Express serves as a complementary solution for people with Flickr albums who want to upload or download photos into Photoshop Express, add special effects and send them back into Flickr to share with the community. The experience is seamless, so users never have to leave their community environment. 

The new “Save As” feature allows users to save multiple versions of an image in addition to the original version. Also new to the lineup is the embeddable player, which lets users post their slideshows to Facebook, MySpace, and other sites to share with friends and family.

A Convenient, Single Destination for Storing, Editing and Sharing
With Photoshop Express, users get 2 gigabytes of free storage, can upload and sort anytime and from anywhere, edit non-destructively to always preserve the original image, and share online in creative ways.

With just a few easy clicks, Photoshop Express empowers anyone to make standard edits, such as removing blemishes and red-eye, converting to black and white, cropping and resizing and much more. Photoshop Express features a collection of creative effects such as Pop Colour, which highlights a single colour in a photo; Distort, which distorts facial features or objects; and Sketch, which makes photos look like artistic drawings. Even users with limited photo editing knowledge can simply select what looks best from a line-up of sample photos with visual hints showing different variations of the added effect. Photoshop Express offers a variety of fun sharing options, including “My Gallery” that highlights collections of user photos called Albums. The unique slideshows feature interactive animation that make photos float and fly across the screen, allowing for an engaging sharing experience.   

Free and Available Now
Adobe Photoshop Express public beta update is available for free via any Web browser, including Firefox, Internet Explorer, Safari and others at http://www.photoshop.com/express. Photoshop Express was created with Flex, Adobe’s free, open source framework for building RIAs. Flex applications provide a consistent, rich user experience across operating systems and all major browsers. An Internet connection and an up-to-date Flash® Player 9 are all that are required to experience Adobe Photoshop Express. In its early phases, Photoshop Express is available to US residents-only in English. Users may experience slow performance if accessed outside of the US. Future updates will include availability in other languages and countries.

By: www.dpreview.com

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Canon EOS 450D digital SLR camera review : The Canon EOS 450D is Canon’s fourth entry-level model, launched right after Canon set the world on fire with the EOS 300D that was responsible for a price breakthrough. And although we talk about a period of five years, which may be considered as quite a long period of time in the digital photo world, a lot of things have changed. Not only the camera in itself has changed; the amount of people using a D-SLR has also increased hugely. Sometimes it’s like you are left out as a photographer if you don’t use D-SLR tools. And if someone spots a photographer with a professional EOS, he will proudly proclaim: “I am also shooting with an EOS”. Canon truly stirred up the market with the EOS 300D, which developed the amateur market. The types launched after the EOS 300D have been equally successful.

Canon 450D SLR – EF-S lenses
The latest Canon DSLR is called Canon EOS 450D, and will be put on the market beside the 400D. The cameras look like twins. Canon have kept all the good things of the 400D, whilst adding new ones to it. Naturally the Canon 450D works seamlessly with the EF-S lenses. These were developed especially for the APS-C format of the image sensor, resulting in a cheaper and more compact lens. Together with the compact housing, the Canon EOS 450D is the ideal set to use on holiday where usually lots of pictures are taken.

Canon EOS 450D offers Live View
Keeping pace with the trend, the Canon 450D features a 3 inch screen on its back. Whereas the monitor of the 400D only allowed you to view pictures, the Canon EOS 450D also lets you also use the LCD monitor for shooting. This is because the latest Canon offers Live View. This doesn’t come as a surprise though; all the new Canon models are being equipped with this technique. Photographing using Live View undoubtedly has its advantages. And since many EOS 450D users are likely to have switched from a compact camera to this DSLR, it will give them a trusty feeling.

Canon EOS Integral Cleaning system
The resolution of the camera has once again been increased. The Canon EOS 450D features a CMOS sensor with 12 Megapixels, offering two million photosensitive elements more than the EOS 400D. Not a vast difference perhaps, but it does ensure the camera keeps pace with competitive models of competing brands. And it is even ahead of the actual model of Canon’s biggest rival, the Nikon D60. Just like the other new models, the Canon EOS 450D features the EOS Integral Cleaning System. This system is more than just a filter that shakes in order to get rid of dust. The mirror house inside has been made of materials that make it impossible for dust to stick to it. Moreover, the sensor surface is anti-static, which means dust will not stick to the sensor easily. If these precautions and the filter are not sufficient, you can map the dust by taking a picture of it. With the aid of the Canon software the dust will be retouched.

Canon EOS 450D SLR review
The Canon EOS 450D was Canon’s flagship during the last PMA show in Las Vegas. The interest for Canon’s answer to the steps the competition takes is vast and decides the partition of the important market share that manufactures continue to fight for every day. High time for us to test the Canon 450D in practice. Our findings can be read in the following Canon EOS 450D review.

Source: www.letsgodigital.org

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Rob Galbraith reports that the firmware update (v1.10) that Nikon released for the D3 DSLR earlier this week is intermittently corrupting images. An offset ghost image is appearing when shooting until the memory buffer fills and then taking additional frames. Apparently the Rob Galbraith staff are “able to make the problem surface pretty much at will”. Nikon have made no comment yet about this issue.

Website: Rob Galbraith – Nikon D3 v1.10 firmware appears to cause photo corruption problem

Via: feeds.feedburner.com

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Oregon, USA. Taken by Tamra

Source: planetearthdailyphoto.blogspot.com

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Digiscoping with Minox : A brilliant world first from the renown optical specialist Minox provides all birders, wild animal and nature observers with a completely new and very affordable digiscoping or viewing experience! With the new Minox Digital Eyepiece Camera (DEC 5.0) fitted to a quality telescope a fast and easy-fitting solution has been provided for taking digital pictures through a spotting scope. Simply fitted to the eyepiece bayonet of a вЂ?scope this highly innovative product is an exciting combination of digital camera with normal camera functions, 2.4“ TFT monitor and eyepiece all in one. What is even more exciting is that nature lovers need no additional equipment – such as brackets and special adapters – to get into practical digiscoping.

Fast digiscoping for nature photographers / observers
The engineers at Minox can now boast that they have been successful in bringing fast and convenient digiscoping to the general market through their overall knowledge and experience that has now enabled them to bridge the separate worlds of high-performance optics and digital camera technology into a compact, lightweight and economic package.

Minox Digital Eyepiece Camera
The very compact size of around 68 x 56 x 71 mm and weighing in at 220 grams the Minox Digital Eyepiece Camera is so convenient to carry and travel with that it looks to be the perfect accessory for every quality spotting scope. The large screen allows more than one person to not only view the subject at the same time but also see the pictures or video-clips taken or being taken. It’s just like using a powerful telephoto lens with an terrific 40x magnification. Due to its compact size and lightweight the DEC 5 megapixel вЂ?camera’ is very nice to hold while at the same time being multi compatible. Initially it will be made with different bayonet fittings for high quality вЂ?scopes from Zeiss, Leica, Swarovski and Kowa as well as the Minox MD 62 range. Being watertight and shock-proof the Digital Eyepiece Camera can comfortably be used in adverse weather conditions, although bright light is preferable for good result with digiscoping. It is also built to stand up to rough outdoor use in extreme cases if necessary.

2.4 inch Color TFT monitor
A convenient folding �flip-up’ built-in shield not only protects the TFT monitor and the operating controls during transportation and storage, but probably more important, when erected it acts as an antidazzle shield when the Digital Eyepiece Camera is in operation as it prevents interfering reflections on the viewfinder image and gives a better density of image in bright light conditions. The 2.4” inch color display monitor screen serves not only as a viewfinder for getting the subject into view but also for fine adjustment of the normal camera functions as well as for checking the images after shooting.

Advantages of digiscoping with Minox Digital Eyepiece camera
For those not yet into digiscoping the advantages of the Minox Digital Eyepiece Camera are more than obvious for use either alone, with a partner or friend, or in a small group. Hunters or those on safari can see game from a long way away and take pictures at the same time while birders are able to observe the species from a safe distance and capture images rich in detail, with a вЂ?camera’ resolution of up to five megapixels. To do this, a powerful lens – replacing the eyepiece – transfers the image to the sensor of the digital camera integrated in the DEC. To store the image data this exceptional вЂ?camera’ has an internal memory of 128 MB as well as a port for SD memory cards with a capacity of up to 4 Gigabyte. Power is provided by a replaceable high-capacity lithium-ion battery – guaranteeing extensive observation and photographic fun when out and about! The Minox Digital Eyepiece Camera comes complete with battery, soft pouch, remote control, USB cable and manual.

Souce: www.letsgodigital.org

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The photographic community is incredibly diverse, made up of photographers that shoot from the sky to the sea and everywhere in between. Each month we look at a different segment of the industry, interviewing top professional photographers about life, their careers, and what sets their piece of the photographic industry apart from the rest.

This month we focus on Preston Gannaway, a staff photographer at the Rocky Mountain News in Denver, Colorado. While driving from New Hampshire to Colorado earlier this month, Gannaway learned that she had been named the recipient of the 2008 Pulitzer Prize in Feature Photography. The 30-year-old photographer was recognized for her picture story, “Remember Me,” which she created while on staff at the Concord Monitor. In April’s installment of “Behind the Lens,” Gannaway talks about her career as a newspaper photographer, and the hard work and dedication that went into her Pulitzer-winning picture story.

Q. When did you begin your career as a newspaper photographer? Have you always worked for local publications?

I started professionally as a photographer right out of college at the Coalfield Progress in rural southwest Virginia. I had just graduated from Virginia Intermont College, where I studied fine art photography, when I was hired. I had no real experience with journalism, but I thought a newspaper job would be a good way to have a steady paycheck and still take pictures. The Coalfield Progress had a circulation of 8,000 and was published twice a week. A few years and internships later, I was hired at the Concord Monitor. I spent five years there. I loved the community photojournalism that has become what the Monitor is known for. I’ve always worked at small (until now) newspapers.

Q. You recently spent several months working on your project, “Remember Me.” Do you prefer working on long-term projects or daily assignments?

I spent almost two years on “Remember Me” — the longest I’ve spent on any project. I like doing both projects and daily assignments. That’s one of the reasons I love newspapers. But long-term projects are the most fulfilling for me. I enjoy the immediacy of daily work, but I also like delving into more complexities in a long-term story. For me, daily work is mostly about making good pictures, but long-term work is more about the story.

Souce: www.popphoto.com

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Megapixel.net have just reviewed the Fujifilm S8000fd digital compact camera, which offers an 18x zoom lens equivalent to 27mm-486mm.

“The Fujifilm FinePix S8000fd is a very versatile camera. For shutterbugs interested in a large zoom but not in a lot of photographic rigmarole, the snapper will take fine pictures without leaving the auto mode. On the other hand, the unit has plenty of flexibility for lenseslingers who demand more control over what they’re shooting.”

Website: Megapixel.net – Fujifilm S8000fd Review

Website: Read our Fujifilm S8000fd Review

Via: feeds.feedburner.com

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Ricoh has launched a new ‘water and dust resistant’ digital compact camera called the G600.

Hailed as ’smaller and lighter’ than the firm’s current 500G Wide model, the 10MP camera is designed to be shock resistant down to 1.5m and water resistant to a depth of around 1m.

The G600 sports a lens delivering the 35mm viewing angle equivalent of a 28-140mm zoom. An optional wide conversion lens will allow wideangle shots of 22mm, in 35mm terms.

‘It is perfect for customers who want to take pictures during a variety of outdoor activities such as marine sports, mountain climbing and fishing,’ said a Ricoh spokeswoman.

The 260g newcomer also features manual focusing, a 2.7in screen and a top equivalent ISO of 3200.

It also boasts an accessory shoe for attaching external flash and can be powered by AAA batteries.

The G600 will accept 37mm-size filters, according to Ricoh.

Also on board are autobracketing and spot metering options.

Meanwhile, macro focusing is possible down to 1cm, claims the company.

The G600 will arrive in UK stores in May priced £349.99, in a kit that includes a DB-60 rechargeable battery.

The debutante measures 116.5×68x32mm.

Souce: www.amateurphotographer.co.uk

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Nikon has released a revised version of its recently withdrawn firmware update. The company has updated the ‘B’ firmware to V1.11, and has reissued the previously withdrawn V1.10 ‘A’ firmware. Link to Nikon UK download page and a PDF detailing the new features now included.

Windows users can download the firmware by clicking here.

Mac users can download the firmware by clicking here.

Details of what the updates do are listed in this PDF.

By: www.dpreview.com

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