Book Review: Take Your Best Shot By Tim Grey
Wednesday, October 15th, 2008As with a lot of books, Take Your Best Shot is one that has been years in the making. While working with the nature photographer George Lepp, Tim Grey started a quarterly newsletter called "Digital Darkroom Quarterly." Over time he kept getting questions via email asking questions on digital photography, and many times these questions were the same or similar questions. So instead of just responding to these questions, in 2001, he started the Digital Darkroom Questions (DDQ) email newsletter. To this day, these questions still go strong. Tim Grey's latest book, Take Your Best Shot, was developed from these questions. The book is 252 pages in length and is divided into 10 chapters.
Chapter 1, "Digital Fundamentals," begins with question topics that will help give you a strong foundation in digital photography and help shorten your learning curve. The goal here is that even if you have the basics down, by reviewing some of these topics you will even pick up a point or two. Topics covered here include the debate between film and digital, dynamic range, ISO, resolution, RAW capture, and lens problems such as chromatic aberration.
Chapter 2, "Digital Cameras and Tools," examines the wild and wonderful world of ever expanding digital technology. In the days of film cameras, things did not change that frequently, but with the advent of digital, things don't stay the same for very long. Now you have many choices that constantly change. Here you will learn about the differences in camera choices, cleaning sensors, memory cards, lenses, and even about some specialty accessories like Lensbabies lenses.
Chapter 3, "Digital Capture," is really a new technology in the grand order of things, and so we are all still trying to define the rules. While there are a lot of similarities between this technology and film, there are also a lot of differences. This can lead to frustration. In this chapter the author attempts to remove those frustrations by examining some of these new rules. This includes comparing RAW to JPG, why to shoot RAW, setting color temperature, when to change ISO, what color space should you use on your DSLR, and how to interpret the histogram on your image.
Chapter 4, "Digital Darkroom," is a place that you will likely spend a lot of time if you are serious about digital photography. The digital darkroom needs equipment much like the traditional darkroom, but it is dry and performed in open spaces (and it does not have that chemical smell). To build a system, there are also a lot of questions to be answered such as Windows vs. Mac, storage and backup, do you need Photoshop? Do you need Lightroom? As well as many more topics examined. Here you will get a good feel for what you might need.
Chapter 5, "Color Management," examines why there are two kinds of photographers with regard to color management; those who are frustrated with it, and those who ignore it. Topics here try to look at how to manage color. Questions answered here are about profiling camera, calibrating monitors, color spaces, how to use print preview in Photoshop, as well as color management in Photoshop.
Chapter 6, "Optimizing in Photoshop," will help you overcome the learning curve that one generally finds when learning Photoshop. In this chapter the author examines many of the common questions that people have when working with Photoshop. These include working with RAW files, Curves and Levels, Cloning and Healing, Adjustment Layers, Selections, and working with Gradient Effects on an Adjusted area.
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Metz mecablitz 36 AF-4 digital flash : The Metz mecablitz 36 AF-4 digital is now available in five versions. The Canon and Nikon versions that have been available for some time now have be supplemented with models for Olympus/Panasonic, Pentax/Samsung and Sony Alpha digital cameras. Thus, depending on the camera manufacturer, the highly-specific E-TTL-flash mode, i-TTL, Four Thirds-TTL flash mode, P-TTL or ADI flash operating modes are available. With these two sophisticated entry-level models Metz offers the right flash solution for users of all these digital cameras. In addition, the user is impressed by the 36 AF-4 digital’s likable, simple operation. Even bounce flashes become child’s play, due to the vertically-tilting reflector. 
Leica S2 Digital SLR camera : Responding to the needs of professional photographers, Leica Camera AG will introduce the Leica S2 at photokina in Cologne, a new digital Leica SLR camera system for professional photographers. A new system concept has been developed, entitled “Made in Solms”. For this camera concept, renowned professional photographers have been involved in all parts of the development process. The outcome is a system designed specifically to deliver the fastest, high end resolution work, requiring the minimum of post production. Excellent news for commercial photographers seeking to exceed demanding client expectations in a working time which allows improved income for their talents. 
Pre-Photokina 2008: To accompany the anouncement of its K-m DSLR, Pentax has launched the 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 DA-L and 50-200mm F4-5.6 DA-L lenses. The new DA-L lenses are re-engineered, lightweight versions of existing lenses. Plastic lens mounts and the removal of the manu focus-override mechanisms help reduce weight. They will only be available in kits with the new K-m.