Photo&Cameras

Panasonic LUMIX G1 price info : Panasonic announced pricing for the world’s first Micro Four Thirds System camera, the Panasonic LUMIX DMC-G1 – available in mid-November for a suggested retail price of $799.95, which includes the Panasonic LUMIX G VARIO 14-45mm / F3.5-5.6 ASPH/MEGA O.I.S. kit lens. Also available in November, the Panasonic LUMIX G VARIO 45-200mm / F4.0-5.6/MEGA O.I.S. telephoto Micro Four Thirds lens has a suggested retail price in the United States of $349.95. The Panasonic LUMIX G1 digital camera, available in black, blue and red models, is the first interchangeable lens camera to offer consumers a choice of colors.
Panasonic Contrast Auto Focus system
The Panasonic LUMIX G1 introduces a new Contrast AF (Auto Focus) system that is accurate and fast. Additionally, the Panasonic G1 features Panasonic’s Intelligent Auto mode found across the Panasonic LUMIX line of digital cameras, which includes AF Tracking, Intelligent Exposure, MEGA O.I.S., Intelligent ISO, Intelligent Scene Selector, and Face Detection. Weighing about half as much as a standard digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) camera (1.28 lbs), the Panasonic LUMIX G1 camera is loaded with features that both entry-level and more experienced DSLR users will appreciate.

Panasonic LUMIX DMC-G1
“The Panasonic LUMIX G1 provides the power of a DSLR with many of the easy-to-use features from our point-and-shoot digital cameras,” said David Briganti, National Marketing Manager, Imaging, Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company. “With the Panasonic LUMIX G1, we’re able to provide manual controls and professional-quality images, while also making the camera much more compact and with intuitive features easy for those new to DSLRs to learn and use.”

Panasonic LUMIX G1 Live View Finder
The Panasonic G1’s electronic Live View Finder, with a high-resolution 1,440,000-dot equivalent, allows the user to shoot the exact image seen, while also displaying information about the camera’s settings. The Panasonic DMC-G1 camera also features a free angle 3.0-inch LCD, enabling the user to see the adjustments as they are being made, a valuable learning tool for users new to manual controls, as the effects can be confirmed visually before snapping the shot.

Panasonic Micro Four Thirds System cameras
Panasonic will expand its Micro Four Thirds System cameras and lenses in 2009, including a new model that builds on the LUMIX G1’s portability and style, while incorporating High Definition video capabilities. More details to be released in 2009.

Souce: www.letsgodigital.org

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Dragged kicking and screaming into 2008 we’ve finally decided to break the code of silence which hovered over the inner workings of the dpreview beast and launch our very own blog, or blogs to be more precise. As of today we now have a more informal channel for our editorial and developer teams to communicate directly with our readership, answer some of your burning questions and give you a peek through the window into the hive of activity which occurs in our basement. It’s early days but we’ve already got a few entries, more to come!

By: www.dpreview.com

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In an earlier review, I looked at X-Rite's new product called the ColorMunki which really blew me away with the quality and performance of this product. Over the course of several articles, I will now look at X-Rite's all new i1 product line that was just showcased at the photokina in Cologne Germany in September and at Graph Expo in Chicago, IL in October.

There are two fundamental paths that you can take with the i1 line, i1 Basic and the i1 XTreme. The i1 Basic, which is marketed as an affordable, upgradeable, professional spectral color measurement solution and monitor profiler. With the i1 Basic, creative and prepress professionals can scan spectral color, obtain accurate color on all displays, linearize their printers through support of leading RIPs, and easily add new profiling functionality to meet their growing needs with new affordable upgrade modules.

In this first part I will look at is the i1 Basic. In future installments, I will look at the modules that can be added on to the i1 Basic or can be purchased as a whole with the i1 XTreme.

What does it take to run the i1 Basic?  Either a Windows 2000, XP, or Vista with a 300 MHz PC or better, or Mac OS X (10.3 or higher) Power G3 or higher processor, a powered USB port, 128 MB RAM, and 100 MB of hard-drive space.

The i1 Basic comes with the i1 Pro spectrophotometer and the i1Match Monitor profiling software. The i1 Basic will let you scan spectral color and obtain accurate color on all of your displays. You will be able to linearize your printers and by purchasing upgrade modules, and you can add profiling functionality when you need it.

When working with the i1 Basic you can profile CRTs, LCDs, and laptop displays. There are two modes available to you. The first is easy mode which will give you a quick accurate profile based on the defaults for your type of display. Advanced will let you choose the setting and really drill down for a much more accurate profile.

From: feeds.blogcritics.org

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Boinx showed version 2.6 of its Mac-only slideshow software FotoMagico at Photo Plus Expo this year. The new version includes a free plug-in for Aperture, which allows users to export images to the slideshow application. Images can also be accessed from—or sent to—Aperture libraries from the application’s iMedia Browser. The Pro version of FotoMagico 2.6 also provides Lightroom 2 support.

 

Version 2.6 is a free update for current FotoMagico 2.x users. FotoMagico Express 2.6 costs $49; the Pro version is available for $129.

For more info, check out their website.

Souce: feeds.feedburner.com

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“If I would be in his place I wouldn’t have the strength to smile. Coal is still very much used in Chinese houses for cooking and heating and it has to be carried and distributed door-to-door by people like this man. I simply dismissed my personal worries when I saw his smile amid this burden”. Inner Mongolia. Taken by Quimdoporto

Source: planetearthdailyphoto.blogspot.com

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Alongside the E-30, Olympus has released the Zuiko Digital 14-54mm 1:2.8-3.5 II lens; successor to the Zuiko Digital 14-54mm 1:2.8-3.5. The new lens has been redesigned to offer compatibility with the ‘High-speed imager AF’ system included in recent Four Thirds DSLRs. The lens is a 3x zoom, equivalent to 28-108mm on 35mm format.

Main features:

• High-Speed Imager AF compatibility
• A full complement of features to support creative photography
• Circular aperture diaphragm
• Closest focusing distance of 22cm throughout the zoom range
• Bright 3.9x wide angle standard zoom
• 3 Aspherical lens elements for excellent quality
• Splash and dustproof

Press Release:

New ZUIKO DIGITAL 14-54mm 1:2.8-3.5 II with full contrast AF

London, 5 November 2008 – When it comes to sharp, high-contrast imaging, the new Olympus ZUIKO DIGITAL 14-54mm 1:2.8-3.5 II (28-108mm)* takes the success of its popular predecessor, the ZUIKO DIGITAL 14-54mm 1:2.8-3.5, to a new dimension.

Featuring High-Speed Imager AF to enable maximum creative freedom, a circular aperture mechanism for higher imaging performance and a minimum focusing distance of just 22cm, the Four Thirds based Olympus ZUIKO DIGITAL 14-54mm 1:2.8-3.5 II (28-108mm) will become available in mid-January 2009.

Harness the synergies of high image quality and creative flexibility with the latest addition to Olympus’ family of top-performing lenses: the ZUIKO DIGITAL 14-54mm 1:2.8-3.5 II (28-108mm)*. As with the entire ZUIKO DIGITAL range, this new lens is precision-engineered to maximise the performance potential of D-SLR image sensors.

This bright and flexible new zoom lens guarantees superior quality and boasts a circular aperture diaphragm to smooth out the soft focus look that is a key advantage of large-aperture lens design.

Developed as a successor to the ZUIKO DIGITAL 14-54mm 1:2.8-3.5 – a favourite with advanced amateur and professional users – the new ZUIKO DIGITAL 14-54mm 1:2.8–3.5 II boasts High-Speed Imager AF support to bring joy to creative photographers everywhere.

In combination with the brand new Olympus E-30 D-SLR, the new lens’ High-Speed Imager AF lets photographers preview the E-30’s new Art Filter effects in real-time with the convenience of a compact digital camera – thanks to Live View.

Compact size, high image quality, and the clarity of 1:2.8 brightness were achieved by the optimal arrangement of 3 aspherical lens elements and 4 cemented lens elements. The result is a new benchmark for sharpness and contrast, with minimal distortion for superior imaging performance over the entire zoom range.

The new lens uses a floating internal focus mechanism to focus, with excellent imaging performance from infinity right down to its minimum focusing distance. Exhibiting minimal aberration even at extremely close range, it has a minimum focusing distance of just 22cm for all focal lengths.

And no matter what the conditions, its exterior joints are sealed to provide splash and dustproof standards high enough to withstand the rigorous demands of professional use.

With its versatile zoom range, the ZUIKO DIGITAL 14-54mm 1:2.8-3.5 II is an ideal choice for a wide range of shooting situations. For creative effect, photographers can enjoy the exaggerated perspectives that are the hallmark of wide angle shooting.

And when it comes to capturing stunning details, the new lens packs sufficient telephoto power to zoom right in for close-ups of the main subject.

The ZUIKO DIGITAL 14-54mm 1:2.8-3.5 II (28-108mm) will become available in mid-January 2009.

Maximum aperture F2.8-3.5 Minimum aperture F22 Lens Construction

• 15 elements/ 11 groups
• 3 Aspherical elements

Number of diaphragm blades

7, rounded

Minimum focus 0.22m Maximum magnification

0.52x

Focus method Floating & Internal focus Image stabilization

No

Filter thread 67 mm Supplied accessories

• Front and rear caps
• Lens hood LH-70D
• Lens Case

Weight 440 g Dimensions 75mm diameter x 89mm length Lens Mount Four Thirds

By: www.dpreview.com

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If you haven’t heard, Digital Railroad is in the process of shutting down—quickly.

Stock Artist Alliance has some details here, and there is chatter all over photography sites about what went wrong, how poorly this has been handled and how angry many photographers are about the whole situation .

There will be time in the coming weeks to analyze the situation, compare different surviving online storage and marketplace options, but right now is a time for action. If you know any Digital Railroad photographers that may not have heard of this trainwreck and imminent shutdown, get in touch with them as soon as possible. Alert them to the current situation that their photos and records stored on Digital Railroad may not be accessible after midnight Pacific Time on Halloween.

Trick or Treat, indeed.

[October 31, 2008. Editor's Note: we originally published the above story  on October 30th, 2008. As the East Coast business week wound down today we recieved an alert from the Stock Artist Alliance about a potential letter of intent from an unnamed buyer. Below is an excerpt of this letter from their website.  Please visit SAA for the full text. -- Jack Howard, Editor, PopPhoto.com]

Memo from Diablo Management
Re: Digital Railroad
October 31, 2008

To Digital Railroad Members and Customers;

Digital Railroad (DRR) has been attempting to keep its servers up and running for as long as possible. However, given DRR’s current cash position, it can no longer keep these servers operational. Therefore, as early as midnight EST, October 31, 2008, the DRR website will be closed and the images located on the DRR servers will be inaccessible. DRR apologizes for difficulties and inconvenience that this creates, however, without additional capital investment, DRR has no other recourse.

These images will be preserved on the existing hardware in anticipation that at a later date they can be retrieved by their owners.  Continue reading the memo here.

Souce: www.popphoto.com

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Adobe Photoshop Elements 7.0 is the latest release from the Adobe Photoshop family. Although it's the little brother of the industry standard digital imaging software product Adobe Photoshop, it is also a pretty powerful product in its own right. While it is aimed at the more novice user, over the course of time, it has gained the necessary features to stand on its own merit.

While the latest version of Photoshop has been announced – in this case CS4 – and Photoshop is considered by many to be the best image editing product on the planet, it is certainly not for everyone. For the professional, Photoshop is a must have, but it is not always the best product for the casual user or amateur for a couple of reasons. First, with a high end product, there is usually a high end learning curve that can take months, even years, to master. Second, a high end product usually comes with a high end price. In the case of Photoshop CS4, purchasing it new can mean $649.00 USD for the standard version, and $999.00 USD for the extended version. For Adobe Photoshop Elements 7.0 the price is $99.00 USD, or bundled with Adobe Premier Elements 7.0, it is $149.00 USD.

What do you need to run Adobe Photoshop Elements 7.0? Currently it is only available on Windows. If the past is any indication, a Mac version should be scheduled for a future date. So on Windows you need a 2 GHz or better machine with 1 GB of RAM, a mouse, a 16-bit color display with 1024×768 resolution at 96DPI or less, a DirectX 9 compatible display driver, a CD-ROM, and around 1.5 GB hard disk space available. The web features require Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 or 7, or Mozilla Firefox 1.5 through 3.x

So what is new with this version of Adobe Photoshop Elements?

• Interface Brightness – can now be customized in both the organizer and the editor so you can control how bright the interface is with regard to your images. By using the brightness slider, you can make the screen as bright or dark as you would like. This will give you the ability to see your images in their proper light.

• Streamlined Downloading – now has no separate Photo Downloader icon in the system tray. All connection events have now been consolidated into the Windows Autoplay list where you can choose to either use the Adobe Photo Downloader, or launch another program.

From: feeds.blogcritics.org

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Due to popular demand, Moab has resurrected one of its most popular papers, Kayenta Photo Matte 205. This double-sided, acid- and lignin-free paper had been discontinued in 2007 after the company was acquired by Legion paper.

 

Compatible with pigment ink printers, Kayenta Photo Matte 205 is designed for a variety of uses such as final prints, portfolios and proofing.    The paper is scheduled to ship in December 2008 and will be available in 50-sheet boxes as well as 100-foot rolls in 17 and 24-inch widths. Sheet sizes include 8.5×11, 11×17, 13×19 and 17×22, and the new 17×25 inch format. Prices are not yet set. Check out www.moabpaper.com for more info.

Souce: feeds.feedburner.com

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“Reflections of the sun through the front stained glass window at St. Vitus Cathedral (Prague, Czech Republic)”. Taken by Tina

Source: planetearthdailyphoto.blogspot.com

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