Phase One Capture One 3.7.8 and 4.0.1
Posted on February 29, 2008 - Filed Under Digital, Photo, Reviews | Leave a Comment
Phase One has been busily updating its Capture One RAW workflow software and has released versions 3.7.8 and 4.0.1. These releases add new cameras to the compatibility list and fix bugs in previous versions. Full details after the jump.
Capture One 3.7.8
Capture One 3.7.8 for Mac brings long awaited solution to installer and import issues with the Leopard (10.5) operating system. Capture One 3.7.8 also resolves some retransmission users with Phase One digital backs might have experienced.
A number of new cameras are supported in this new version of Capture One (PRO only):
- Canon 1D Mark III, 1Ds Mark III, 40D, G9
- Nikon D3, D40X, D300
- Olympus E-3, E-410, E-510
In addition to this a number of other issues have been solved.
Read more or download Capture One 3.7.8 for Mac here
Read more or download Capture One 3.7.8 for PC here
Capture One 4.01- Ready for download
Capture One 4 was released in December and already at this point, the new generation of RAW software has proven that quality and stability still are the key issues for pro’s all over the world. Along with the first reviews the hardworking team of developers has prepared the very first upgrade. Capture One 4.01 supports RAW files from Sony DSLR-A700 and Canon G9. A number of issues found in the original version of Capture One 4 have been solved with Capture One 4.0.1 taking the stability and performance of the application even further.
Capture One 4.0.1 is free to existing owners.
Download the application and release notes here
Ricoh R8
Posted on February 27, 2008 - Filed Under Digital | Leave a Comment
Ricoh R8 : Ricoh has developed and introduced the new Ricoh R8 compact digital camera featuring a 7.1x optical wide-angle zoom lens (28–200 mm in 35 mm focal length) and a new high-resolution 10 Megapixel CCD. The Ricoh R8 is the successor model to the Caplio R7 (launched September 14, 2007), which also had a slim body and 7.1x optical wide-angle zoom lens (28-200 mm in 35 mm focal length). By combining a 10 megapixel CCD with the earlier model‘s Smooth Imaging Engine III image processing engine, the Ricoh R8 takes high-definition photography to a higher level. The available colours are silver, black and two tone. The Ricoh R8 is available in March 2008 at £ 249,99 inc vat. Note that from now on the name Caplio is out of the picture.
Ricoh R8 camera – LCD and Design
The new Ricoh R8 digital compact camera also offers various other enhanced capabilities for fun and easy photography, such as a large 2.7-inch, 460,000-pixel HVGA LCD and the same 1:1 aspect square format photography function that has proven extremely popular on Ricoh‘s Caplio GX100 (launched April 2007) and GR DIGITAL II (launched November 2007) models. In addition to the specification improvements, the Ricoh R8 has also undergone a complete redesign.
Ricoh R8 – Stylish and Concept
This new model combines ease of use and technical specification in a body that is contemporary and stylish and has been designed based on a concept “A tool you want to use every day.” In creating the Ricoh R8 as a tool for taking photographs, great care has been given not only to styling and coloring but also to its operability, portability, comfort in hand, and its solid, high-quality feel.
Ricoh R8 digital camera – Smooth image and HVGA display
High-picture quality, low-noise photography is achieved with the high-resolution 10 megapixel CCD and the Smooth Imaging Engine III image processing engine. An effective 10 megapixel CCD has been newly installed. Working together with the popular image processing engine Smooth Imaging Engine III, this new CCD makes possible high-quality images that have both high-resolution and low noise. The new 2.7-inch, 460,000-pixel high-resolution LCD has a wide viewing angle and high contrast for distinct, easy viewing even outdoors. When thumbnail images are displayed, even the small 1/20 size images are clearly reproduced.
Ricoh R8 compact camera – Grip and Metal feel
Based on the „A tool you will want to use every day“ concept, the Ricoh R8 has been given a totally new design emphasizing its beauty as a tool. Styling that intensifies a simple, functional beauty and eliminates design frills. A rubber grip that fits well in the hand and is easy to hold. An easy-to-operate mode dial. The many features of the Ricoh R8 combine to achieve both functional beauty and ease of use. In addition to its compact pocket size, the mounting of two strap eyelets has further increased portability. The Ricoh R8‘s solid, high-quality feel has been further enhanced by the top cover emphasizing a solid, metal feel; the lens barrel end and rings finished with metal spin processing, and the spin processed mode dial and release button.
Ricoh digital camera – Lens system and Vibration correction
Ricoh‘s original double retracting lens system has made it possible to equip the Ricoh R8 with a 7.1x wide-angle zoom lens in a compact body with both operability and portability. Measuring only 22.6 mm at the thinnest point, the slim body features a 7.1x wide-angle zoom lens with a 28-200 mm range. Vibration correction functions, face recognition mode, and macro functions are provided. The Ricoh R8 contains Ricoh’s original CCD-shift vibration correction function which compensates for camera shake when it is detected. This reduces the blurring that tends to occur in situations such as telephoto and macro photography. Face recognition mode automatically identifies faces in a scene and optimizes focus, exposure, and white balance for the faces. Ricoh’s popular and powerful macro functions are included, enabling shooting of objects as close as 1 cm with wide macro and as close as 25 cm with telemacro.
Ricoh R8 – Expressive photography and Functionality
The new Ricoh R8 has a shooting function for an image size aspect ratio of 1:1. This square format photography has proved very popular on Ricoh‘s Caplio GX100 (launched April 2007) and GR DIGITALII (launched November 22, 2007). The resulting composition has quite a different feel from the standard rectangular vertical or horizontal format. This format can also be quite convenient for blog photographs. Already given enhanced usability in the Caplio R7 (launched September 2007), the ADJ. (Adjust) button has further evolved in the R8. Integrating the ADJ. (Adjust) button functions with those previously controlled by the cross-key has made menu operations even faster and simpler.
Ricoh R8 digital photo camera – Aperture and Zoom
When the fix minimum aperture function is on, shooting is done at the smallest aperture, which gives a deep depth of field in the resulting photograph. Enhanced capabilities have been given to the AF target shift function which was previously only available for macro photography. While shooting, it is possible to shift the target for AF or AE or both without moving the camera. With zoom lever operation it is possible to switch between two zoom speeds. This enables the full capabilities of the 28-200 mm 7.1x wide-angle zoom lens to be utilized.
Ricoh R8 digicam – Image editing and Accessories
Still image brightness and contrast can be corrected with either auto or manual modes, with the corrected image being recorded in the camera. With manual correction, the image is corrected by adjusting the histogram. By adjusting green, magenta, blue, and amber tones, still image colour tone can be corrected, with the corrected image being recorded in the camera. Still images can be trimmed and the resulting image saved in a separate file. This is convenient when doing direct printing with PictBridge, etc. Rechargeable Battery DB-70 / Battery Charger BJ-7 / USB Cable / AV Cable / Handstrap / Software CD-ROM / Instruction Manuals.
Landing at Sunset
Posted on February 26, 2008 - Filed Under Photo | Leave a Comment
“Hurghada coast, Egypt“. Taken by Mary
Delkin ImageRouter
Posted on February 25, 2008 - Filed Under Art, News, Photo | Leave a Comment
The new Delkin ImageRouter is a four-slot, USB 2.0 CompactFlash card reader with a built-in powered hub. It can simultaneously transfer data from four CF cards to a PC when combined with Delkin’s BackupandBurn file management software. “A single slot reader keeps you tied to your desk cycling cards in and out until each card has been transferred. By letting you transfer data from 4 cards at once, ImageRouter frees you from your desk.” explains Kathleen Finlayson, Delkin’s New Product Specialist. ImageRouter’s built-in powered hub allows “daisy-chaining” of multiple units. We have photos of the Delkin ImageRouter in our Delkin Devices Booth Tour gallery, taken at last week’s PMA show.
Delkin Press Release
DELKIN INTRODUCES DIMA AWARD WINNING IMAGEROUTER AT PMA 2008
Poway, CA. January 30, 2008 – Delkin Devices, Inc. debuts the ImageRouter, their latest, cutting-edge card reader, at PMA 2008. The DIMA Award winning ImageRouter is a reader that offers professional photographers a complete file import system specifically designed to improve workflow efficiency. ImageRouter, a four-slot, USB 2.0 CompactFlash card reader with a built-in powered hub, simultaneously transfers data from four CF cards to a PC when combined with BackupandBurn file management software. Users simply insert their cards, start the transfer and walk away.
“When you come back from a shoot with several cards, you will spend a significant amount of time transferring your images to a computer”, explains Kathleen Finlayson, Delkin’s New Product Specialist. “A single slot reader keeps you tied to your desk cycling cards in and out until each card has been transferred. By letting you transfer data from 4 cards at once, ImageRouter frees you from your desk. You get to spend more time taking photographs while ImageRouter and BackupandBurn handle the busy work.”
In addition to the four slots on each unit, ImageRouter’s built-in powered hub allows “daisy-chaining” of multiple units. Photographers with more than four cards simply plug two or more ImageRouters together and transfer as normal. Its heavy casing and rubber feet make ImageRouter rugged, durable and perfect for the heavy workloads of professional photographers.
ImageRouter can be purchased separately or with BackupandBurn software included. BackupandBurn allows users to select multiple drives from which to download. It automatically renames files based on user-set parameters. Users can specify how the files are re-named and re-numbered and even have Jpeg and RAW files sent to different folders. Images can also be copied to multiple locations and automatically burned to a CD or DVD. Security features like Image Verification ensure transfers and burns are completed properly. BackupandBurn is currently available for Windows. A Mac version is scheduled for release in the near future.
Since speed is always an issue with readers, Delkin designed the ImageRouter around one of the fastest chipsets available – with four UDMA enabled CF cards inserted, users will see transfer rates of 19 MB/sec read and 18 MB/sec write through USB 2.0. Even with two ImageRouters hooked together, transfer speeds drop to a still-blazing 17MB/sec read and 15 MB/sec write.
“We didn’t want to make just another fast reader; we wanted to design a product that made life easier for photographers,” explains Martin Wood, Delkin’s CEO. “With the ImageRouter we looked at one of the major bottlenecks for photographers – workflow – and made the process more efficient. Our goal as a company is to make photography better with innovative new products, and ImageRouter definitely accomplishes this.”
All of Delkin’s new products introduced at PMA can be found in their booth A231 or online at http://www.delkin.com.
Delkin Devices, Inc. is based in Poway, California, and its European branch office is located in Birmingham, England. Delkin has been “Making Photography Better” since 1986. From SensorScope cleaning products and Archival Gold Media to Pop-Up Shades and Power batteries, Delkin products deliver premium quality, innovative designs and an ongoing dedication to superior customer service. Delkin Devices and its products have become worldwide industry leaders in both OEM and consumer markets. Delkin branded memory cards continue to be a leading choice among professional photographers and others passionate about digital photography.
Photo Marketing Association (PMA) photo convention kit fest this week
Posted on February 23, 2008 - Filed Under Digital, Photo | Leave a Comment
The imaging world is gearing up for this year’s Photo Marketing Association (PMA) trade show which takes place in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA from 31 January-2 February.
Billed as the world’s largest international photo imaging convention and trade show it is expected to attract more than 650 companies.
Traditionally, manufacturers use the annual event as a platform for launching their latest photo products so keep an eye on AP’s website for breaking news from this year’s show.
AP Editor Damien Demolder will be attending the show, alongside technical editor Angela Nicholson and news editor Chris Cheesman.
PMA 2008 takes place at the Las Vegas Convention Centre.
No Two Alike?
Posted on February 22, 2008 - Filed Under News, Photo | Leave a Comment
Having made more than 7,000 pictures of snowflakes, Dr. Kenneth Libbrecht is in a pretty good position to say each one is unique. “People make a lot more out of that saying than they ought to, you know,” he says with a laugh. “I’ve addressed that on my website, snowcrystals.com, in all it’s gory detail, just for the record. And as I like to say, the question of no two snowflakes being alike depends on what you mean by snowflakes and what you mean by alike.”
Libbrecht does opine that he has never encountered two identical snow crystals through his microscope. A scientist and a professor of physics at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, he took up what he calls “the ice project” in the late 1990s and began making photographs of snow specimens as an avocation. “Since we don’t have snow in Pasadena,” he says, “I get anxious to go somewhere and look at the snow — at least once or twice every year.” Four of Libbrecht’s pictures were selected by the United States Postal Service as designs for stamps in the winter of 2006. And he has published four books of his luminous crystal images, most recently a coffee-table volume called The Art of the Snowflake (Voyageur Press, $30).
In his new book, Libbrecht explains some of the technical aspects of his craft: He travels to very cold locales for specimens and gathers flakes on a black foam-core board, then gently brushes them onto slides. “Once a crystal is under the microscope,” he says, “I have anywhere from a few minutes (on colder days) to a few seconds (on warmer days) to adjust the lighting, focus, and take the shot.”
Libbrecht readily admits his debt to the original pioneer of snowflake imaging, Wilson Bentley, who photographed snowflakes from 1885 nearly to the time of his death in 1931. “Under the microscope, I found that snowflakes were miracles of beauty,” Bentley wrote, “and it seemed a shame that this beauty should not be seen and appreciated by others.”
Yet Libbrecht has brought this art form into the digital age, connecting his microscope to a Nikon D1X, shooting richly detailed images, and analyzing the crystals (see slide show for details). “I developed the art a little bit,” Libbrecht says. “Bentley got it started — but it’s surprising to think how few people have done it in the last hundred years.” We recently spoke with Dr. Libbrecht about his ongoing scientific and photographic passion.
Jack Crager: How can you focus on something like snow and live in Pasadena?
Dr. Kenneth Libbrecht: I like to say it’s easier to appreciate snowflakes when you don’t have a shovel in your hand. I sort of got into it from the science end. I started to study how crystals grow, and looked at ice as an interesting crystal. And I started reading about it and doing stuff in the lab and I got into the photography. It’s sort of funny, living in Southern California, but I figure it’s like photographing whales or polar bears or something — I just go to where they are.
JC: The closest snow to where you live is in the mountains of California?
KL: Yeah, I’ve done that. I’ve gone to Sequoia National Park and Tahoe, but the crystals aren’t so good there — it’s too warm. Even in Vermont, it’ a little too warm on average. The best snowflakes you get at around 5 or 10 degrees — that’s pretty cold. My favorite spots are in Northern Ontario and Alaska.
JC: What does your family say when you make these trips?
KL: A lot of times they go with me. My wife always wants to go with me. Our two kids get a little bored with it [laughs].
JC: As a scientist, you started in solar astronomy, right?
KL: That’s right. It was bit of a change. I had been working on studying the oscillation of the sun, it was called helialseismology. And, I don’t know, I just felt that we had covered it. It was time for a change. So I looked around and played with a few other things and sort of happened into “the ice project.”
Leica to offer M8 shutter upgrade
Posted on February 22, 2008 - Filed Under Digital, Photo, Reviews | Leave a Comment
Leica has announced plans to offer a major upgrade to its M8 digital rangefinder camera. Consisting of a new shutter – promising lower noise and vibration during exposure – and a protective sapphire glass LCD cover, the service may be pre-booked from March 2008 with the program due to commence as of August on a first-come-first-served basis. An additional two years of warranty cover is included and Leica has said it is investigating future upgrades including changes to the digital capture system – not least a possible sensor swap. Get the full details after the jump. Updated with press release and images
Press Release:
LEICA M8 – an Investment in the Future
Leica Presents Innovative Concept for Lifelong Value Retention of Digital Cameras
Leica photographers know what they can rely on: superb picture quality, a special handling experience and a camera they can use for years and spans generations. It is the aim of Leica Camera AG to keep on meeting these high expectations in the age of digital technology, and therefore the company is introducing an innovative concept for the lifelong value retention of the digital LEICA M8 at the PMA tradeshow from January 31st to February 2nd 2008 in Las Vegas.
The development of a perpetual upgrade program makes the LEICA M8 a high-quality digital camera in which today’s and tomorrow’s users will always be able to incorporate the latest refinements and developments in handling ease and technology. “While other digital cameras quickly become outdated and are replaced by newer models, our new concept extends the value retention that stands for the Leica brand. Over time, we will gradually offer new product features and developments as upgrade options,“ declares Steven K. Lee, CEO of Leica Camera AG. “Our customers can therefore still invest in the photographic tools they need without worrying that they will miss out on improvements and technological developments along the way. We are confident that this is the right approach for ensuring customer satisfaction and allowing them to continue to sharpen their vision and refine their skills with the new digital LEICA M8. Our efforts will be focused constantly on giving them the best that the world of photography has to offer.“
Over 54 years of research and development have made the Leica M system an almost perfect instrument. With its extensive portfolio of compatible lenses and accessories, it is able to master the most challenging photographic situations. It is the picture quality and the handling experience that make using a Leica M special. Thanks to its durability, it is in many cases an investment for life: it is a photographer’s constant companion and a key to his or her creativity.
Our upgrade concept comprises much more than the usual firmware updates, offering each M8 owner the option of keeping the camera state-of-the-art by integrating new technological developments. The first upgrade package contains the fitting of a scratch-resistant sapphire glass LCD screen cover, as well as, a shutter that is quieter, one that is closer to a well-tuned classic analog Leica M. With the upgrade the customer also gains an all-inclusive worry-free logistic package: Wherever the M8 owner lives in the world, he or she can ask for the M8 to be collected and returned. In addition, all camera functions will be inspected and adjusted by Leica technicians, who will also install the latest firmware. After the upgrade, a LEICA M8 is given a new two-year factory warranty with coverage equivalent to that of a new camera. Further upgrade packages are being planned.
From a technical point of view, all LEICA M8 rangefinder cameras that have ever been built are suitable for the upgrade. The upgrade process is simple: the LEICA M8 user registers for this service on the www.leica-camera.com website. From March 2008, upgrade certificates will be issued for a price of € 1200.- incl. VAT. As the upgrade capacity of Leica Camera AG is limited, the certificates are only available in limited quantities and for a limited period. The camera owner always keeps his or her own M8, the serial no. is not changed.
The benefits of the upgrade in detail:
For this option, scratch-resistant sapphire glass will be used as a cover for the LCD screen. Sapphire glass is the hardest and most scratch-resistant glass there is. This is the reason why it has been used in high-quality watches for many years. Leica is the first camera manufacturer to succeed in using this material for the coverglass of the LCD screen, which is exposed to extreme mechanical wear. Only diamond glass is harder than the sapphire glass used by Leica. Due to its excellent scratch and abrasion resistance, sapphire glass is completely immune to contact with metal, stone or sand. The advantages are obvious: an undisturbed, brilliant view of the display and an LCD screen that looks like new even after years of use.
The new electronically controlled metal-blade slotted shutter offers the benefits of less noise and vibration, allowing the photographer to work even more inconspicuously than before. In spite of the significant noise reduction, it was possible to retain the fastest shutter speed of 1/4000 sec and maximum flash synchronization time of 1/180 sec.
Leica has also managed to reduce vibrations during exposure even further by reducing the kinetic forces. As a result, hand-held exposures with slow shutter speeds are even more sharply defined, enabling the photographer to make even more of the quality of his high-performance Leica lenses.
New firmware version download
In tune with the overall sustainability concept of the rangefinder camera system, Leica Camera AG is now offering all LEICA M8 users an updated version of the camera firmware, which can be downloaded free of charge from the www.leica-camera.com website. Among other things, the new firmware version contains new, substantially improved automatic white balance algorithms for natural color rendering in nearly all light conditions.
The LEICA M8 is the first digital camera in the Leica rangefinder system. It has all the main features of Leica‘s famous analog camera such as the compact design, the remarkable image quality in combination with Leica M lenses and the unique picture composition with the Leica rangefinder. Due to their high performance standards, almost all Leica M lenses produced since 1954 can be used for digital photography. The combination of lens, sensor and powerful image processing produces excellent picture quality with 10.5 million pixel resolution.
FAQ LEICA M8 Upgrade Concept
Status January 31th, 2008
- Can all the LEICA M8 cameras in the market now be upgraded, or are there exceptions?
Any LEICA M8 ever built is suitable for this upgrade. - Are there beside the noise reduction other advantages of the new shutter?
The reduced kinetic energy also leads to a further reduction of vibrations during the exposure, which in turn results in noticeably sharper pictures in the case of hand-held shots with longer shutter speeds. This allows the extremely high imaging potential of Leica lenses to be exploited even more than before. - Where and when can I have the upgrade performed?
As an owner of an LEICA M8, you can book and pay the upgrade directly through the Leica Camera homepage. Booking will be possible as of March 2008. You will then receive a certificate with your M8‘s serial number, which you thereupon send us along with your camera. If so desired, we will have your M8 picked up from your home and delivered directly back after the upgrade. The upgrades will probably be possible as of August 2008. You can still acquire a new LEICA M8 at your dealer as before, if you wish, she/he can initiate the upgrade for you. - What advantages does the sapphire glass cover have for the LCD monitor?
Sapphire glass has a unique scratch-resistance; after all it is the hardest glass of all. It is therefore
employed for valuable watches and is well-proven in this area. Leica is the first camera manufacturer who has succeeded in using this material for the mechanically very demanding glass
cover on the LCD monitor. Thanks to its tremendous scratch- and wear-resistance it does not take any damage when coming in contact with metal or stone objects or sand. The advantage is an undisturbed view of the monitor image and a camera whose LCD monitor can look almost new even after years of intensive use. - Which guaranties does Leica offer after an upgrade?
During the upgrade, Leica will test and adjust your camera in all functions including the download of the newest firmware. After that, Leica will grant a new warranty period of two years which encompasses every service a brand-new camera just leaving the company has. - Does Leica intend to pursue this system in the future?
The LEICA M8 Upgrade Program is designed to provide our customers with a long-term assurance of their investment, since you can always bring your camera up to date. We are presently investigating the possibility of further upgrade steps including the camera’s complete digital section, even including the sensor itself. - Can I have the upgrades for the shutter and the sapphire glass performed separately?
This will not be available. Since the camera will have to be nearly totally dismantled, reassembled, and adjusted for each upgrade – a very extensive process, it is more economical to offer both upgrades in one package. - Why should I acquire a certificate for an upgrade now, even though the modifications can only be performed as of August 2008?
The capacities in the Leica plant in Solms are limited, because the modifications can only be performed by experienced experts. Generally speaking, the upgrades will be done in the order of the incoming certificate acquisitions. Depending on the demand, we are expecting longer waiting
periods, especially during the beginning of the program. So, it is well worth booking your upgrade as soon as possible.
Book Review: Playboy Cover to Cover — the 50′s by Playboy and Bondi Digital Publishing
Posted on February 21, 2008 - Filed Under Culture, Photo | Leave a Comment
“When the first issue of Playboy hit the streets in 1953, the United States had no counterculture to speak of…the Beats were still a few years away, and Elvis was driving a truck in Memphis. Toting around a copy of Henry Miller’s Tropic of Cancer could get you branded a degenerate, maybe even land you on a chain busting rocks.” – The Los Angeles Times
Since its founding in 1953, with a premiere issue left undated for fear that there wouldn’t be a second, Playboy Magazine has transitioned from an out-of-bounds affront to the supposedly “moral” America of the 1950s, to a veritable national treasure. The Playboy Cover to Cover — the 50′s package features every page of the magazine from its inaugural decade (an archive’s worth of interactive discs), a coffee table book detailing Playboy’s rise, and a facsimile of the first issue.
It is part history text, part nostalgic glance into the past, and a wholly worthwhile read.
The only complaint I’d lodge about the disc portion, and indeed about the entire Cover-to-Cover package, is that it centers around the 1950s. Subsequent decades, especially the 1980s, would have been just as interesting in showing the magazine’s transition from one that men bought and quickly shuffled into their briefcases, to an icon that has featured such interviews as Bob Dylan, and pieces by such notables as William F. Buckley Jr.
The coffee table book, and its 200 plus pages of high-quality, glossy photos, is the MVP here, with the facsimile first issue running a close second. While the discs are better for private enjoyment on one’s personal computer, the coffee table book not only looks good on your coffee table — big shock — it also provides a rare hint of the World Before Hef (that grim reality so aptly described in the L.A. Times passage above).
After a December 1952 alumni review at his high school, during which Hefner was forced to appraise his life in serious fashion for the first time, he stood on Chicago’s Michigan Avenue Bridge “with tears in my eyes, realizing I had to make a change in my life.”
“In Hefner’s case,” Leopold Froehlich writes in the introduction, “the fantasies he had pursued were not to be in vain. The magazine was built on a dream, but it was also the result of a gamble. It expressed the longing a young Hefner felt when he looked up into the brightly lit windows of Gold Coast high-rises, a longing to be liberated from the deadening constraints of domestic America.”
No one handed anything to Hefner. His dream was born largely of his own moxy and seed money from supportive family. They supported the man more than his enterprise, to be sure. Friends and investors who looked askance at the young man — wondering whether they’d ever see their money again — were moved by his unshakable faith that he was doing the right thing.
And that there was an audience dying for his product.
Hefner’s roots and resources may have been humble, but his confidence was king. “I didn’t really think about the possibility of failure,” Hefner told Froehlich. “This was my chance. If I had thought about failure, I wouldn’t have put out a magazine.” That belief paid considerable dividends. The first issue sold 54,000 copies; the last issue of the decade, 1.1 million.
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Canon EOS 40D underwater housing from Sealux
Posted on February 20, 2008 - Filed Under Digital | Leave a Comment
Canon EOS 40D underwater housing from Sealux : Sealux introduced its new CC40 underwater housing for the Canon EOS 40D digital SLR camera. The Sealux CC40 has an aluminium housing, milled of monoblock CNC, hardanodised and specially sealed for highest sea-water resistance. An exchange of the storage card is possible with the installed camera. The CC40 underwater housing has minimal dimensions and weight, and can be just up to a depth of 90m. The Sealux CC40 includes functions like a release knob, main dial, mode selection, ISO and flash +/- adjustment, operating switch, White-Balance, LCD illumination, keys for AF-ON, AE storage and AF-measuring field selection, multi-controller key, Quick dialer with adjustment key, keys for menu, replay, delete, jump, INFO, picture style, zoom, lens release.
Sealux CC40 underwater housing
• Control window: the monitor screen of mineral glass enables the complete control of the picture. The window for the LCD-display is amply-dimensioned.
• Handle support: with two ergonomic rubber soft handles and two T-pieces for two flash arms as well as equipped with two drills for safety loops. It is detachable for the transport.
• Closures: two flexible closures with safety lockings close the housing with high tension.
• Housing bayonet: unchanged, also perfectly suitable for new lenses with large diameter. The change of the lens is easily possible with installed camera.
• Flash sockets: You have the choice. For a reliable eTTL control with Canon system flashguns you need the S6 socket. For flashguns of the manufacturer Sea&Sea, Ikelite we recommend the five-pole flash socket with flexible contacts. For Subtronic analogous flashguns is probably the five-pole flash socket with fixed contacts the best choice.
• Special equipment: five-pole flash socket with flexible contacts or S6 socket, a second flash socket of your choice can be installed.
Sealux CC40 housing for Canon 40D – Viewfinder
• Optical viewfinder – the most important part of an underwater housing.
The Sealux viewfinders were especially developed for the needs of the digital cameras. The viewfinders do not cover the monitor and all keys can be operated very easily.
• GV-150 (Grand View): The viewfinder with the ideal angle of view of 150° offers the photographer highest comfort while picture taking near the ground or floating. Vertical or landscape format. The enlarged viewfinder picture is brilliant, sharp, bright and lights up every corner. The viewfinder ocular is adjustable to +/- 3 diopter and turnable with 6 settings steps. The sunshield is detachable. The viewfinder can be swivelled down for the transport or can be easily removed.
• GD-viewfinder (Grand viewfinder): a real action viewfinder! The high-quality, coated optics offers the photographer a brilliant picture at a dreamlike scale of reproduction. Sunshield is detachable.
• LD-viewfinder (Long distant): enables the complete contemplation of the picture and the adjusted data. The diopter focusing mount is not influenced, the picture only slightly reduced.
Canon EOS 40D underwater housing – Domeports
• Flat- and dome ports: all flat and domeports are cut of optical glass and make it possible to use the Canon, Sigma, Tamron and Tokina lenses of best quality. All ports are delivered with protective caps. Please select the suitable port.
• Extension rings: extend the using possibilities of flat- and dome ports for different focal length with smallest packing dimensions. The well-proven Sealux bayonet remains unchanged, all ports are compatible with Sealux housings. Please select the suitable ports for the following lenses: Nikon, Sigma, Tokina, Tamron.
Sealux CC40 underwater housing – Special accessories
• Moisture indicator: controls acoustically the wellbeing of the camera.
• Joint holder: for flexible fixing of a pilot lamp at the housing T-piece. This is necessary with Amphibian flashguns without pilot lamp.
• Flashguns: for the reliable eTTLfunction we recommend the use of Canon Speedlite flashguns 420EX, 430EX, 580EX, 580IIEX we offer the Sealux flash housings with or without pilot lamp.
• Flash arm: Sealux flash arms CT20 + CT25 for safe fixing of the flashguns.
Sealux CC40 housing for Canon 40D – Specifications
• Dimensions housing without handle: L = 124 mm, W = 176 mm, H = 162 mm
• Weight: 2800g incl. dome port, in water neutral, depending on the port and lens.
• Testing depth: 90 m
• Guarantee: 2 years
Used digital SLR cameras overpriced, reports Japan, as dealers slash prices
Posted on February 19, 2008 - Filed Under Digital, Photo | Leave a Comment
The launch of new, improved and cheaper enthusiast-level DSLRs is forcing down the price of seemingly overpriced used cameras by up to 30%, according to a Japanese press report.
Trade publication reports that a doubling of consumers trading-in new DSLRs has led to an increase in dealers’ stocks of used models.
‘Rapidly increasing supply forced dealers to reduce the price by as much as 20-30%, stripping profits,’ reports .
The article, published earlier this month, is based on comments made by an unnamed industry source at a meeting organised by the Tokyo Photo Dealers Association.
asserts that the problem affects digital models more so than it did film-based SLRs because newer models are ‘without exception’ cheaper and with ‘better features’ than the cameras they replace.
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