News | Digital Photographing

Ilford Re-Introduces Pre-mounted Galerie Boards

Posted on June 30, 2008 - Filed Under News, Photo | Leave a Comment

Ilford has revived its line of foam boards with pre-mounted Galerie papers. The boards are available with Galerie Smooth Pearl and Gloss surfaces. They are designed to be used with inkjet printers that accept thick board media, allowing photos to be printed directly on the mounted paper, with no separate mounting process required.

The Galerie boards are available in packs of 10, in 10×12-, 11×14-, 12×16-, 16×20-, and 20×24-inch sizes.

Ricoh GX200

Posted on June 25, 2008 - Filed Under Art, News, Photo | Leave a Comment

The Ricoh GX200 compact digital camera for professionals is the 12 megapixel successor to last year’s GX100 model. Other significant improvements offered by the GX200 include better noise reduction thanks to the new Smooth Imaging Engine III processing engine, a larger 2.7-inch, 460,000 pixel HVGA LCD screen, 5fps continuous RAW mode and an electronic level function for horizontal and vertical shooting. It also offers the same 24-72mm zoom lens, 25mm thick body and removable tilting electronic viewﬁnder (optional accessory). The Ricoh GX200 costs £349.99, or £399.99 as a kit with the VF-1 electronic viewfinder. We’ve got some exclusive Ricoh GX200 sample photos, and our full review will follow later this week.

Ricoh UK Press Release

London, 24th of June 2008

New: RICOH GX200

A high-end, 24 mm super-wide-angle, optical zoom, digital compact featuring high resolution 12 megapixel CCD coupled with the latest imaging engine SIE III

Tokyo, Japan June, 24, 2008 Ricoh Co., Ltd. (president and CEO: Shiro Kondo) has announced today the development and release of the GX200. The GX200 is able to reproduce high quality images from edge-to-edge with low noise and natural gradation. This camera succeeds the award winning Caplio GX100 compact digital camera introduced in April 2007.

The GX200 inherits the popular features of the GX100 such as a 24 to 72 mm (35 mm ﬁlm equivalent focal length) high-performance wide-angle optical zoom lens on a 25 mm thin pocketable compact body, a wide variety of manual shooting functions, and a removable tilting electronic viewﬁnder. The new GX200 achieves increased resolution via its 12 megapixel CCD and dramatic noise reduction with the addition of the new image processing engine Smooth Imaging Engine III.

Already a popular part of the Caplio GX100, the high-resolution wide-angle lens unit has been further conﬁgured to enable picture taking at an even higher resolution.

With a large wide-viewing angle 2.7-inch 460,000 dots HVGA LCD and an electronic level function, for horizontal and vertical shooting, the GX200 contains extensive shooting functions to enable camera lovers to enjoy and create stunning photographs.

This model comes in two package types with different accessories. The GX200 package contains: rechargeable lithium ion battery, battery charger, AV cable, USB cable, CD-ROM, strap, and lens cap. The GX200 VF KIT package contains all the above accessories plus the electronic viewﬁnder.

*The lens focal lengths used in this document are the equivalent focal length for a 35 mm camera.

Main features of the new Ricoh GX200

1. Greater image quality through use of a 12 megapixel CCD, a new image processing engine and continuous RAW mode capture.
• An effective 12 megapixel high-performance 1/1.7-inch CCD has been newly installed, with each pixel comes increased resolution.
• The adoption of a new image processing engine Smooth Imaging Engine III allows for greater control over the noise reduction process by the photographer without sacriﬁcing resolution or saturation.
• High image quality combined with a lens with greater backlight capability*.
• *This is the 24 to 72 mm equivalent wide-angle zoom lens mounted on the previous model (Caplio GX100). It features a generous conﬁguration of 11 elements in 7 groups, including superior aspheric surface lenses and high-refractive-index, low-dispersion lenses. This optimal conﬁguration restricts distortion, chromatic aberration, and light falloff at edges for wide-angle operation while delivering aperture light settings from F2.5 (wide) to F4.4 (tele-photo). In addition, ghosting has been further reduced through the improvements made to the lens unit.

2. Large, high-resolution 2.7-inch, 460,000-dots HVGA LCD.
• The new 2.7-inch, 460,000-dots 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.
3. Electronic level utilizing an acceleration sensor to help keep the camera body horizontally or vertically
level.
• If the level setting is set on, when the camera is level, the level indicator becomes green in the picture display. Being able to check whether the image is level while looking at the display can be useful for keeping the camera level when composing pictures of landscapes, buildings, and other scenes where the horizon is visible.
• It is possible to check whether the camera is level using the level sound setting.
• The electronic level can also be utilized while using the viewﬁnder.

4. Extensive shooting functions and high operability.
• Expanding buffer memory has made continuous shooting of up to ﬁve images possible in RAW mode, and it is also now possible to use the bracketing function to automatically change exposure settings when shooting in RAW mode. Other expanded RAW shooting capabilities include the ability to shoot 1:1 aspect ratio (vertical/horizontal ratio) format photography in RAW mode.
• The number of mode dial “My Settings” options for deﬁning your own shooting settings has increased to three. (There were two on the Caplio GX100.)
• There are now one-push mode change function buttons both on the top surface and as one of the rear-surface cross keys. These buttons can be used for customized settings to, for example, to switch from JPEG to RAW or from colour to B&W. You can switch quickly to your preferred shooting mode when confronted with a sudden photo opportunity.
• The AF target shift function, which before could only be used in macro shooting, is now also available in normal shooting. Without moving the camera, it is possible to shift the target for AF or AE or both.
• The ﬂash is manually raised by sliding the open switch. Flash functions on the GX200 have been further expanded with a light intensity adjustment function (-2.0 EV to +2.0 EV), a manual ﬂash function in which intensity can be set, and a ﬂash synchro setting where ﬂash timing can be set as „1st Curtain“ or „2nd Curtain.“
• An auto rotate function makes it easier to view images on the picture display.
• Even when shooting in high-contrast situations, the camera can use an auto level correction function to achieve an appropriate level of brightness while reducing areas that are overly bright or dark.
• There is a distortion correction function (on/off selection possible) to automatically correct image distortion during shooting also usable with 19 mm conversion lens.
• When in aperture priority mode, an auto aperture shift function will automatically adjust the aperture setting to prevent overexposure.

5. Enhanced image editing functions enable images to be manipulated in the camera.
(1) Image colour tone correction (white balance compensation).
• By adjusting green, magenta, blue, and amber tones, still image colour tone can be corrected, with the corrected image being recorded in the camera.
(2) Image brightness and contrast correction (level compensation).
• 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.
(3) Wide range of creative monochrome possibilities.
• Colour, colour density, contrast, and sharpness can each be deﬁned on a ﬁve-level scale.
• Sepia, red, green, blue, and purple colour selections are possible.

6. Additional options further expand possibilities for camera use.
• Lens cap (LC-1) opens and closes automatically in sync with lens movement.
• 135 mm equivalent tele conversion lens (TC-1) with built-in hood. Filter attachment possible.
When the tele conversion lens is attached, vignetting will occur when the zoom is not set to full telephoto. *The above two options can also be used on the Caplio GX100.

7. Removable electronic viewﬁnder can be attached.
• A removable and tiltable electronic viewﬁnder can be attached (included in GX200 VF KIT).
• The ﬁeld of view provides 100% coverage without parallax and can display the same information as on the LCD picture display.
• It is convenient for shooting in bright outdoor environments and enables shooting to be done in a conventional ﬁlm camera style.

List of GX200 Options

Ricoh code Description RRP
TC-1 Teleconverter lens £99.99
DW-6 19 mm Wide angle lens £99.99
LC-1 Tri-Lens Cap £19.99
HA-2 Hood and Adapter set for DW-6 and TC-1 £34.99
VF-1 Electronic Viewfinder £79.99
SC-45 Soft Leather case £29.99
ST-2 Ricoh GX Neck strap £14.99
AC-4c Mains adaptor £34.99
CA-1 Cable release £29.99

*1 The VF-1 LCD view ﬁnder is included in „GX200 VF KIT“.
*2 The HA-2 hood and adapter is required when using the wide conversion lens or the tele conversion lens. When the
wide conversion lens or the tele conversion lens is attached; the internal ﬂash cannot be used because vignetting may occur.
*3 The ST-1 neck strap for the GX/GX8 cannot be used.

GX200 with electronic viewﬁnder included, will be available in the beginning of July 2008 at £399.99 inc vat.,
GX200 Standard is available at £349.99.

Ricoh GX200 – Major Speciﬁcations

CCD:
Effective 12.1 million pixels (total 12.4 million pixels), 1/1.7-inch primary-colour CCD

Lens:
Focal length: f=5.1 to 15.3 mm (35 mm ﬁlm equivalent focal length 24 to 72 mm. With Step Zoom set,
the following ﬁxed focal lengths possible: 24 mm, 28 mm, 35 mm, 50 mm, 72 mm)
Aperture (F value): F2.5 (wide) to F4.4 (telephoto)

Shooting Distance:
Normal shooting: Approx. 30 cm to inﬁnity (wide-angle), approx. 30 cm to inﬁnity (telephoto) (from the front of the lens) / Macro shooting: Approx. 1.0 cm to inﬁnity (wide-angle), approx. 4.0 cm to inﬁnity (telephoto), approx. 1.0 cm to inﬁnity (zoom macro) (from the front of the lens)

Lens Construction:
11 glass elements in 7 groups

Zoom Magniﬁcation:
Optical zoom: 3x (35mm ﬁlm equivalent focal length 24 to 72 mm)
Digital zoom: 4x, up to 12x (288 mm equivalent) in combination with optical zoom
Auto resize zoom: 6.3x, up to 18.9x (450 mm equivalent) in combination with optical zoom (VGA
image)

Focus Mode:
Multi AF (CCD method) / Spot AF (CCD method) / Manual Focus / Snap / Inﬁnity (with focus lock and AF aux. light)

Motion Blur Reduction:
CCD shift method image stabilizer

Shutter Speed:*1
Still image: 180, 120, 60, 30, 15, 8, 4, 2, 1 to 1/2000 sec. / Movie: 1/30 – 1/2000 sec.

Exposure Adjustment:
Exposure Metering Mode: Multi Light Metering (256 segments) / Centre-weighted / Spot (TTL-CCD metering, AE lock available) Exposure mode: Program AE / Aperture Priority AE / Manual Exposure Exposure compensation: Manual Exposure Compensation (+2.0 to -2.0 EV in 1/3 EV steps) / Auto Bracket Function (-0.5 EV, ±0, +0.5 EV /-0.3 EV, ±0, +0.3 EV)

ISO Sensitivity (Standard Output Sensitivity):
AUTO / AUTO-HI / ISO64 / 100 / 200 / 400 / 800 / 1600

White Balance Mode:
Auto / Outdoors / Cloudy / Incandescent Lamp / Fluorescent Lamp / Manual Settings / Detail White balance bracket function

Flash:
Built-in Flash Mode: Auto (during low light and when subject is backlit) / Red-eye Flash / Flash On / Flash Synchro / Manual Flash (Full, 1/1.4, 1/2, 1/2.8, 1/4, 1/5.6, 1/8, 1/11, 1/16, 1/22, 1/32) / Flash Off / Built-in Flash Range: Approx. 20 cm to 5.0 m (wide-angle), approx. 15 cm to 3.0 m (telephoto) (ISO AUTO / ISO 400, from the front of the lens) Flash Compensation: ±2.0 EV (1/3 EV steps)

Picture Display:
2.7“ Transparent Amorphous Silicon TFT LCD, approx. 460,000 dots

Shooting Mode:
Auto Shooting Mode / Program Shift Mode / Aperture Priority Mode / Manual Exposure Mode /
Scene Mode (Movie / Portrait / Sports / Landscape / Nightscape / Zoom Macro / Skew Correct Mode /
Text Mode) / My Settings Mode

Picture Quality Mode:*2 F (Fine) / N (Normal) / RAW (DNG ﬁle format)*3

Number of Recorded Pixels:
Still image: [4:3] 4000×3000, 3264×2448, 2592×1944, 2048×1536, 1280×960, 640×480
[3:2] 3984×2656 / [1:1] 2992×2992 / Movie: 640×480, 320×240 / Text: 4000×3000, 2048×1536

Recording Media:
SD memory card, SDHC memory card (up to 16 GB), Internal Memory (approx. 54 MB)
Storage Capacity*4 (No. of Pictures) (Internal 54 MB Memory):
Still image: 4000×3000 (RAW: 2 / F: 11 / N: 20), 3984×2656 (RAW: 2 / F: 13 / N: 23)
2992×2992 (RAW: 3 / (F: 15) / N: 27 3264×2448 (N: 30) / 2592×1944 (N: 48)
2048×1536 (N: 74) / 1280×960 (N: 133), 640×480 (N: 497)

Storage Capacity (Time) (Internal 54 MB Memory):
Movie:*5 640×480 / 30 frames/sec. (41 sec.), 640×480 / 15 frames/sec. (1 min. 22 sec.),
320×240 / 30 frames/sec. (1 min. 22 sec.), 320×240 / 15 frames/sec (2 min. 40 sec.)

Recording File Format:
Still image: JPEG (Exif Ver. 2.21)DCF*6, RAW (DNG) Movie: AVI (Open DML Motion JPEG Format Compliant)

Other Major Shooting Functions:
CONT. / S-CONT / M-CONT / Self-timer (operation time: approx. 10 sec. / 2 sec.), Interval Shooting (shooting interval: 5 sec. to 3 hr., in increments of 5 sec.)*7, Colour Bracket, B&W (TE), Noise Reduction, Histogram, Grid Guide, Electronic Level, Hot Shoe

Other Major Playback Functions:
Auto Rotate, Grid View, Enlarged View (maximum 16x), Resize

Interface:
USB 2.0 High-Speed (mini B cable), Mass Storage*8 / Audio Output 1.0Vp-p (75Ω) / Video OUT

Video Signal Format:
NTSC /PAL

Power Source:
Rechargeable Battery (DB60) ×1 / AAA Dry Alkaline Battery ×2 / AAA Nickel-Metal Hydride Battery ×2 / AC Adapter (AC-4c Optional) 3.8V

Battery Consumption:*9
Based on CIPA Standard: DB-60 usage: approx. 350 pictures / AAA alkaline battery usage: approx. 30 pictures*10

Dimensions:
111.6 mm (W) × 58.0 mm (H) × 25.0 mm (D) excluding projecting parts

Weight:
Approx. 208 g (excluding battery, SD memory card, and strap) Accessories: approx. 30 g (battery and strap)

Operating Temperature:
0ºC-40ºC

* 1: The shutter speed upper and lower limits vary depending on the shooting mode and ﬂash mode.
* 2: The picture quality mode that can be set varies depending on the image size.
* 3: A JPEG ﬁle in Normal 640 or in Fine/Normal mode with the same size as the RAW ﬁle is recorded at the same
time. The DNG ﬁle format is a RAW image ﬁle format and is the standard format of Adobe Systems.
*4: The estimated number of pictures that can be recorded or the estimated recording time.
*5: The maximum movie length that can be recorded at one time is either 90 minutes or 4 GB.
*6: Compatible with DCF and DPOF. DCF is the abbreviation for “Design rule for Camera File system,” a JEITA
standard. (Full compatibility with other devices is not guaranteed.)
*7: When the ﬂash is set to [Flash Off].
*8: Mass storage mode is supported by Windows Me, 2000, XP, Vista, Mac OS9.0-9.2.2, and Mac SX10.1.2-10.5.2. *9: The number of remaining shots is based on the CIPA standard and may vary depending on usage conditions.
This is for reference only.
*10: Using Panasonic AAA alkaline batteries.

* Windows is a registered trademark or trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the U.S.A. and other countries.
* Mac OS is a registered trademark of Apple Inc. in the U.S.A. and other countries.

National Geographic Photographer Brings Her Kids to Work

Posted on June 24, 2008 - Filed Under News, Photo | Leave a Comment

Balancing work with a social life can be a challenge even for single photographers, but adding a husband and two kids to the mix can lead to disaster, or worse, a desk job.

Annie Griffiths Belt found the perfect solution, bringing her family along for the ride. After 20 years of marriage and 18 years of parenting, the 55-year-old National Geographic photographer’s plan is a proven success. Her daughter Lily, 18, is about to begin her freshman year of college with plans to become a physician and Charlie, 15, is attending high school.

Lily and Charlie Belt spent much of their childhood away from home, living for months at a time on every continent but Antarctica. Griffiths Belt says that spending all that time away from school, while difficult, was a positive influence in her children’s development. “I think it enhanced both their education and their social lives,” she said. “They’re very flexible kids; they’re very open to new cultures and new experiences.”

As her kids developed open minds and a level of flexibility many parents could only dream of, Griffiths Belt continued to develop as a photographer. She explored the world with her camera, while Lily and Charlie explored with their nanny, never far from their parents.

A year before her first child was born, in 1988, Griffiths Belt married National Geographic correspondent Don Belt. As a family the Belts travel together whenever possible, often working on the same assignments. But now that her children are growing older, missing school is no longer an option. Staying together is no less a priority now, however, so Griffiths Belt says she’s adjusted her schedule to accommodate those of her children, traveling for long periods of time only during the summer.

Free Apple Training Day

Posted on June 18, 2008 - Filed Under Art, News, Photo | Leave a Comment

Square Group is hosting a free event dedicated to Apple’s Professional Creative Applications in London, UK. The Square event will focus on the latest offerings from Apple in pro photo, video and audio technology, including Aperture 2. It takes place at The Design Council in London’s Covent Garden on Thursday 3rd July.

Join Square Group for a day dedicated to Apple’s Professional Creative Applications

Pro Photo, Video and Audio – all on one day!

Tuesday 17th June 2008 – Square Group, an Apple Premium Reseller, is today announcing that it will be hosting a free event on Thursday 3rd July dedicated to Apple’s Professional Creative Applications. Join the team from Square, and the experts from Apple, at The Design Council in London’s Covent Garden on Thursday 3rd July for a look at the latest offerings in pro photo, video and audio technology as follows:

Aperture 2: Get A Closer Look – 10am-12pm
See the difference with Aperture 2 – Apple’s groundbreaking photo editing and management software. Now it’s faster than ever to review shots, enhance images, manage massive libraries and deliver stunning photos. And with more than 100 incredible new features – including an intuitive new interface – with Aperture 2 your best shots just got better, faster.

Final Cut Studio 2 – 12.30pm-2.30pm
See for yourself how much faster and more powerful your work becomes when you upgrade. Running Final Cut Studio 2 on the new 8-core MacPro with Mac OS X Leopard offers an astounding array of new tools designed to improve every aspect of the post-production process.

Logic Studio: See How It Sounds – 3pm-5pm
Join us and hear for yourself how you can create, record, and perform your music faster and more professionally than ever before with Logic Studio. Whatever kind of music you make, with Logic Studio on a Mac you can have every tool you need to capture an initial idea and then create the music you want.

Registration is from 9.30-10am with refreshments being served throughout the day. If you are interested in attending one of all of the sessions please visit http://www.squaregroup.co.uk/events-main.aspx for further information and a registration form.

Nikon Photo Contest International 2008-2009

Posted on June 13, 2008 - Filed Under Art, News, Photo | Leave a Comment

The theme for the 32nd Nikon Photo Contest International is “At the heart of the image”. Last year’s contest attracted a total of over 47,000 images from more than 16,000 entrants in 135 different countries. All works will be judged by professional photographers working internationally and a combined total of 54 prizes will be awarded. Entries will be accepted from September 1 to November 30, 2008.

Nikon Press Release

Now’s your chance to move the world.

June 5, 2008 – One of the world’s most renowned photo contests, entries to the 32nd Nikon Photo Contest International will be accepted from September 1 to November 30, 2008.

A contest with an impressive history
The Nikon Photo Contest International has been held by Nikon Corporation since 1969 to provide an opportunity for photographers around the world to communicate and to enrich photographic culture for professionals and amateurs alike. Renowned among photo enthusiasts worldwide, the contest has so far attracted more than 1,270,000 images from a total of 306,000 photographers. In fact, so popular has the contest become among photographers that a total of over 47,000 images were received from more than 16,000 entrants in 135 different countries for the 31st contest alone.

This year’s theme: “At the heart of the image”
“At the heart of the image” is not only the brand statement of Nikon Imaging Company, but it is also the theme of the 32nd contest. We have carefully selected categories as stated below and we look forward to receiving images expressing the emotions that are true to your heart.

This year’s categories
A Free subject:
Express yourself freely, as it moves you.
B My Planet:
Express your world, whether that involves the environment, scenes from your daily life, or the people and things that stir your passions.

With these categories, Nikon welcomes and embraces photographic creativity and encourages images of human happiness from all over the world.

54 prizes awarded by a panel of international photographers
All works will be judged by professional photographers working internationally and a combined total of 54 prizes will be awarded. The Grand Prize will be awarded for the most outstanding photograph out of all the entries, regardless of category. 1st, 2nd and 3rd prizes will be awarded to 16 winners in each category. The Emerging Talent award will recognize 4 winners and 16 runners-up from both categories to commend those aged under 30 for work that possess outstanding expressive power and conveys the energy of youth. Additionally, this year marks the 75th anniversary of the NIKKOR brand of lenses. To properly commemorate this event, a special prize will be awarded to the outstanding work that places second after the Grand Prize winner.

Prize winners are planned to be announced in July 2009.

An open opportunity
A competition that truly traverses borders, the Nikon Photo Contest International embodies an unrivalled opportunity – providing photographers everywhere with a chance to showcase their talents and giving us all a valuable insight into the lives of those around us. An exhibition of the winning photographs is also planned, so please take advantage of this opportunity to submit your work.*

*Details concerning the specific date and location will be announced in the future.

Nikon Photo Contest International: Entry Information

Entrant criteria
The Nikon Photo Contest International is open to all photographers, professional or amateur, from any part of the world.

Theme and categories
Theme “At the heart of the image”
Categories
A Free subject:
Express yourself freely, as it moves you.
B My Planet:
Express your world, whether that involves the environment, scenes from your daily life, or the people and things that stir your passions.

Please note that the same photograph may not be submitted to both categories.

Entry period
Entries are accepted from September 1st to November 30th, 2008. Entries sent by conventional mail should be received either on or before November 30th, 2008. Entries sent via the Internet will be accepted until 24:00, November 30th, 2008, Japan time. See below for further details regarding entry via conventional mail and the Internet.

How to apply
Entries submitted in print by conventional mail

Entries accepted in print are color or black-and-white photographs taken with 35mm film cameras, Advanced Photo System (APS) film cameras and digital still cameras, not including medium or large format digital cameras. Images that have been digitally edited with software are also accepted. Each entrant can submit up to 2 entries for each category (a total of 4 prints), with print dimensions of 19 x 24cm (8 x 10 inches) to 28 x 36cm (11 x 14 inches).

Please download and print out an official Entry Form, available from July 10th, from the Nikon Photo Contest International 2008-2009 Web site (http://www.nikon-npci.com), make a photocopy of the official form or contact your nearest Nikon dealer for details on how to obtain an official Entry Form. The official Entry Form is available in 10 languages (Japanese / English / German / French / Spanish / Italian / Portuguese / Korean / Simplified Chinese / Traditional Chinese) and the rules and process of entry via conventional mail are explained fully within.
Entries submitted as JPEG images via the Internet

Accepted JPEG images are color or black-and-white graphic files taken with digital still cameras (not including medium or large format digital cameras) and scanned data of photographs taken with 35mm film cameras or Advanced Photo System (APS) film cameras. Images that have been digitally edited with software are also accepted. Each entrant can submit two JPEG images for each category (a total of 4 images), with a maximum size for each JPEG image of 10MB. JPEG images exceeding this size must be compressed to a maximum of 10MB prior to submission.

Full details regarding entry via the Internet can be found on the online entry form, on the Nikon Photo Contest International 2008-2009 Web site (http://www.nikon-npci.com/). Please follow the rules and guidelines stated therein to submit your JPEG images.
Judging and announcement of winners

Photographers working internationally will be appointed by Nikon Corporation as judges to undertake selection of the winning photographs. The winners will be announced on the Nikon Photo Contest International Web site (http://www.nikon-npci.com/) and in an official press release by the end of July 2009.

The Prizes
A total of 54 winners will receive Nikon imaging products as shown in the table below. Winners of the Grand Prize, Emerging Talent Award and runners up will be given an opportunity to submit works in addition to their winning works for exhibition on the Nikon Photo Contest International Web site.
Prize Name Number of Winners Prize
Grand Prize 1 (selected from both categories) Nikon Digital SLR Camera D3
AF-S NIKKOR 14-24mm F2.8G ED
AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm F2.8G ED
Exhibition of photograph on the contest Web site*1
NIKKOR 75th Anniversary Award 1 (selected from both categories) Nikon Digital SLR Camera D300
AF-S DX NIKKOR 16-85mm F3.5-5.6G ED VR
AF DX Fisheye-Nikkor ED 10.5mm F2.8G
AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor ED 70-300mm F4.5-5.6G (IF)
1st Prize 2 (1 from each category) Nikon Digital SLR Camera D300
Speedlight SB-800
AF-S DX VR Zoom-Nikkor ED 18-200mm F3.5-5.6G (IF)
AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor ED 105mm F2.8G (IF)
2nd Prize 10 (5 from each category) Nikon Digital SLR Camera D80
AF-S DX NIKKOR 16-85mm F3.5-5.6G ED VR
3rd Prize 20 (10 from each category) Nikon Digital SLR Camera D60
AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-55mm F3.5-5.6G VR
Emerging Talent Award*2 4 (selected from both categories) Nikon Compact Digital Camera COOLPIX P5100
Exhibition of photograph on the contest Web site*1
Runners-up: Emerging Talent Award*2 16 (selected from both categories) Nikon Compact Digital Camera COOLPIX S52c
Exhibition of photograph on the contest Web site*1

Note: Nikon will notify the winners and select all prizes. Winners will not be able to select their prizes. Prizes are subject to change without notification and cash alternatives are not available.

*1 An exhibition of the work of the Grand Prize winner, Emerging Talent Award winners and runners-up will be held on the Nikon Photo Contest International Web site. Winners will have the chance to show photographs other than their winning photographs for which they possess the copyrights. Winners will therefore be invited to submit photographs in addition to their winning works. The winner agrees to allow the organizer to use the winner’s works and any other works sent by the winner to the organizer at no charge to the organizer. All costs, fees and charges will be the sole responsibility of the winner. Winners may be required to provide Nikon with relevant tax information and to prepare relevant tax documentation prior to receiving the prize. Winning status will not be revoked if a winner does not, for any reason, submit work for the exhibition.

*2 Winners of the Emerging Talent Award will be requested to submit official confirmation of their date of birth. In the event that such documentation is not provided, winning status will be revoked.

For further details, please access the official Nikon Photo Contest International Web site at: http://www.nikon-npci.com/

Canon Introduces CP760 and CP770 Compact Printers

Posted on June 12, 2008 - Filed Under News, Photo | Leave a Comment

The Canon Selphy CP770 is available now with a MSRP of $149.99.

Canon has added the Selphy CP760 and CP770 to its line of compact dye-sub printers. Both output 4×6, 4×8, and smaller prints, and feature a 2.5-inch LCD, memory card slots, and a USB port for connecting to a computer. The printers can receive images from USB-connected Pictbridge-compatible cameras, and from camera phones via an optional Bluetooth adapter. The CP770 also has a built-in IrSimple infrared port for receiving images from compatible camera phones and other devices.

Both printers offer built-in photo-editing features, including automatic red-eye removal, print layout templates, and Canon’s Portrait Image Optimizer mode for automatic enhancement of photos of people.

Olympus Unveils E-520 Digital SLR

Posted on June 8, 2008 - Filed Under News, Photo | Leave a Comment

Click photo for more views of the Olympus E-520.

Olympus has announced a new compact 10-megapixel digital SLR, the E-520. Adopting its design from the E-510, this consumer SLR also picks up numerous pieces of technology from Olympus’s flagship SLR, the E-3. These include an improved IS system that offers both vertical and horizontal panning modes, fast autofocus when the LCD is being used as a viewfinder in live-view mode, and built-in wireless control of up to three groups of flash units. The image stabilization improvement is one of the main differences between this camera and the smaller but otherwise very similar E-420. Like that camera, the E-520 features a 230,000-dot, 2.7-inch LCD with a 176-degree viewing angle. In Live View mode it supplements a rather small pentamirror optical viewfinder with approximately 0.92x magnification and a short 14mm eyepoint that some glasses wearers may find less than ideal. The camera has dual CompactFlash and xD-Picture Card slots.

The E-520 runs on Olympus’s TruPic III processing engine, which the company says improves color rendition, reduces noise, and enables the camera’s 3.5fps drive mode to capture an unlimited series of JPEGs or up to eight RAW files in a burst. Like all Olympus digital SLRs, the E-520 takes Four Thirds standard lenses and incorporates a dust-reduction system.

Free Photoshop Book

Posted on May 31, 2008 - Filed Under Art, News, Photo | Leave a Comment

Sitepoint are giving away The Photoshop Anthology: 101 Web Design Tips, Tricks & Techniques, completely free! Available to download as a PDF, the 278 page book normally worth $29.95 is billed as “the ultimate Photoshop compendium for web designers”. The offer ends in 24 days time…

Website: The Photoshop Anthology: 101 Web Design Tips, Tricks & Techniques

Pixelmator 1.2 Draftsman Released

Posted on May 30, 2008 - Filed Under News, Photo | Leave a Comment

Pixelmator has upgraded its image-editing software for the Mac. Pixelmator 1.2 Draftsman includes a new ruler tool that can be applied with a variety of units of measurement and helps users position images and image elements precisely. There are also new guide and grid overlays to aid composition, and a snap feature for positioning selection edges precisely. A new polygonal lasso tool helps draw straight edges of selections. For adjusting color, there are new color-balance and curves tools that provide ways to fine-tune individual color channels or an image’s entire tonal range. There’s also a new one-click auto-enhance tool for quick fixes.

Pixelmator 1.2 Draftsman is available for $59 from the Pixelmator Web site. Current owners of the software can upgrade for free.

Olympus Sponsors Fiennes’ Everest Attempt

Posted on May 23, 2008 - Filed Under Art, News, Photo | Leave a Comment

Olympus is sponsoring Sir Ranulph Fiennes’ second attempt to climb Mt Everest, which aims to raise £3 million for Marie Curie Cancer Care. In April, Sir Ranulph Fiennes started the journey along with his team, and they aim to return home in early June. Olympus are supplying the flagship camera of the Four Thirds standard, the Olympus E-3, plus the ultra compact E410 and the Mju Tough cameras.

Olympus UK Press Release

Olympus takes photography to great heights

Olympus is sponsoring Sir Ranulph Fiennes’ second attempt to climb Mt Everest. Three years after his previous attempt to conquer the magnificent Himalayan mountain range, Sir Ranulph will once again face the toughest challenge of his life to conquer the summit, this time from the Nepalese side. The ascent aims to raise £3 million for Marie Curie Cancer Care, a charity close to Sir Ranulph’s heart after cancer affected his family.

In April, Sir Ranulph Fiennes started the journey along with his team from The Dream Guides Everest expedition; Kenton Cool, the expedition leader, and Rob Casserley recognised for his high altitude mountaineering skills. Joining them are reporters from the Daily Telegraph as well as an ITN film crew who will be there to capture the action. On reaching the summit the team also hopes to broadcast live into UK homes.

For over 30 years, Sir Ranulph has enjoyed a long history with Olympus cameras taking them on many of his adventures. This expedition sees Sir Ranulph armed with the flagship of the Four Thirds standard, the Olympus E-3, the ultra compact E410 and the Mju Tough cameras. The High performance and reliability of the E- system coupled with the tough cameras will result in some iconic images of Sir Ranulph Fiennes successfully reaching the summit of Everest. The team aim to return home early June.

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