Wacom Cintiq 12WX and Cintiq 20WSX

Wacom announced two new members to their Cintiq family last week. The Cintiq 12WX and Cintiq 20WSX offer onscreen editing for tablet fans, artists, photographers and imageers. The Cintiq 12WX offers a resolution of 1,280 x 800, and has a street price of $999. The Cintiq 20WSX, is the world's first wide-format desktop pen display with a 1680x1050 resolution. This makes it ideal for those who prefer to work with a 16:10aspect ratio and has an SRP of $1,999.

Creative Photoshop - Digital Illustration and Art Techniques

Review by Mario Georgiou
Author: Derek Lea
Focal Press - http://www.focalpress.com/
ISBN: 9780240520469
http://www.creativephotoshopthebook.com/
SRP: US$ 39.95 UK£22.99

Award winning illustrator Derek Lea has penned this excellent reference book for Focal Press. His illustration work is a unique combination of original photography, traditional illustration, and digital art. In Creative Photoshop, Derek uses his extensive experience with Photoshop to produce a series of tutorials which will give readers a nice balance of inspirational imagery and technical insight.

The book can be divided into four sections, the first which deals with traditional illustrative techniques such as drawing, painting and colouring. In this section Derek tackles the creation, definition and use of brushes, how to use Shapes and layers., emulating the look of graffiti and stencil art and how to trace photographic imagery to create illustrations. It also details several techniques for creating illustrations from sketches and retro art based stock. This section is completed by taking a look at colouring a comic based illustration.

The second section consists of coverage of unconventional illustrative techniques and methods. The first example uses thermal fax paper and a hairdryer to artificially age paper and also makes good use of scanned images and layering effects. The examples include the use of xerography, creating urban lowbrow art although a short section it provides some very cool solutions for creating effective and colourful imagery quickly.

The third section covers the creation of illustrative photography and includes one of his more famous tutorials which covers the blending of architectural source materials with a models face, to create a striking image. Subsequent examples provide solutions for emulating a 3D ribbon peel away effect, artificially ageing a portrait and creating a dark, moody and surrealistic image of a person peeling back their skin from a selection of different source materials. These images are a lot more complex than I have described, but you’ll just have to buy the book to see what I mean.

The fourth and final part covers the use of Photoshop in combination with other software. This primarily centers on the use and enhancement of 3D imagery. The last two chapters detail the use and editing of vector illustrations and details their use as elements in the creation of illustrations. My favourite chapter details the creation of a morphing pattern based upon the work of Max Ernst. All told Creative Photoshop is an excellent book from one of the best creatives in the industry.

Cons: Not for beginners.

Pros: Well written. Easy to follow. CD based tutorials and content. Creative and Imaginative.

Derek Lea succeeds with this excellent book, because he brings to bear his extensive practical experience with Photoshop and the other tools in his arsenal to create some very practical and creative solutions to tasks illustrators, imageers and designers will experience in their day to day work. Highly Recommended
*****

I-O data Launch Tough 16 GB Flash Drive

Japanese Firm I-O data have created the HDMC, a 16GB, freezable, droppable, completely water-proof USB flash drive. This device would make the idea of portable and hardy storage quite realistic for the photographer on the go. This device isn't cheap mind you, at ¥25,300, or about US$230, this device will put a hole in your wallet. Visit Akihabara News for more info and a really cheesy albeit interesting video.

Adobe Photoshop CS3 A-Z

Author: Phillip Andrews
Publisher: Focal Press
ISBN: 9780240520650
Price: US$29.95 - UK£17.99
As far as reference books for photoshop CS3 are concerned, Focal Press have been really busy the last few months. This book by Phillip Andrews isn't a tutorial book, it's a lavishly illustrated and in-depth reference which covers pretty much every feature in Photoshop CS3. It does a thorough job of explaining the use of all the tools and even begins with a very nice step by step section which I would have like to see more of... The rest of the book provides an excellent and easy reference for anyone who ever wanted a manual with Photoshop CS3. It is both comprehensive and extremely easy to follow. Highly Recommended

Virtual Vixens: 3D Character Modelling and Scene Placement

Focal Press are one of my favourite publishers of books dealing with Photography. With this reference work by Arndt von Koenigsmarck, Focal Press take a look at the world of Virtual or 3D people, or more specifically the creation of believable 3D Females. The book starts with a look at the work of artists like Steven Stahlberg and Liam Kemp who are well versed in creating virtual females. There is even an excellent feature on the work of Max Edwin Wahyudi ,which focuses on the creation of a virtual Natalie Portman. I was quite impressed with the quality of the model and images produced.
The book continues with several excellent workshops which focus on software and techniques for refining these characters and models. This book could have demonstrated just how far the technology has come in recent years but instead provides a solid groundwork for anyone interested in the techniques and tools currently being used. The one thing which stands out in this book is the importance of having excellent photo reference, both as source material and as textures. Virtual Vixens is worth a look, but don't expect it to show you anything groundbreaking unless you're a beginner.

Adobe Release Photoshop CS3 & Bridge CS3 Updates

Following closely on the heels of the lightroom and ACR updates, Adobe have also released updates to Photoshop and Bridge CS3. Photoshop Product Manager John Nack, has indicated that "The Photoshop 10.0.1 update addresses the key pain points experienced by users printing from CS3, particularly on Windows. I've posted a separate note that goes into more detail on the topic. The update also includes better support for preserving XMP metadata (including copyright) via Save For Web, through the inclusion of a new "Include XMP" option in the dialog's settings menu. The Photoshop update does not address a problem with changing the values for various tools on Mac OS X Leopard, but Apple and Adobe are working together on a separate fix (details)."
Click on the following links for the Mac and Windows updates.

The Bridge 2.1.1 update, includes a new preference, which enables High Quality Preview in the Bridge Preferences - Advanced panel. "When enabled, the preference addresses the problem of a soft or blurry preview appearing in the Preview panel and in Slideshow mode. The Bridge update also remedies other problems reported by users, including a problem that could cause Bridge to lock up when using arrow keys to navigate."
Click on the following links for the Mac and Windows updates.

onOne Release New Pro Tools

onOne have announced the immediate availability of its two new digital imaging software plug-ins -- PhotoTools and PhotoTools Professional Edition. The new versions PhotoTools are flexible yet powerful new Photoshop plug-ins that utilizes the power of Photoshop Actions to provide a wide range of imaging tools including effects, corrections and production automation via a full-featured interface. PhotoTools allows users to preview effects individually or combined/stacked together in a layer-like configuration as well as save their favorite combinations as presets for future use. Visit the onOne Software website for more information.

Adobe Update Lightroom and Adobe Camera Raw

Adobe have released updates to Photoshop Lightroom and their Photoshop Camera Raw plug-in. The updates are available immediately as free upgrades for existing users. Lightroom can be downloaded from Lightroom product page and provides added support for Apple Leopard Mac OS X 10.5 and includes a technology preview of the Lightroom Export SDK, which is available as a separate download on the Adobe Labs site. The Lightroom 1.3 and Camera Raw 4.3 updates also include raw file support for seven additional digital cameras including the Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, Canon PowerShot G9, Nikon D3, Nikon D300, Olympus E-3, Olympus SP-560 UZ, and Panasonic DMC-L10.

Plustek OpticFilm 7300

Review by Mario Georgiou

Manufacturer: Plustek
System Requirements: CD-ROM Drive
One available USB Port
512 MB RAM
500 MB free HDD space
High Color graphic card (VGA or higher)

Windows
CPU: Pentium III or faster CPU
Microsoft Windows 2000 / XP / Vista Compatible

Macintosh:
CPU: PPC G4, PPC G5, Intel
MAC 10.3.9 and higher including Leopard

SRP: £169.99 US $369.95

Over a year ago I reviewed the Plustek 7200i, when I was offered the 7300, I was intrigued to find out what the updated model would have to offer. The Plustek Optic film is aimed squarely at the amateur and and enthusiast. Although it features 7200 dpi high resolution scanning and basic dust and scratch removal, it misses on some crucial capabilities such as support for more transparency and negative formats. However the added capability for multiple exposures of a single image source makes up for what is missing. So how good is the 7300, and how does it live up to the requirements of converting your slides and negs into digital equivalents.

The OpticFilm 7300 is priced at £145 excluding VAT, and with an even lower price point than its predecessor, I expected to be let down, I was however please by how little was of issue. The 7300 was easy to install and use. Scanning with it is as easy as ever and with the slide viewer embedded in the top of the unit, it was truly a pleasure to work with.

Like the 7200, SilverFast software is bundled with the scanner and it is extremely easy to use. Also included is LaserSoft Imaging’s latest SilverFast SEPlus 6.5 ME image editing software, which provides a powerful scan with high-quality results. Like the 7200i it is relatively fast for scanning clean negs and slides, however scanning times go way up when you try to use silverfast and the annoying muddying introduced in this process is still problematic and give some detail a soft watercolour look.

The scans produced are pretty good, and although I like the ability to select the type of film being scanned although the range of products supported were still not sufficiently expanded to handle all the film types I had in my collection. Like the 7200i, I had to guess on a couple of OEM based film brands and their ideal profiles.

Two film carriers are provided and support both film and slides. I still think the carriers needed to have a more secure fit, still, I found no issues with the resulting scans, because of this.

Unlike the 7200i detail in the highlights and shadows was not blown out, due to the multiple exposure feature. I would recommend this scanner for the enthusiast and amateur who needs high resolution but the dynamic range is still in need of improvement.

For the amateur this unit is a real steal, dedicated film scanners of similar capabilities can cost much, much, more. The 7300's clean looks and ease of use makes it an attractive option.

Cons
Slow scanning in high resolution. No support for larger negs and transparencies.

Pros
Easy to set up and use. Small footprint. High optical resolution and good detail. Surprisingly low price. Multiple Exposure mode is a much welcome addition.

For the amateur photographer who wants a cheap scanner to scan their slides and negs, this unit is a perfect option. It, like its predecessor is easy to install and even easier to use. I highly recommend the Plustek Opticfilm 7300 for the amateur photographer and enthusiast.

Phil Askey - PMDA Person of the Year

The PMDA (PhotoImaging Manufacturers and Distributors Association) have announced that Phil Askey of dpreview.com will receive its 'Person of the Year' award for 2008. This award will be presented at the PMDA awards dinner just before the PMA show in Las Vegas on 30th January 2008. The PMDA has members such as Casio, Canon, Kodak, Fujifilm, HP, Leica, Nikon, Olympus, Panasonic, Pentax and Samsung. It's good to see the hard work Phil and his team have put into DPReview being recognised by the industry. For more info visit PMDA Congrats Phil...

Silver Oxide Intro Orthochromatic Filter

Silver Oxide, have introduced a new filter which emulates the look of Orthographic film.

Until 1925, Hollywood studios used orthochromatic Eastman Standard Negative stock. Orthochromatic film was only sensitive to the brightest natural light, so large ultraviolet lamps had to be used during shooting. It also registered only blue light, so anything colored red showed up on the film as black.

Silver Oxide produce excellent digital filters which do an excellent job of emulating classic Black and White films. The new generation of SilverOxide filters also work as Smart Filters in CS3. For more info and demos visit SilverOxide.

GWG Photography White Paper on Printing

The int'l Ghent PDF Workgroup has announced the availability of the GWG Photography White Paper. This paper is designed to provide a comprehensive set of guidelines for digital photography print productions for publishers and photographers.

Considering the wide variety in image and file formats, correct implementation of color management and standards is essential to ensure that quality is maintained from the original capture to the final print. The GWG recommends using the guidelines for digital photography projects for print..

It's a good read ... download it and other papers here.

Plugin Galaxy 2

Plugin Galaxy 2 has been released for Windows. This plugin is for creating special effects and enhancing images with the more than 160 basic effects. It is compatible with Windows Vista and with performance improvements it is also up to twice faster than the previous version. It also supports 16bit RGB and grayscaled images, features new Layers and Blend features, which allows you to apply multiple effects to the image in one session and create sophisticated effect combinations that were not possible before. There is also a new batch processing option which can apply the same effect to hundreds of images with just a few clicks. The saving and opening of filter settings as presets is now also supported. Visit The plugin site for more info...

HDR Labs Release The HDRI Book

The HDRI Handbook is now available from O'Reilly Press. This book delves into the niceties of High Dynamic Range Imaging (HDRI) and is filled with practical hints and tips, software evaluations, workshops, and hands-on tutorials. The book also has an accompanying DVD which includes HDRI software. This book was written by Christian Bloch, who is an acclaimed Visual Effects Artist and who has been working professionally in the field for years. His work can be seen in StarTrek:Enterprise, Smallville, Invasion, Lost, 24, and a growing number of movies and commercials. He is a pioneer in the practical application of HDRI in post-production, specifically under the budgetary and time restraints of TV production. Any photographer, CG artist, compositor, or cinematographer would do well to pick this up... for more info visit HDR Labs

Aperture Updated To Version 1.5.6

Apple have announced an update to Aperture. Version 1.5.6 addresses some performance and stability issues and provides compatibility with Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard. Issues that are addressed include minor compatibility issues with iPhoto 7.1, iLife Media and several other performance issues.

Adobe Photoshop CS3 for Photographers, by Martin Evening

Reviewed by: Mario Georgiou, September 2007
Published by: Focal Press
ISBN: 0-240-52028-9
Requires: N/A
MSRP: US$46.95, UK£29.95

Having reviewed previous editions of books in this series from excellent photographer, Martin Evening, I had come to expect very high standards from this latest in the "... for Photographers" series. Adobe Photoshop CS3 for Photographers doesn't disappoint. Taking you through CS3 in color coded and well formatted sections, it provides an easy-to-follow, in-depth and knowledgeable reference for even the most well-versed digital photographers and imageers.

The book has been rewritten from scratch since the CS2-based edition. Evening does a good job of covering everything that's new in Adobe Photoshop CS3 compared to previous versions of Photoshop, while also looking into the essential features for any imageer and photographer. Adobe Photoshop CS3 for Photographers is firmly positioned as a reference work for the professional Photoshop CS3 user whose main area of work is related to digital photography. The absence throughout the book of any platform bias is also nice, so you'll find almost equal attention paid to both Mac and Windows key bindings and other information.

Each of the 15 chapters takes you through its chosen subject matter from the basics through to more advanced features and applications. Chapters 1-3 are an introduction to the new features and differences that appear in Adobe Photoshop CS3 along with a look at the changes in the user interface. They also feature a look at the basic tool sets and how to use them, which includes a look at Adobe Bridge, drawing tools and some of the basic methods of working with images.

Chapters 4, 5 & 6 look into the process of making adjustments and corrections to images as well as the acquisition of images through Camera RAW and Bridge. They continue with a look at the process of making fine adjustments and image corrections using the healing brush and other tools as well as adjustment layers and layer masks.

Chapters 7 and 8 deal with image retouching and methods of using the tools in CS3 for further enhancing images using layers, cloning and brushes. Layers, Selections and Masks are amongst the most useful and powerful of features in Photoshop and are actually well deserving of an entire book dedicated just to them. One of the most useful examples provided is one where the author has used a sequence of shots of the same scene to remove unwanted people by using the automatic alignment and image stack capabilities. The extraction of image elements using a variety of tools is also quite thoroughly covered and to great effect.

Chapter 9 takes a look at replicating traditional darkroom effects in CS3. Effects such as Solarization, Split toning, black & white from color, duo-tones, infrared emulation, cross processing, and the use of gradient maps. Chapter 10 takes a closer general look at the use of Photoshop's built in filter to further enhance your images.

Chapters 11 and 12 explain many of the intricacies of image and color management. While the former is handled largely through the use of Bridge, the latter is a bit trickier. Although color management can be handled to some extent using software, the use of hardware based calibrators can augment this substantially.

Chapters 13 and 14 continue with a look at the world of output with printing and web-based output both considered in some detail. In the former the different factors affecting the accuracy and longevity of your photographic prints are considered along with calibration and configuration. In the latter the web capabilities of Photoshop CS3 are covered with attention paid to file optimization and types, watermarking and gallery creation.

Chapter 15 completes the book with a look at the powerful automation capabilities built into Photoshop CS3, with coverage of actions, droplets and some of the plug-ins and scripts that come with Photoshop CS3.

Although an excellent and fairly comprehensive title, This volume does suffer due to a timing issue, it doesn't cover the excellent Adobe Capture Raw (ACR) 4.1 update, which was released after the book was published. However, there is an update on the website.

Cons: No coverage of ACR 4.1

Pros: Excellent Layout and information. Comprehensive and with no platform bias. This excellent, well-formatted book and its companion DVD containing video tutorials and extra chapters, serve both amateur and professional digital photographers, imageers and graphic artists. It is highly recommended and a must-have for your reference library.

Grubba Software Announces TrueGrain

TrueGrain is yet another example of software dedicated to emulating some of the real world characteristics of film. As you can tell from the name it is a tool designed to recreate the look of film grain. Where it differs, is that it doesn't just use noise with software algorithms to recreate this look, but actively models itself based upon the characteristics of the real world equivalent film type selected.

The TrueGrain software contains a library of grain samples and profiles for a number of classic film stocks, some of which are no longer available and are unlikely to be available in the future.

“People have been fooling around with techniques for recapturing the look of film for a while now, but most of these attempts have been tentative and generic in both thrust and result,” said Martin Doudoroff, Grubba Software collaborator. “We think TrueGrain goes quite a bit further through its empirical approach: high resolution film grain samples and meticulous databases of measurements. Our approach is brute force, but it produces the kind of results professionals are looking for. And our software makes it all quite accessible.”

TrueGrain effectively uses these samples to recreate the look and feel of the film type being emulated. With features like Spectral Response, Dynamic Range and Film Grain controls this is a truly powerful and simple tool to use. The tool looks to be a worthy addition to the arsenal of any digital photographer however it is only available for Mac OS. For more information, to view a video or to download a demo visit Grubba Software

Alien Skin Announces Exposure 2

Exposure 2 has been updated to include even more capabilities to give digital photographs the look and feel of film. With Exposure 2 you have one-click access to the broadest range of film stocks and special effects settings available in any software package.

The variety of films you can simulate with Exposure 2 is truly impressive. With this excellent tool you can match the look of popular film stocks like Portra®, Velvia®, Kodachrome®, Polaroid®, TRI-X®, Agfa® Scala®, GAF® 500, and Kodak® EES.

The capability to emulate the distinctive look of film grain is awesome and has been improved over the capabilities in Exposure 1, Version 2 gives you the most realistic grain on the market, providing you with control over sharpness, colour variation, and intensity throughout the images entire tonal range. Exposure 2’s grain size automatically adjusts to your image size, providing you with consistent and accurate results across all of your cameras.

There are over 300 effects presets in Exposure 2, including push and cross processing, a vastly improved infrared simulator, and sophisticated colour to black and white conversion.

Exposure 2 simplifies your workflow by providing control over colour, dynamic range, softness, and grain control into one easy-to-use plug-in. Use it to correct a colorcast, soften a digital portrait, or tweak contrast with the powerful slider and curve controls. You can also create your own presets that help you define your own signature look allowing you to recall and apply it at will.

For more information and to download a demo, visit Exposure 2

ACDSee 10 Photo Manager Announced

ACD Systems International Inc. announced the release of ACDSee 10 Photo Manager. This latest update to their popular photo organization and sharing software includes features which include real-time viewing, management and editing of multiple image files, even in large albums and photo collections. These features combine to make ACDSee 10 the most powerful and affordably priced tool available for seamless integration with photo sharing sites such as Flickr and SmugMug, as well as cameras and other devices.
ACDSee 10 Photo Manager is available for a free 30-day trial and for purchase for $49.99 (USD) at http://www.acdsee.com/. Users can bundle this program with ACDSee Photo Editor for the combined price of $79.99 (USD). Photo Editor is the companion software that helps users of any skill level, enhance photos and create their own digital layouts to print and share.

DxO Optics Pro v5 Software

DxO Labs have announced the upcoming availability of DxO Optics Pro v5, their automatic image quality enhancement software for Digital SLR camera users. DxO Optics Pro v5 sets a new standard for image quality with its new RAW conversion engine. This new version features a breakthrough in demosaicing technology via a completely new demosaicing algorithm which promises to produce images with much more detail and fewer artifacts. “DxO Labs’ approach to demosaicing promises to turn a number of classical solutions on their head: instead of only considering pixels with respect to their direct neighbors, DxO’s new RAW Engine uses a ‘non local’ approach looking much further than is usual from each pixel in the image in order to reconstruct detail. This approach, according to DxO, significantly reduces demosaicing artifacts and performs noise removal directly on the RAW data for best lowlight performance.

Noise reduction is performed upfront, before noise has a chance to be amplified by the RAW conversion process. Combined with other proprietary techniques, the new RAW Engine promises to produce both the most detailed and most natural looking images yet. According to DxO Labs, the new RAW conversion engine has been fine-tuned and optimized with the rest of the software’s automated image enhancement features (optical corrections, colour rendering, exposure optimization, highlight recovery, etc.) to produce best-in class results.

DxO Optics Pro v5 now incorporates a new tool to remove dust and blemishes from any digital image. Once dust and blemishes have been marked by the user, DxO Optics Pro v5 can automatically process any number of images with this particular dust/blemish template.

DxO Optics Pro v5 features a revamped User Interface which promises to improve workflow and ease of use. The tools are organized into four main sections that match the photographer’s approach: Light, Colour, Geometry, Details.

Users of DxO Optics Pro v5 can also customize their workspace to their particular way of working or choose to keep the tool organization of the previous version. DxO Optics Pro’s powerful project and preset functions have also been overhauled for increased ease of use and functionality.

Increased speed and camera support, benefiting from an entire rewrite using Microsoft’s .NET and Apple’s ObjC-Cocoa technologies, DxO Optics Pro v5 will be up to four times faster than version 4.0. DxO Optics Pro v5 for Windows should be available at the end of October 2007, with the Macintosh version available approximately one month later.

DxO Optics Pro v5 will be available in Standard and Elite versions at pricing unchanged from version 4.5: DxO Optics Pro v5 Standard: $169 DxO Optics Pro v5 Elite: $299

Visit DxO Labs online at http://www.dxo.com/

ACDSee Release New Pro Photo Software Solution

ACD Systems International Inc., have announced their ACD See Pro2 for professional photographers. ACDSee Pro 2, features their next-generation workflow management and RAW processing functionality as tested by thousands of professional photographers. This new version of their “one-stop” software for viewing, processing, editing, cataloguing, publishing and archiving digital images is a feature rich offering which enhances their already excellent powerful Pro solution. This update was developed with input from the more than 2,500 photographers, who participated in their beta-testing program.

ACDSee Pro 2’s features enhanced processing power and performance which allows speedy viewing and handling of large RAW files. File manipulation is facilitated through features which nclude: the cutting and pasting of RAW photo settings, one-step rotating and cropping, and recovery of up to two stops of lost highlight detail with their Highlights Recovery slider. RAW files can be simultaneously exported to up to 14 different formats and multiple resolutions also included is the capability to rename, resize and embed colour profiles.

Cataloguing images using ACDSee Pro 2’s is even easier with improved metadata handling which includes automated metadata-based file sorting, advanced browsing capabilities such as “Group By,” “Filter By” and “Events View,” and read/write capabilities for both XMP sidecar files and digital negatives (DNG). Enhanced editing is supported via tools such as opacity and blending, channel mixer, and their patent-pending shadow and highlight controls.

For more information visit the ACDSee Pro2 product page...

RAW Product Announcements

There have been several RAW image product announcements this week. Bibble Labs have updated Bibble to include support for the Canon 40D, Pentax K100D Super and the Fujifilm FinePix E550. The support for the Canon 40D included tethered shooting and sRAW, check out Bibble Labs for more information on this release.

Phase One announced the beta release of Capture One 4, this is a new application building on cutting-edge technology, a new architecture, and what users found best from previous generations of Capture One. The beta is available now at no cost until November 1. Capture One 4 is available for Windows XP (SP2) and Vista and Mac OS 10.4.8 (or higher) platforms. Visit Phase One for more information.

Ichikawa Soft Laboratory have updated Silkypix Developer Studio to version 3.0.12 adding support for the Canon EOS 40D, visit the Silkypix product page for more information

Corel Announces Paint Shop Pro Photo X2

Corel Corp. have announced the launch of Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo X2. This new release features a new photoneutral interface and major workflow changes that promise to improve a users experience of editing and correcting their photos and images. Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo X2 is at the photo-enthusiast and also at business users who wish to edit and enhance photos for their presentations and other applications. Many of the features found in PSP Photo X2 are found in professional level applications and as such would be ideal for use by the amateur photographer who wants their capabilities to grow with their experience level. Improvements and new features include: Express Lab, which which allows for quick edits, enhancments and changes to images, HDR Photo Merge which adds High Dynamic Range capabilities to Paint Shop Pro.
Other improvements include, Layer Styles, Makeover Tools, Auto-Preserve Originals and Crop as New Image. For more information please visit Corel. Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo X2 will be available for a suggested retail price of US$99.99.

onOne Announces PhotoTools and PhotoTools Professional Edition

onOne has introduced two new digital imaging software plug-ins – PhotoTools and PhotoTools Professional Edition. PhotoTools is a new Photoshop plug-in that utilizes Photoshop Actions to provide a wide range of imaging tools. These include; effects, corrections and production automation and all are applied through a nicely crafted interface which allows the user to more easily control their application. With PhotoTools users can preview effects either individually or...

"combined/stacked together in a layer-like configuration as well as save their
favorite combinations as presets to be used in the future."

PhotoTools replicates many traditional photographic filters and darkroom techniques.

"PhotoTools and PhotoTools Professional Edition will faithfully reproduce camera
filters like neutral density, color correction and polarization as well as
darkroom techniques and alternative processes like solarization, cyanotype and
palladium printing as well as many paper toners. PhotoTools even includes cinema
looks popularized by Hollywood movies."

Phototools includes over 150 effects, whilst the Professional Edition adds over 100 more. PhotoTools 1.0 is available for a retail price of US$159.95 and PhotoTools Professional Edition will retail price for US$259.95.

Photoshop Express Shown At Photoshop World

Photoshop Express was shown by Adobe Senior Vice President, John Loicono to crowds of onlookers at Photoshop World. Photoshop Express isn't meant to replace any of the existing products, but is instead designed to be a web based application similar to Premiere Express, which was released earlier this year. The application follows some of the same UI principles shown in Lightroom and other RAW apps but is far simpler in its use. Allowing users a pick and use type of approach for edits and enhancements. John Nack mentions it on his blog, and even provides a screenshot of the app in action.

Microsoft Release Beta HD Photo plug-ins for Photoshop

Microsoft have released an updated beta version of their HD Photo plug-in for Photoshop for Windows, they have also introduced a Universal Binary beta for Photoshop for Mac. Microsoft's Bill Crow, Program Manager for HD Photo, has indicated on his blog, that these are likely to be functionally identical to the final versions of the plug-ins for each platform.

HD Photo is a free download for bothWindows and Mac. Microsoft and the JPEG Group recently announced that they have begun the process of standardizing HD Photo as a new variant of JPEG. HD Photo will most likely become known as JPEG XR.

Nikon Announce New Compacts

Nikon have followed up their announcement of the D3 and D300, with news of several new compact digicam models. This includes their 12.1 megapixel, Coolpix P5100, the 8.1 megapixel Coolpix P50, the S700 with image stabilization, and other models like the S510, the S51 and 51c and the entry level L14 and L15. All should be available in the UK from September.

Ricoh Announce New R7

Ricoh has updated its R-series of compact digicams with the Caplio R7. The optical specs remain the same as the R6 with a 28-200mm equivalent lens and CCD-shift image stabilization, however the sensor has been upgraded to 8.15 megapixels - up from 7.2 MP - image processing has also been updated to include Smooth Imaging Engine III. Available in black, silver or orange, the Caplio R7 will be available in the UK from September 2007 for around £230.

Focus On Digital Art Masters: Volume 2

Digital Art Masters: Volume 2
3D Total and Focal Press
US $39.95 UK £22.99

This is a title which takes a case study based look at the world of Digital Graphics and Art. I was pleasantly surprised to get this book as just the week before I had place it on my to-buy list. Digital Art Masters 2 is without a doubt an example of the kind of showcase based publication that both pros and enthusiasts will enjoy. Page after page focuses on showcasing some prime examples of work from some of the best artists in the industry.

The 3D renderings showcased here were mind blowing, there were examples which looked like paintings produced by some of the old masters, and others which look like the real thing. The 2D based illustrations don't dissappoint with examples from Benita Winckler, Hoang Nguyen and Mikko Kikkunen leading the pack. What I really appreciated was the work showing how 3D and 2D skills can be combined to create some incredible imagery.

Page after page of this book made me as an artist feel inspired and challenged by the work of my fellow imageers. If for no other reason than to add this book to your library of Artbooks you won't go wrong ... Highly Recommended. Buy it, it's well worth the price.

Nikon Unveil Full Frame D3 & new D300

After what has to be one of the longest waits Nikon released a Full Frame D-SLR, featuring a CMOS based 12.1 megapixel sensor. D3. The D3 is centred around speed and sensitivity, with a base sensitivity of ISO 200 to 6400 and an additional two stop range above that (up to ISO 25600). The D3 can shoot at nine frames per second with AF tracking, and up to eleven frames per second without. The D3 should be available in November, at around US$5000. Other capabilities included their new EXPEED image processor, a new 51-point AF sensor, color AF tracking, dual CF compartments featuring UDMA support, an amazing 3.0" Live View Display, HDMI video output, and even a virtual horizon function which can tell you when you're holding the D3 level.

The D300 also features a 12 megapixel CMOS sensor, albeit a 1.5x FCF, 14-bit A/D conversion, EXPEED image processor, sensitivity up to ISO 6400, HDMI video output, UDMA CF support and the 3.0" Live View Display. The D300 should be available in November, at around US$1800.

Visit DPReview for more info...

Canon Announce New Cameras and Lenses

Canon announced a slew of new cameras and lenses, including the 20MP Canon Eos 1Ds Mk III, the 10MP Eos 40D, and the Powershot G9. Other products include the SD (ixus) 950i P&S, the Digital IXUS 860 IS, PowerShot A650 IS and the PowerShot A720 IS. On the optical front they have released an updated version of their EF 14 mm F2.8 L USM lens, and also a couple of EF-s based lenses; the Canon 18-55 mm IS and 55-250 mm IS.

ImageTrends Announce Sensor Kleen

Image Trends, Inc.™ which was formed from the core of the former Applied Science Fiction group, is pleased to announce the SensorKleen Pro™ a stand alone Windows application that allows the user to automatically erase sensor based dust and debris in DSLR camera images.

When they announced SensorKleen SmartBrush™ back in March ’07 at PMA Image Trends indicated that the Pro version would be available later in the year. True to their word they are making it available and are crediting the original purchase price of the SensorKleen SmartBrush towards the purchase of SensorKleen Pro. They are actually giving the user a free upgrade to SensorKleen Pro, saving them the $50 difference in price as a customer loyalty benefit.

In June of this year they also announced the PearlyWhites™ and ShineOff™ Plug-Ins. At the time they stated that the Mac versions would be available soon. Based on market reaction to these products the Mac OSX delivery was pushed up. With the products being made available with immediate effect. For more info visit Image Trends...

DFT Announce Power Stroke 1.0

DFT have announced the release of Power Stroke version 1.0, a stroke based color correction, colorization and special effects plug-in. Designed with the digital photographers, graphic designers and artists in mind, Power Stroke uses a simple, interactive stroke-based interface to quickly and intuitively perform targeted adjustments. Instead of meticulously selecting regions or hand- painting masks, regions of interest are isolated by drawing a few simple brush strokes with adjustments then made only in those areas. Strokes can be assigned multiple corrections and effects such as color correction, recoloring or desaturation, colorization of black and white images, blur, fill light for dimly lit image areas and diffusion/glow.

"Based on the concepts of luminance-weighted chrominance blending and fast intrinsic distance computations, Power Stroke produces high quality results at a fraction of the complexity and computational cost of previous techniques." From what I can see DFT have created yet another easy to use and useful tool for imageers and photographers.

Power Stroke is based on research and technology by Liron Yatziv and Guillermo Sapiro from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Minnesota, and is exclusively licensed by Digital Film Tools. For more information visit Digital Film Tools.

Ballistic Publishing Releases Expose 5

Ballistic Published have release their latest edition of their popular and gorgeous EXPOSÉ books. EXPOSÉ 5 which was judged by an international team of leading artists features 298 examples of the world’s best digital art prepared by 218 artists from 45 countries. EXPOSÉ 5 includes the work of 108 unpublished artists.

All editions of EXPOSÉ 5 are available for immediate shipping.EXPOSÉ 5 is available in three editions: Hard Cover (USD$55); Soft Cover (USD$65); and Limited Edition (USD$145). The Limited Edition release includes an additional 16 pages of artist profiles and eight Limited Edition prints, unavailable with the Hard Cover or Soft Cover editions. Go to the Ballistic website to flick through the entire book at
Ballistic Publishing.

DFT Announce Power Mask 1.0

Power Mask version 1.0, is according to DFT, the first real time, interactive masking tool. As you paint along the edge of the object to be extracted, either the mask or the final composite can be revealed instantly. Powermask simply updates the object to be extracted in real time. Power Mask can extract almost any object in an image -- fine hair detail, smoke, or reflections can be handled with ease. Once a mask is extracted, using Power Mask the foreground object can be seamlessly composed onto a new background in Adobe Photoshop as well as apply filter and image corrections only within the area defined by the mask.

Power Mask is based on unpublished research and technology by Jue Wang from the University of Washington and is exclusively licensed by Digital Film Tools. For more information visit Digital Film Tools

Corel Update Painter X

Corel announced an update to Corel Painter to version 10.1 (X.1). This update includes fixes for several issues and improves the overall stability and performance of Corel Painter X. for more information visit corel.com.

PictoColor Releases iCorrect Editlab Pro 5.5

PictoColor® have released Version 5.5 of their iCorrect® EditLab™ Pro plug-in for photographers. iCorrect Editlab Pro provides a simplified approach to color correction and color editing. Using this solution you can edit and correct digital photos using their simple step by step interface. Visit Pictocolor for more information.

Focus on Filter Forge

Review by Mario Georgiou
Filter Forge - http://www.filterforge.com/
Stand Alone and Photoshop Plug-in
Windows XP, Windows 2003, Windows 2000, Windows Vista
Basic $99, Standard $199, Pro $299

I am a big fan of the work being done by third party Photoshop Plug-in creators and have a sizeable collection of plug-ins. When Filter Forge came to my attention a few weeks back, I dropped a line to the creators of this interesting and powerful tool to request a copy for review. What I experienced with this really cool tool brought a smile to my face.

Filter Forge is exactly what it sounds like, a tool for producing and applying filters and procedural textures, and a whole lot more besides. Filter Forge comes in 3 versions, a $99 Basic edition provides unlimited access to the Filter Library but cannot create filters. The $199 Standard edition allows photographers and graphic artists create their own filters, including effects, textures, distortions, patterns, backgrounds, and frames.

The $299 Professional edition was designed with the needs of 3D-content and game creators in mind. Providing support and features useful in architectural visualization, 3D Rendering and Design and includes support for bitmaps as large as 65000x65000 pixels, 16- and 32-bit images, and floating point based file formats such as OpenEXR and PFM.

I was fortunate to be able to review the Pro edition and was extremely impressed by the performance and the range of filters available via the online filter library. Once accessed and downloaded you can transport your filters with relative ease however you do need an Internet connection which will give you access to well over 2000 filters and textures.

The creation of filters is facilitated via a visual node-based editor which is both extremely powerful and quite easy to use once you can get your head around the concept. Filters are created visually by connecting components in a flow diagram to combine effects and functions. Available components include Brightness / Contrast, Channels, Gradients, Noise, Colour Adjustments, Distortions, Patterns, Curves, Curve Operations, Image Processing Controls and much more. For Pro-Level users this is a very powerful and welcome tool.

The editor allows the user to create some very useful tools and effects, and one of the best features of this tool is the ability for users to be able to share their created filters online via the free filter library. The only omission in this powerful is support for user definable formulae - something for the future I guess...

For the Animator, designer and texture creator, the ability to create seamless and resolution independent textures and patterns. Add the capability for creating bump and normal maps and you have a really useful production tool.

The filters are also resolution independent and capable of some many effects that you'll find yourself suffering from option paralysis. There is even a Randomizer which shakes things up a bit by allowing you to generate filters on the fly.

Core features and technology include support for Dual-core CPU's, HDRI Images, 8, 16 and 32 Bit image modes, Floating point file formats and a really useful smart anti aliasing feature which uses antialiasing only where, and when it is needed.

The only drawback for many users will be the cost, but this is somewhat silly when you bear in mind that the Pro filter is aimed at pro level users and that the average imageer doesn't really have a need for the advanced capabilities the editor and pro feature will afford.

Support is excellent with an extensive online help system and very active online user forums. The overall tone on the forums is one of cooperation and reveals a real sense of community, with contributors even offering to share credits with other users...

Cons. Price. Learning curve for the Filter Editor.
Pros - Easy to use. Powerful, Scalable. Excellent Support, Large number of filters.

As a tool Filter Forge really has no equal, it is more than just a single effect tool, it is a library of effects and treatments that work as both a Photoshop Plug-in and also as a stand alone application. I found it both powerful and easy to use. This is one tool any imageer, artist and photographer should have in their toolbox. Highly recommended.

NY Looking At Licensing Public Photography

An article over at the NY times is reporting that the city of New York's, Mayor's Office of Film, Theater and Broadcasting is considering a licensing scheme for folks using cameras in their City.
"New rules being considered by the would require any group of two or more people who want to use a camera in a single public location for more than a half hour to get a city permit and insurance. The same requirements would apply to any group of five or more people who plan to use a tripod in a public location for more than 10 minutes, including the time it takes to set up the equipment. Julianne Cho, assistant commissioner of the film office, said the rules were not intended to apply to families on vacation or amateur filmmakers or photographers." Tell that to an over eager jobsworth ... the potential for abuse could be there.

Adobe updates Lightroom to 1.1

Adobe have updated, Photoshop Lightroom to version 1.1. Lightroom 1.1 now including support for multiple computer workflows, assisting photographers with more than one workstation. Adobe have also improved the Noise Reduction and Sharpening algorithms adding new capabilites. Windows Vista compatibility has also arrived with certification for 32-bit editions and there is support for digital cameras, such as the Canon EOS-1D Mark III; Fuji FinePix S5 Pro; Nikon D40x; Olympus E-410 and SP-550 UZ; Ricoh Caplio GX 100; Sigma SD 14 and the Phase One H 20, H 25, P 20, P 21, P 25, P 30, and P 45. I've just downloaded my update soI'll get back to you with my review of the complete product now I've had the chance to play with the old version and the update...

REALVIZ® HDR Imaging Studio Released

REALVIZ®, have announced the availability of their REALVIZ HDR Imaging Studio solution. REALVIZ HDR Imaging Studio, combines Stitcher® 5.6, VTour 1.2 HDR and Photomatix Pro. The bundle is ideal for the creation of HDR environments for virtual reality, industrial design, special effects and video game applications.

Stitcher 5.6, enables users to build HDR panoramas and directly export them as environment maps for use in their favorite 3D package. VTour 1.2 HDR now allows digital content creators, for the first time ever, to add depth information to their HDR environment maps for Spatial Image-Based Lighting (SIBL). REALVIZ HDR Imaging Studio is available in English for Windows®. REALVIZ are currently offering 15% discount on purchases of the HDR Imaging Studio bundle until 30. June 2007. For more info visit REALVIZ

DOP Update Their Fine Art Paper Directory

Digital Outback Photography have updated their Fine Art Paper Directory. This directory represents their impressions and experiences of papers they work with. It is by no means a comprehensive directory and is highly subjected but worth a look if you want real world feedback... Visit Outback Print to read further.

Focal Press Announce A Bevy of PS CS3 & Lightroom Books

Focal Press have announce the release of several titles that are dedicated to the latest incarnation of Photoshop, CS3 and Adobe Photoshop Lightroom.

First up is Martin Evenings, Adobe Photoshop CS3 for Photographers. Which has been rewritten and completely reworked from the ground up.
As a professional photographer his book reflects the latest insight into how to get the best out of Photoshop CS3 as part of a photographic workflow. No other book puts the photographer first in this way. It's packed full of all the latest features and instructive info on key elements from configuring to automating Photoshop, to save valuable time which photographers can then spend taking images. Martin Evening passes on his famous techniques and professional experience in this commanding and authoritative, best-selling resource.

Coming this month are: How to Cheat in Photoshop CS3 by master of satirical montage, Steve Caplin, Photoshop for Video by Richard Harrington, plus Mark Galer and Philip Andrews' Photoshop CS3 Essential Skills.

In July…. Philip Andrew's Adobe Photoshop CS3 A-Z and in August… Derek Lea's Creative Photoshop: Digital Illustration and Art Techniques, covering Photoshop CS3, plus Black and White in Photoshop CS3 and Photoshop Lightroom by Leslie Alsheimer, and How to Cheat in Adobe Flash CS3 by artist and animator, Chris Georgenes.

Then in September, Richard Lynch The Adobe Photoshop Layers Book: Harnessing Photoshop's Most Powerful Tool, covering Photoshop CS3, and finally Producing Flash CS3 Video by award winning designer John Skidgel.

Should be plenty of info there to keep even the most experienced of us happy.

AKVIS Updates Noise Buster

AKVIS LLC have released Noise Buster v. 4.0, a digital image noise reduction plug-in. The new version of Noise Buster includes the ability to save user settings and presets, compatibility with Windows Vista, and a change in Mac installation instructions. V4 is now a universal binary for Macs. Registered users can download the latest version for free. Visit AKVIS for more info.

The Online Photographer Goes Dot Com

One of my favourite online photography blogs has graduated from Blog Status to a full dot com address. The site still bears many of the same features but will now most likely mature to offer even more in the way of useful info and other goodies. Good luck Mike, visit The Online Photographer for more...

Bibble Pro 4.9.8 Released

Bibble have released version 4.9.8 of their Professional Workflow and RAW Conversion software for Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux. Bibble is designed to quickly and easily let you maximize the results from most major cameras and RAW formats. Version 4.9.8 now includes support for the EOS 1D MkIII, sRAW and the Fuji S5 Pro, As well as a now healing and clone tool. Visit Bibble Labs for more info.

Canon Updates Digital Photo Professional for Windows

Canon have recently released the updated Digital Photo Professional 3.0.1a and EOS Utility 2.0b for Windows. The Digital Photo Professional 3.0.1a and EOS Utility 2.0b updaters can be downloaded from any of the compatible EOS digital SLR pages on the Canon USA website. Source - Rob Galbraith

Nikon To Unveil Next Gen DSLR?

There are rumours that Nikon are to unveil their next generation D-SLR sometime around the 26th of this month. The indication are that the camera may feature an 18MP sensor and also that the sensor will be close to full frame in size. Time will tell...

Google Acquire Panoramio

Google have announce the acquisition of Panoramio, a spanish based company that has a free photo sharing web portal. The site allows users to store up to 2 GB of info and photos so that they can record and share their journeys and vacations. The site would appear to be the perfect companion to google earth. Visit Panoramio for more info...

CS3 OS-X Firewall Bug

Oaktree Imaging have posted that there may be an issue with installing CS3 on OS-X where Version Cue on CS3 disables the firewall during installation and then fails to reactivate it on completion. Could be a real problem...

LightRoom Journal Posts Info on 1.1 Update.

Tom Hogarty, the Product Manager of both Lightroom and Adobe Camera Raw has posted some info on the timing differences of the release of the new 4.1 Camera Raw Release and the upcooming release of Lightroom 1.1. In the blog post Tom indicates that the new release will ncludemany of the features found in the new ACR update and also a lot of other improvements too. Pop on over to Lightroom Journal for more info.

Digital Restoration From Start to Finish - Review

Review by Mario Georgiou
Digital Restoration From Start to Finish - Photo-Repair.com
Author: Ctein - Ctein.com
Publisher: Focal Press - Butterworth-Heinemann/Elsevier
480 pages
ISBN: 0-240-80814-2
US $39.95 UK £24.99

Having recovered and restored many photos over the years, it was with great interest that I requested "Digital Restoration From Start to Finish" for review. It like several other titles I have recently reviewed from Focal Press are hefty and well presented reference books.

Ctein is a photographer and imageer who has served the online imaging and photo community for many years, offering both his valuable expertise and keen insights. His work in photography and computers has established him as an expert in photographic arts and technologies. He is recognised by Kodak as one of the foremost colour print makers in the world.

The book itself is an insightful and well presented work which reflects both the skill and passion Ctein has placed into his field of expertise. It begins by covering many of the tools, technologies and issues which have to be considered before beginning to repair and restore any photos. The software covered is largely cross-platform in nature; however several of the tools featured are only available for Windows.

Ctein has arranged the book to work in a kind of project centric structure so that readers can pick and chose the information they want to use. The book covers how to prepare and clean images for scanning and also provides some excellent tips on how to scan different materials for the best results.

The book continues with coverage on how to restore colour, improve skin tones, repair scratches, tears, stains and other issues. The information available is quite in depth and to be honest it might lose the less proficient imageer. As Photoshop is used throughout the book I recommend that you at least develop a decent level of familiarity with this tool.

The last sections of the book are devoted to how to profile your printer, black and white toning, display and storage of prints for longevity and digital archiving. Although pretty good these sections are a little thin on the ground and could have done with some expansion, especially in light of how detailed the rest of the reference is.

Overall I enjoyed this excellent book as I work with a lot of analogue media. However I would like to see this book rewritten in part to include media which has digital origination. That would in my mind complete this otherwise excellent volume.

Cons - Little Coverage of the process of recovering badly degraded Digital Images. No CD with images and materials for the tutorials.

Pros - Professional and extensive coverage of the issues surrounding handling old and damages materials and photos. Comprehensive. Highly Technical.

Ctein has produced an excellent reference which will teach even the most experienced of us a trick or two. It is a highly technical and comprehensive look at the issues which will affect the restoration of old and damaged images and also one which offers much in the way of effective solutions for the imageer to use in solving these problems. Highly recommended.

Filter Forge Release Photoshop Filter Suite

Filter Forge have released a suite of Photoshop Filters for creating artistic and graphical effects. The Suite comes in 3 flavours and are aimed at Graphic artists, Illustrators and Photographers. Filter Forge also allows computer artists to build their own filters through the powerful visual node based filter editor. Using this powerful tool you can easily create seamless textures, visual effects, distortions, patterns, backgrounds, frames and more. The Basic, Standard and Professional editions, priced at $99, $199 and $299 respectively, offer different features-sets for entry-level, mainstream and professional graphic artists. For more info visit Filter Forge. Some of the filters look very good and there are also many presets available in their online filter library.

Uwe Steinmueller Video on Digital Imaging Tech

Google invited Uwe Steinmueller to present a talk on non-destructive and selective editng of photos. The video is and excellent source of information and well worth watching or downloading. The video is about 60 minutes long and Google.

Public Beta of Fluid Mask 3

Vertus, announced the Public Beta of Fluid Mask 3. Fluid Mask 3 is a powerful and intuitive masking and high-quality image blending tool. Fluid Mask 3 is available as a stand-alone and Photoshop Plug-in. With Version 3 there have been enhancements with the edge detection and performance along with added improvements with blending and a new "Save Settings" option; a "Color Work Space" palette which now includes a "Color Sampler", and which enables users to select specific colors from an image and to see where else the same color appears. Also available is the "Color Work Space", a new 2-D color map enables more accurate color selection.

There are several new brush tools and an improved "Localized Edge Detection System" which enables users to perform more detailed edge finding and more refined blending. The new "Patch" system allows users to make localized changes. For more information and to download the public beta, visit Vertus Tech

Kata Release Visible Dust Sensor Loupe

Kata have announced the availability of the Visible Dust Sensor Loupe. This new, high quality magnifier is designed for inspecting DSLR sensors and allowing users to effectively clean their DSLR Sensors. For more information about this excellent unit visit http://www.visibledust.com/.

Lightzone 3.0 Released

Lightcrafts have released Lightzone 3.o. Sporting a new user interface and several new capabilities. New features include:
Working with Styles (aka templates)
History palette
New Relight tool (aka ToneMapper)
Editing of some key metadata fields
New Lift Tool

I'm very keen to give 3.0 a try but you can read more about it's new capabilities over at DOP

Akvis Enhancer 6.0 Released

Akvis have released V6 of their Enhancer plug-in for improving detail in underexposed and overexposed photos. AKVIS Enhancer draws out details by enhancing the differences between adjacent pixels that have different color and tonal values and bringing out details in the shadows, mid-tones and overexposed areas. Many of these capabilities are available in applications that support HDR based processing but Enhancer can produce excellent results using just one image.

To try out Akvis Enhancer and find out more information visit Akvis.com

Amazon Acquires DPReview

Amazon announced in this Press Release that they have acquired DPReview. As a long time reader of Phil Askeys site I can only be happy for him and pleased that his hard work has paid off... Good work, I look forward to seeing what's next...

Nik Software Announce Dfine 2.0

Nik Software have announce the availability of Version 2 of Dfine. This Noise reduction plug-in solution for Photoshop allows a great deal of selective control and features a revamped image processing core. The noise reduction capabilities are excellent and do a good job of maintaining exisiting detail and sharpness in the processed image. Other key Features and enhancements include:

The creation and sharing of your own profiles, with the use of a precise auto profiling system or through the manual creation of a noise reduction profile.

Profiles can be automatically loaded based on image EXIF data, saving time and ensuring an efficient workflow. This feature, however, requires a profile to have been created with Dfine 2.0 for a specific camera and ISO combination

Enhanced selective capabilities, include:

Control Points powered by U Point™ technology – This works via a single mouse click, where you place Control Points on an image and selectively adjust the amount of contrast (luminance) and color (chrominance) noise reduction.

Colors Ranges – by using an eyedropper tool to select colors, you can also reduce noise based on a range of colors. This method is ideal for batch processing a series of images.

Selective Tool – this works by using brushes allowing noise reduction to be applied selectively. For added control and fine detail adjustments, Dfine also supports pressure sensitive features optimized for Wacom® Pen Tablets.

Dfine 2.0 also has a newly redesigned user interface, which enables you to resize it (the interface) to match your workflow needs. The UI also features a new, unique Navigator Loupe which either shows details under the mouse or provides a bird's eye view of the current image. For more info read theDfine Press Release or the Product Page.

Lightzone 2.4

Lightzone 2.4 has been released with another great feature, which has been further enhanced for photographers, called tonemapper. The detail enhancement in Tonemapper is excellent and does an excellent job of converting Raw files which are a little soft. The new version 2.4 has also been improved with new RAW and New B&W tools.

Lightzone 2.4's RAW tool now implements an exposure slider where can sometimes recapture about +1EV for some cameras by using negative exposure. It also features color noise removal and better white balance.

For more info on how tonemapper works, visit DOP, where there is a feature article on this excellent tool...

Luminous Landscape - Learning The Language Of Our Art

Yet another interesting article from Luminious Landscape on the Language of Photography. In the article a conclusion is made, that in order to produce good photography you have to look at a lot of photography and try to learn the visual language therein. Like any language it takes time to master ... pop on over and read Michaels new essay.

Security Hole Found In Photoshop CS2 & CS3

An exploit code that could take advantage of a "highly critical" security flaw in Adobe Photoshop Creative Suite 3, as well as CS2, has been published.

The security flaw is related to the way Adobe Photoshop handles the processing of bitmap files, such as .bmp, .dib and .rle. A malicious file of these types, could allow an attacker to exploit the flaw to launch a buffer overflow attack. The resulting buffer overflow could then allow the intruder to take over the affected user's system. For more info visit silicon.com.

Photoshop Extended Awarded Vidy

John Nack mentions on his blog, that NewBay Media, the publishers of Digital Cinematography and DV Magazine have awarded Photoshop CS3 Extended their "Vidy" & "Top Innovation" awards.

Wacom Display Tablet For The Masses?

With the cintiq line of Wacom diaplay tablets costing some very heavy coinage, it was initially nice to read about the new DTF-521 Interactive Pen display. This 15 inch offering from Wacom is a lower resultion offering for users who want some pen capabilities, but who are not necessarily worrried about a great deal of precision. However I still think that for the $1,624 price tag, I can buy a pretty decent tablet pc with even more in the way of capabilities...

Apple Release Aperture 1.5.3 Update

Apple released an update to Aperture, their Digital Photographers production workflow solution. Aperture version 1.5.3 includes improvement for the software’s overall reliability and performance. According to Apple, key additions and improvements include:

The Generation of thumbnails for adjusted images
Entering and exiting Full Screen mode
Working with large sets of keywords in the Keywords HUD
Restoring from a vault...

Among the specific issues that have been addressed:
Previews now update properly when images are sent to an external editor.- Leaf Aptus 22 and Aptus 75 images are now imported with the correct orientation.
When folders are imported as projects, the folder structure is now correctly preserved when identically named subfolders are included in the hierarchy.
Reconnecting referenced images that have been externally edited now works more reliably.
Setting the ColorSync profile in the Aperture Print dialog now correctly suppresses color management settings in the Mac OS X Print dialog.

Visit Apple for more information and to download the update.

Optical Heterodyning - Focus Correction

Engineers at Mitsubishi Electric have announced that they developed a special coded aperture that refocuses an image after it’s been taken. In the system which is called a “heterodyne light field camera,” the depth of field is increased by as much as 10 times. This is a vast improvement over the handheld plenoptic camera concept that refocuses an image after its capture using software, but which produced an image so reduced is resolution that it lost any real benefit.

Optical Looks promising but also has shortfalls, please visit Refocus Photos for more info on the project and also Deblurring Flutter Shutter Camera on another interesting development from the same team.

Adobe Releases Camera Raw 4.0 and DNG Converter Updates

Adobe have posted updates to Camera Raw and their free DNG Converter today. This update supports the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ8. However, if you are using Photoshop CS2, you should not install Camera Raw 4.0.

According to Adobe, "This version of the Camera Raw plug-in is provided by default with the Photoshop CS3 application and replaces the original Camera Raw plug-in that was installed with Photoshop Elements 4.0 (Mac Only), Photoshop Elements 5.0 and Premiere Elements 3.0. The Camera Raw 4.0 plug-in is not compatible with versions of Photoshop earlier than Photoshop CS3 or versions of Photoshop Elements earlier than Photoshop Elements 5.0 for Windows and Photoshop Elements 4.0 for Mac."

Visit the following pages for the Mac and Windows version.

Uninstall CS3 Betas Before Installing CS3 Release

Yep, it's official, CS3 is shipping and Adobe are cautioning those who were on the Beta Test program for the Suite, that they should ensure that they uninstall the Beta Versions completely before installing the Shipping version of the Suite.

Alien Skin Announces Mac Universal Updates

Alien Skin is now shipping Macintosh Universal updates for all our Photoshop plug-ins. These updates are for users running Photoshop CS3 on Intel-based Macs. There Registered users may receive free updates for any Alien Skin plug-ins purchased on or after January 1, 2007. All other customers may purchase updates at $19.99 each for up to three titles; additional titles beyond three are free of charge. For more information visit Alien Skin.

Adobe Begin Shipping CS3

Adobe have commenced shipping CS3, Quite how many folks will upgrade initially remains to be seen, however I've heard from a few designers that the price here in the UK is quite a barrier. Many are thinking about buying grey market US versions. Can't say I blame them... For more information on the release visit Adobe.

Moorman Polaroid For Sale On eBay

The assassination of President John F. Kennedy has to be one of the most famous events in world history. One of the key pieces of evidence is the “Moorman Polaroid” which along with the “Zapruder Film” shows JFK at the moment he was assassinated.

This photo what shot by Dallas resident Mary Ann Moorman on November 22, 1963 and in the shot you can also see the famous grassy knoll and Abraham Zapruder as he is making his previously mentioned home movie of the assassination. Ms. Moorman can funny enough be clearly seen in the Zapruder film as the lady wearing the blue coat.

This historical photo was shot with a Polaroid Land Camera Model 80A and although not in the best of conditions, you can still clearly make out what happens in the famous image. The large thumb print you can see over the rear of the car and one of the motorcycle police was a result of handling during the official investigation back in 1963.

Ms. Moorman and Legend Sales are placing the photo up for auction on eBay starting on Monday. Legend Sales are saying that the auction will run for 10 days, and that they are expecting the photo to bring in between $500K and 2 Million dollars. Ms. Moorman herself will authenticate the Photo. Thanks to Shane McGlaun at i4u for the lead.

PDN Artistic Wedding Photography Gallery

Thnanks to Rob Galbraith I was introduced to a feature at Photo District News which features a gallery of artistic and innovative wedding photography. These photos were winners in their fourth annual Top Knots wedding photography contest. Some stunning work...

OnOne Software Announce Photoframe 3.1 Update

OnOne Software have announced that the PhotoFrame Pro 3.1 update is available as a free download for all registered users of PhotoFrame Pro 3. The Photoshop plug-in provides photographers with thousands of frame and matte selections that add that extra bit of final detail to any digital image.

PhotoFrame Pro 3 allows imageers to apply a wide variety of edge effects to any picture. The choices for customisation with PhotoFrame Pro 3 are extensive and varied. The available selection of border and edge effects such as drop shadows, bevel, glow, border and texture are also impressive.

For more info please visit http://www.ononesoftware.com/

Pentax and Hoya Merger Scrapped

Pentax and Hoya issued a joint statement in december declaring their intention to merge in a share-swap. Pentax has announced that it is to scrap this plan, Pentax president Fumio Urano resigned today over this issue. Takashi Watanuki will take over as president of Pentax. Hoya's board subsequently confirmed they will continue to negotiate for a takeover bid. Interesting times indeed...

NAPP Announces 2007 Guru Award Winners

The National Association of Photoshop Professionals announced the winners of their 2007 Guru Award for the East Coast in Boston. I found the page where these winners were posted to be somewhat disappointing as I couldn't get a better look at the images. However, several of the images, stood out amongst their peers. Namely; "Stewart Island" by Scott Montgomery, "A Day in the Life" by Laura Behnke and "Molokai Infrared" by Judy Morse.

The Guru Awards were created exclusively to recognize the innovation and creativity of attendees of the Photoshop World Conference. I would love to see what some of the other entrants work was like...

Andy Frazer On Night Photography

Andy Frazer is a photographer who has a passion for nocturnal shooting. His photography is centred around abandoned buildings, the urban landscape and the ocean. In his bios he indicates that he is not afraid of the dark, and doesn't like watching television at night. We've previously mentioned his blog in one of our Around the Web spots, however his blog and work are well worth taking a look at. Visit The Night Photography Blog

ILEX Announce The Photographers Eye

Michael Freeman will shortly have a new title released by ILEX Press. "The Photographers Eye" is a book which delves into the mystery of how photographers select their subject matter. The book promises to look at concepts, techniques and also to use case studies and examples to demonstrate each concept. I've enjoyed other books by Michael and I am looking forward to picking this one up too. For more info visit ILEX.

Creative Suite Pricing Petition

Danielle Libine has created an online petition requesting that Adobe revise their pricing for Europe. The petition is one of a number of complaints that have been aimed at international companies which charge more for their products in Europe. In this global market I can't see why a company which doesn't have to pay any more for the products they are selling, to try and gouge us folks in Europe. The fact that products are being sold to us Europeans at close to twice the price of what they are sold for in the US.

DOP Interview Roman Loranc

Digital Outback Photo conducted an interview with classic B&W photographer Roman Loranc in his studio in Modesto, CA. His photos of the California Central Valley and his amazing photos of Polish churches are something to behold. Some of his images can be viewed at, and the interview can be downloaded and listened to, at outbackphoto.com.

Digital Infrared Travel Photography Feature

Professional Photographer magazine have posted a feature on Infrared based travel photography by Joe Farace. I've always had a fascination of near visible light based photography and the effects it has on everyday objects, flora and fauna especially. The online article can be found here and contains many useful hints and tips. The images in the article are also very useful references for those who want to see what is achievable. There are also some very useful links contained in the article.

Shorpy's 100 Year Old Photo Blog

Ok, so it's not really 100 years old, but the Blog is named after Shorpy Higginbotham, a boy who worked in an Alabama coal mine, near the turn of the century (19th century that is). The site has the look of a turn of the century newspaper. Visit Shorpy and take a look ... some quite interesting photos.

Breeze Systems

Breeze Systems have released Downloader Pro 2.0, which is a major upgrade to their powerful yet simple tool for transferring digital photos from camera to PC. New features in Downloader Pro 2.0, include automatic geo-tagging, the creation of track log files for GPS data, the ability to view thumbnails on a memory card and IPTC XMP data support. Visit Breeze Systems for more info...

Alien Skin Eye Candy Effects Collection

Alien Skin Software have released the Eye Candy Effects Collection , which bundles Eye Candy 5: Impact, Eye Candy 5: Nature, Eye Candy 5: Textures, Xenofex 2, and Snap Art plug-ins for Adobe Photoshop and other photoshop plug-in compatible applications. The Eye Candy Effects Collection includes 54 special effects filters with over 1000 presets.

These filters allow digital artists and graphic designers to create chrome, fire, smoke, lightning, clouds, comics and dozens of other effects with a single click.

These plug-in can be downloaded, including 30 day demos, at the Alien Skin Website. The Eye Candy Effects Collection retails for $399.

Third Public Beta of Photo Mechanic 4.5

Camera Bits have released the third public beta of Photo Mechanic 4.5 for Windows and Mac. Changes include a number of small bug fixes and feature tweaks; The v4.5 beta will expire on April 5th at which time the full release will most likely be available. Betas with such short longevity aren't really Betas in my mind, but are more pre-release teasers. Visit the download page for more info.

Adobe & European Pricing Issues

It seems that Adobe have also not woken up to the fact that people are not happy with their pricing policy. Prodig are reporting that European pricing is up twice that of the US prices. Come on Adobe, how can this be encouraging a fair market. you're going to be driving more people to buy grey market or dare, I even say it, Pirating your software.

Adobe Creative Suite 3 Design Premium Upgrade
US £224 / $440
UK £465 / $912

Adobe Creative Suite 3 Design Premium Full
US £916 / $1,799
UK £1,409 / $2,766

According to Prodig, "Members of the AOP, EPUK, Hasselblad and German Freelance forums have all joined the bandwagon demanding reasons why pricing can be up to double that in the US." Come on, don't make us pay more because we're not American or you think you can get away with it ... I smell an investigation from the fair trade agencies...

Canon Updates Digital Camera Software

Rob Galbraith has posted an announcement that Canon have posted updates for almost all of the applications they bundle with their line of digital SLR models. He indicates that they have also released the Canon RAW Codec Version 1.0 for Windows Vista which helps address support issues for Raw files on the New windows OS.

Updaters are available for Digital Photo Professional 3.0, EOS Utility 2.0 and ImageBrowser 5.8b/ZoomBrowser EX 5.8b, as well as a full installer for RAW Codec 1.0, which can be downloaded from any of the recent-model Canon digital SLR pages on Canon's Web Self-Service System website. For the updaters to run, you must have earlier versions of Canon digital SLR software installed.

PhotoZoom Pro 2 now available

BenVista have released PhotoZoom Pro 2.2 for both Windows and Mac OS X. Benvista have added improvements and additional features to PhotoZoom Pro 2, which was originally released in August 2006. PhotoZoom Pro 2.2 uses the S-Spline XL resizing technique, which is unique to the PhotoZoom software range. Having used previous versions of this software I can attest to its usefulness and capabilities.

PhotoZoom Pro 2 comes as both a standalone application and as an export plugin for Adobe Photoshop. The plugin version is compatible with Photoshop CS3 and both it and the standalone version are Universal Binaries for Mac OS X.

PhotoZoom Pro 2.2 can be downloaded directly from Benvista, it is also available as a free update for registered PhotoZoom Pro 2 users.

Image Stack Feature WOW...

Photoshop Extended, looks to be a pretty cool tool ... John Nack and Martin Evening have come up with a cool video which demonstrates how to use the feature to remove undesired people from scenes using a series of images and the3 new image stach feature. I was impressed, extremely so... visit here for the movie and here for the full article... thanks for this one to prodig.

Adobe Photoshop CS3

Adobe announced their new CS3 configurations. Adobe Photoshop CS3 will ship in two versions and included many new features. The new "Extended" version has all of the features of the standard version of Photoshop CS3, but also features capabilities for 3-D, motion graphics, image measurement and analysis. Both editions are available as stand-alone applications or as part of the Creative Suite 3 Production bundles.Adobe Photoshop CS3 and Photoshop CS3 Extended will begin shipping in April 2007 for estimated prices of $649 and $999, respectively.

Outback Print Launched

DOP (Digital Outback Photo) have launched a new site called Outback Print. In their own words...

Like many photographers we do all the work to get a good print. The new site will be able to focus more and in depth on the complex subject of printing.

We also invite all readers to help us with useful information to make this site a central place on Fine Art Printing for Photographers. There is a lot to learn and many techniques to share. Let's go to work!

If DOP is anything to go by, it should be another must visit web site for serious photographers and artists.

Perceptual and Real Colour

I just wanted to say a big thank you to DOP who pointed out an excellent post by Howard Grill. The post, which is titled "What is Real?" talks about the way we perceive colour. Howard discusses an onsite workshop given by Alain Briot and Uwe and Bettina Steinmueller at Antelope Canyon. I won't go into any more detail, it's worth a read.

Digital Outback Photo Post Zion Portfolio

DOP have posted a portfolio of photographs taken with a Canon EOS 5D and 1Ds MKII. Zion is one of my favourite places in the world and it is certainly one of the most beautiful, and as the subject matter of this portfolio, it's definitely worth popping over to check out the photos. The images in the gallery were processed using a combination of Lightroom, LightZone, Photoshop and several plug-ins.

Lightroom Review At Digital Camera Review

Ben Stafford has posted a brief review of Lightroom over at Digital Camera Review. The review echoes what many photographers and other professional users are saying. I just received a copy on the 20th, and am looking forward to fully putting it through it's paces. I'm impressed so far with whay I've seen, look for a review soon.

Andromeda Offering Discounts

Long time Photoshop Plug-in manufacturers, andromeda are offering discounts on their Plug-ins bundles for Photoshop. Pop on over to Andromeda to find out more about their offers and to sign up to their newsletter. I'm hoping to see some updates to their excellent software suites.

Lightzone Discounted For Lightroom, Aperture & iPhoto Users

The title just about says it all, Lightcrafts have decided to discount their cool photo editing system for users of Adobe Photoshop Lightroom, and Apples Aperture and iPhoto Software. LightZone Basic and LightZone 2.0 can be downloaded at LightCrafts.com. LightZone Basic is available at an introductory price of $99.95 for Lightroom and Aperture users until June 30, 2007. LightZone 2.0 is offered at $249.95.

Camera Bits Announces Photo Mechanic™ 4.5 Update

Version 4.5 of Photo Mechanic, has enhanced support for IPTC Data. A user can choose to encode IPTC characters as either Unicode (UTF-8), or with a specific character encoding (e.g. Mac Cyrillic) depending on their preferences or their location.

According to the their press release, the new features in Photo Mechanic 4.5 include:

New resizable IPTC/XMP dialogs that also include additional IPTC and XMP fields such as Location, Scene, Subject Code, Intellectual Genre, Rights Usage, and Contact Info fields.

Ability to arrange photos in an arbitrary order, including across multiple folders.

A five star rating system, compatible with other applications such as Adobe Bridge, in addition to the existing color class labels. Plus a Remap command to convert color class labels to star ratings or vice-versa.

A new Live Slide Show command to watch a folder for incoming photos and display these in a slide show.

Optional sharpening of thumbnails and previews within Photo Mechanic and for JPEGs exported with HTML.

A new Show Map command to plot a photo with embedded GPS coordinates in a window using Google maps. *

Customizable multi-line thumbnail labels.

Tabbed contact sheet windows with the ability to move tabs within a window or to other windows (Mac only; the Windows version already has a single tabbed window).
A new tool for converting IPTC metadata between various character encodings (e.g. from Mac Roman to Microsoft Latin1+Euro) or to Unicode (UTF-8).

A new Ingest Progress window that combines all active ingest processes.

Preliminary support for Microsoft Windows Vista.

Version 4.5 of Photo Mechanic is available as a free update for users who purchased licenses for Photo Mechanic on or after March 1, 2006 (or March 1, 2005 for educational licenses). Upgrades to Version 4.5 from older 4.x licenses will cost US$90. New licenses for Photo Mechanic cost US$150. For more info visit www.camerabits.com.

DOP Article On Getting Highlights and Shadows Right

DOP have published an excellent essay by George Barr on a technique for maximising detail in the highlights and shadows of your images. It works well with images that appear to have blown out areas. Visit outbackphoto to view the essay, you wont regret it.

New Releases From Lightroom and Photomatix

Lightcrafts have released Lightzone Version 2.3, which centres on integration with Lightroom, Aperture and iPhoto. One of the best new features is the new black and white tool which has a number of enhancements over the old tool and also retains luminosity values independant of any filters used. I'm not certain how this works but I'll look into it for more clarification. For more info visit lightcrafts.com

Photomatix have released Version 2.4 of their HDRI Pro tool. Form more info visit http://www.hdrsoft.com/ ... The update includes a numbers of improvements and bug fixes.

Post PMA Camera Reviews

Although the period during PMA and Focus on Imaging 2007, was rich with new product releases. In-depth reviews have only just started to appear for a majority of the models announced. Some of the reviews look very interesting, However I'm still waiting to see an in-depth review of the new Sigma and Canon models.

Around The Web - March 2007

It has been another quiet day in digital imaging land, However instead of trying to find news I figured I'd share some more of my favourite photo amd imaging based websites.

The Online Photographer - An excellent, well written and informative blog on the art, craft and science of photography. One of the best in the world.

Night Photography Blog - From Andy Frazer, it is one of the best sites specialising in nocturnal and low light photography. Some interesting and informative articles.

Lightroom Killer Tips - a Blog from the NAPP and Adobe promoting education and information on the excellent RAW Image and Photography Workflow application from Adobe.

OS X 10.4.9 Update Adds New RAW Support To Aperture.

Apple have included a slew of improvements and additions to OS-X which adds the following support to Aperture:

Adds support for the RAW image formats of these third-party cameras: Leaf Aptus 17, Leaf Aptus 22, Leaf Aptus 65, Leaf Aptus 75, Leaf Valeo 11, Leaf Valeo 17, Leaf Valeo 22, Leica Digilux 3, Nikon D40, Pentax K10D, Pentax K110D, Pentax K100D, Panasonic Lumix DMC-L1, Samsung GX-1L.
Improved Spot & Patch results: The update contains changes to Core Image that improve the visual correctness of images using Spot & Patch adjustment.
Reduces issues of temporary "black" Viewer: Mac OS X 10.4.9 addresses several issues that could cause the Viewer to temporarily turn black when displaying adjusted images.
GPS metadata is preserved when image versions are exported.
Incorporates all RAW file format compatibility and other imaging issues originally addressed in Digital Camera RAW Support Update 1.0.1. This update improved RAW file format compatibility for the Canon Digital Rebel XTi / 400D / Kiss X Digital, Nikon D80, and Pentax *ist DS. It also addressed the following issues: Handling of large Canon RAW files (.CRW); DNG compatibility on Intel-based Macs; Lines sometimes appearing in images exported from Aperture.

Visit Apple for more information, the Mac OS X 10.4.9 update is available via the operating system's Software Update mechanism, or as standalone updaters for Intel and PowerPC computers.

Printing Photos On Chocolate

Imaging Resources Dave Etchells reported on a technology demonstrated at PMA which facilitates the printing of photos on chocolate and candy. The idea isn't new, but chocolography have perfected the process, which uses FDA approved food dyes. As novel an idea as this is, I've personally been involved in far more interesting technologies involving chocolate and candies, namely Holography. Back in 1995, I was involved in a company in Toronto which was involved in creating holographic images on Chocolate... Yes, Hologram carrying chocolates. Cool or what?

DxO Optics Announce Standalone FilmPack

DxO announced a stand-alone version 1.1 of FilmPack at PMA 2007. This software adjusts digital images to match images shot on certain kinds of film. DxO ensured that FilmPack performs exact transformations based on specific cameras. I'm going to give it a try, I'm wondering if their using something like colormetric based remapping... Pop on over to DxO and try it out.

ArcSoft Release Cut-It-Out

ArcSoft released their Cut-It-Out Photoshop Plug-in for Creating Selection Masks. Cut-It-Out is a new plug-in that allows users to remove objects in digital photos from their backgrounds, creating a mask. The plug-in, is easy to use, fast and also very accurate. Cut-It-Out is avaialble for US$99.99, visit ArcSoft for more information.

ACDSee Pro 2.0 Open Beta

ACD Systems have announced their intention to release an open beta of ACDSee Pro 2.0. The beta of version 2 is promising; improved handling of RAW files, batch processing, and much, much more.

PMA 2007 Show Picks

The PMA 2007 show has proved to be an interesting event in that it really didn't seem to break many major milestones. However there were a few gems on show.

On the Hardware front, we saw a New D-SLR from Canon - the 1D MKIII, which features exceptionally fast shooting speeds, an immense image buffer, a Live View LCD, the EOS Integrated Cleaning System, a lens magnification factor of 1.3x and other features a photojournalist would kill for. Pentax Showed a 645 based D-SLR which would make most studio photographers salivate, but provided no firm date on delivery. Sigma showed their new Foveon chip based SD14 DSLR, another technology worth further investigation, equally interesting was the DP1 point and shoot they showed, which features the same sensor as the SD14. Canon also introduced the 9500, and A3 printer with 10 pigmented inks and another 24" printer with 12 pigmented inks.

On the Software front, Adobe showed the release version of Adobe Photoshop Lightroom, which is winning fans all over the place with its designed for photographers workflow capabilities. Adobe also announced that there will be two versions of Photoshop CS3, one for existing users and an enhanced version for scientific and advanced imaging applications.

All told, it appears that there were some new products that were well worth the trip to Vegas ... maybe next year, I'll actually attend.

Better Light Introduce 416 MP Digital Back

BetterLight have demonstrated the 416-megapixel Super10K-HS model at PMA in Las Vegas. The Super10K-HS is not so much a digital camera, but more of a "scanning back" that work with large-format cameras and lenses. The Capture devices are seen as being aimed at recording paintings and other intricate and highly detailed stationary artworks. The recording of anything at the full resolution of 416-megapixel resolution takes upwards of two minutes meaning that the camera is only suited for controlled and vibration free environments. The 10,200 x 13,600 pixel result will provide a finished image size of around 794MB. At a starting price of $22,995, I'm surprised it's so low. No doubt this price doesn't include the camera body, glass and vibration free platform.

Sigma Announce DP1 Full Spec Compact

The DP1 has the same 14 megapixel FOVEON X3, APS-C sized image sensor which is used in their SD14 DSLR. It also has hot-shoe for attaching a dedicated external flash and new external viewfinder. It also has a 2.5-inch, 230k pixel resolution LCD monitor, CF slot, and is described by Sigma, as the "world's first full-spec compact.." If it perform like other foveon based cameras, I just might consider this as a replacement for my point and shoot Canon IXUS 750.