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