Photokina 2008 round-up

This year's Photokina looks to have been one of the busiest ever. With new releases and some interesting developments, I'm looking forward to what the next year will bring in the way of both software and hardware. The barriers between technologies are now looking greyer than ever as convergence is continuing to be something to be reckoned with. Several DSLRs are now offering super high pixel counts and HD quality video. This is a feature which you will no doubt see more of as journalists start using the cameras which combine photo & video in one chassis. You'll no doubt start seeing the top range models incorporating this feature as well.

The resolution issue is rapidly disappearing and as good as the capabilities and potential of non-Bayer-based technologies appear to be (e.g., Foveon), I've yet to see anything approaching the pixel counts of conventional chip technologies in these competing systems. There were, however, several new professional and medium format type cameras featuring resolutions which were in the 50 megapixel area.

For the average person the capabilties of their camera phone is proving to be a real winner, because requirements are being met more than adequately. Apple have fallen behind here because the iPhone is way behind the resolution camera phone standard of 5 megapixels. Newer mobile phones are incorporating video more and more and again convergence is making its presence felt. I mention mobiles because many sites have remarked on the reduction in the number of compact digicams being shown. To be honest I've alway felt there were way too many models offered, the less-is-more school being my favored approach to dealing with the market. Manufacturers have been forced to pay attention and adapt.

Hardware seems to have been the primary focus for a lot of the coverage from other sites, but there has also been a lot of activity in areas of software and services aimed at both the amateur and professional photographer. One growth area has been print-on-demand sevices and products where many photographers are now able to produce short run editions of their photography in bound and folio versions. There has also been much movement in large format output services, making it easy for photographers and imageers to reproduce their work for resale and display. Photokina had a number of these service providers present and showing their wares and services.

The growth in the number of software solutions on offer for handling RAW files and processing images is now making it a real chore to try and figure out which way to go, when picking tools to work with. Adobe (Photoshop CS 4, Photoshop Elements 6 & 7, Lightoom), Corel (Paint Shop Pro), Apple (Aperture) and many others (e.g., Nik Software, ACD Systems, etc., etc.), announced and/or showed their photography workflow and editing tools.

We’re not going to attempt to even look into things in too much depth, as there were over 1600 exhibitors at Photokina this year, but we will cover as much as we can.


Adobe Corp
Adobe have released a whole range of new products including both consumer and pro level tools. At the consumer end they have released Adobe Photoshop Elements 7 and Premiere Elements 7, both of which offer some innovative ways for consumers to interact and work with their content. At the pro level they have released CS4 of their toolkit. This of course includes the latest versions of Photoshop Creatuve Suite 4 and CS4 Extended. New features include enhanced 3D support, tabbed document Windows, enhanced support in Bridge, enhanced viewing & handling of panoramic content, and faster application start-up.


BenQ
BenQ showed their E1050 which is according to them the world’s slimmest camera with a 3-inch LCD screen.


Canon
This year's offering from Canon has seen some of my past predictions come true. I'm a current user of the Canon 5D and with the Mk II introduced and seeing what it has to offer I've gottten itchy with anticipation. The combination of high ISO and enhanced resolution, combined with 1080P video capture is burning a hole in my wallet. Canon have also introduced the following new products;

Digital SLRs
Canon EOS 50D

Lenses
Canon EF 24 mm F1.4L II
Canon EF-S 18-200 F3.5-F5.6 IS

Consumer Digicams
Canon PowerShot SX1 IS
Canon PowerShot SX10 IS
Canon PowerShot G10
Canon PowerShot SD990 IS / IXUS 980 IS
Canon PowerShot SD880 IS / IXUS 870 IS
Canon PowerShot SX110IS
Canon PowerShot E1
Canon PowerShot A2000 IS
Canon PowerShot A1000 IS


Carl Zeiss
Carl Zeiss showed the compact Tele-Tessar T* 4/85 ZM, which is a new addition to the ZM line of rangefinder camera lenses. They also showed their Distagon T* 2.8/21 - 21mm super wide angle lens for SLR cameras. Carl Zeiss are also expanding their manual focus SLR lenses to include the Canon EF mount on the new ZE range.


Casio
Casio intro'd a number of consumer digicams including the Casio Exilim EX-Z85, Exilim EX-Z300, Exilim EX-Z250 and the Exilim EX-FH20.


Epson
Epson showcased a variety of products including their portable storage solutions, the P-6000 and P-7000. They also showed the brand new Artisan line of all-in-one inkjet printers including the Artisan 800 and 700. The Epson Stylus NX100/NX200/NX300 all-in-one consumer models were also on show. For those of you who have stuff to scan the Epson Perfection V300 was presented as a unit to consider with its 4800 x 9600 dpi maximum hardware resolution, 48-bit color scanning and 3.2 dynamic range.


Fujifilm
Fuji intro'd their new FinePix 3D which is a twin lens/sensor camera and print/display system which allows recording and display of 3D images. Fuji also showed the latest version of Super CCD, EXR, using a new color filter array to improve pixel binning which offers the twin benefits of high resolution and expanded dynamic range. They did show the following new Consumer Digicams:

Fujifilm FinePix F60fd
Fujifilm FinePix S2000HD
Fujifilm FinePix J150W
Fujifilm FinePix J110W
Fujifilm FinePix J120
Fujifilm FinePix J100


GE
GE showed their A1030, a slim 10 megapixel digicam which has a 2.5 inch LCD screen, 3x optical zoom and uses AA batteries. The E1055W features a 10 megapixels sensor, wide-angle 5x zoom lens and a 3-inch LCD screen. GE also showed the E1050TW which in addition to a 3.0" touch screen LCD and 28 mm wide-angle, 5x zoom lens, offers 1280 x 720 pixel HD movie recording, plus Face, Blink and Smile detection functions.


Kodak
Just to prove that film isn't completely dead Kodak showed their Professional Ektar 100 a new ISO 100 smooth-grain color film which has high saturation and ultra-vivid color, and offers the finest, smoothest grain of any color negative film available today.


LaCie
LaCie showed their 730, 724 and 720 Monitors which offer Ultra-wide gamuts of up to 123 percent of Adobe RGB colorspace. A must see for anyone involved in imaging and photography.


Leaf
Leaf have intro'd a number of medium format cameras and digital camera backs. These are the AFi-II 10, 7 and 6 digital medium format cameras and the related Aptus-II 10, 7 and 6 digital backs. The AFi-II 7 and 10 feature the first 90° tilting LCD screens. The AFi-II 10 and Aptus-II 10 uses a 56 megapixel, 56 x 36mm sensor. The AFi-II 7 and Aptus-II 7 use a 33 megapixel, 48 x 36mm sensor, whilst the AFi-II 6 and Aptus-II 6 use a 28 megapixel, 44 x 33mm sensor. All of the new cameras/backs feature 3.5" touch screen LCD displays, 12 stop dynamic range, a 50-800 ISO range and 16-bit output. Another new feature is Leaf Verto which is an internal sensor rotation dial on the side and bottom of the AFi-II 7 and 10 that allows photographers to rotate the sensor without removing the digital back.


Leica
Leica showcased their new S2 Digital SLR which features a larger medium format 37 megapixel sensor. This camera is about the size of the Canon 1DS MKIII. Leica's other camera and lens offerings were somewhat overshadowed by this camera, but include the digital rangefinder based Leica M8.2 and the D-LUX 4 and C-LUX 3 consumer digicams. Leica also showed the Leica NOCTILUX-M 50 mm f /1, SUMMILUX-M 21 mm f / 1.4 ASPH, SUMMILUX-M 24mm f / 1.4 ASPH and the ELMAR-M 24 mm f / 3.8 ASPH as well as some prototypes including the rather nice looking 30mm Tilt & Shift CS lens.


Lensbaby
Lensbaby showed three new lenses called Composer, Muse and Control Freak. The Muse and Control Freak replace the current Lensbaby Original, 2.0 and 3G lenses. The Composer is interesting in that it features a ball & socket type assembly, which according to Lensbaby offers greater precision and ease of use. All the new lenses feature a new Optic Swap System which allows the user to choose from four interchangeable optics — double glass, single glass, plastic and Pinhole — and which also extend the future capabilities of the system.


Mamiya
Mamiya unveiled the ZDb digital back and the recently announced 645 AF DIII featuring their 22 megapixel Dalsa CCD sensor. Mamiya also showed some of its high-end glass including the new leaf shutter based Sekor AF 80mm F2.8 D L/S and their Mamiya Remote Capture software.


Microsoft
Microsoft showed the recently released Photosynth. This innovative product allows the association of images to create 3D scenes. Photosynth allows you to relate these images and analyses each image for similarities. Photosynth then uses this data to build a 3D model of where the photos were taken.


Minox
Minox showed the DC 1033 a 10 megapixel digicam with 5x zoom lens and the Minox DCC Leica M3 Gold Edition which is a 5 megapixel digicam based on the Leica M3 featuring a striking design in black and gold.


Nikon
Nikon sort of jumped the gun with its product announcements but its showing didn't disappoint. Nikon showed their new D90 DSLR featuring a 12.3 MP CMOS sensor and the D3/D300/D700's 3.0-inch screen with live view and continuous shooting at up to 4.5 frames per second, and 720P high definition video mode. Nikon also showed several other products, including:

Consumer Digicams
Nikon Coolpix P6000
Nikon Coolpix S710
Nikon Coolpix S610c
Nikon Coolpix S610
Nikon Coolpix S560
Nikon Coolpix S60

Lenses
Nikon 18-105 mm F3.5-F5.6G VR


Olympus
Olympus surprised a lot of folks at Photokina with a mock-up of their Micro Four Thirds camera concept. The mockup measured around 4.7" x 2.5" x 1.2" and looks like it'll appeal to a lot of folks who want something versatile but compact. Olympus also showed another prototype of a DSLR which will fit between the E-520 and E-3 models. They also showed several consumer digicams in the form of the 10 megapixel Mju/Stylus 1050SW and the 10 megapixel Mju/Stylus 1040. At the lower end they showed three new 'FE' models; the FE-20, FE-360 and FE-370.


Panasonic
Amongst its product showcase Panasonic showed its new Micro 4/3 Camera, the Panasonic DMC-G1 and several new lenses including the 14-45mm/F3.5-5.6/O.I.S. and the 45-200mm/F4.0-5.6/ O.I.S, and a Micro Four Thirds adapter.


Pentax
Pentax showcased its brand new K2000(K-m) and the associated lenses. This camera features an image stabilized 10 megapixel sensor and is small, light and easy to use. Pentax showed the following lenses: the DA 60-250mm F4 ED IF SDM, the DA 55mm F1.4 SDM, the DA 15mm F4 ED AL Limited, the DA L 18-55mm F3.5-5.6AL and the DA L 50-200mm F4-5.6AL. They also showed the DA 1.4X REAR CONVERTER SDM prototype.


PhaseOne
Lens Sep 4 PhaseOne 45 mm F 3.5 TS


Sigma
Sigma showed its SD15 Digital SLR and the worthy Sigma DP2 consumer digicam, both of which feature sensors based on Foveon technology. Sigma showed a number of lenses including the 24-70mm F2.8 EX DG HSM, the 50mm F1.4 EX DG HSM, 4.5mm F2.8 EX DC HSM Fisheye Lens, 10mm F2.8 EX DC HSM Fisheye Lens and the Sigma APO 1.4x EX DG and Sigma APO 2x EX DG Tele Converters. Sigma also showed the Macro EM-140 DG flash for Pentax and Sony.


Sinar
Sinar showed their Hy6 65 medium format system which includes the eSprit65 back which is first to produce DNG files onboard. Sinar also showed a dedicated architecture camera, the arTEc, which was developed in collaboration with architecture photographer Rainer Viertlboeck. The 1.5Kg, relatively compact camera offers +/- 5 degree tilt, rotatable through 360 degrees and +25mm/-15mm shift vertically and +/-20mm horizontally. The Sinar eXposure software developed with architecture photography in mind is available from the company's website.


Sony
Digital SLRs
Sony Alpha 900 [preview]

Consumer Digicams
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T700
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T77
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T500

Lenses
Sony SAL1635ZA
Sony SAL70400G


Tamron
Lens Sep 2 Tamron SP AF90 mm F2.8 Di Macro
Lens Sep 2 Tamron SP AF10-24 mm Di II
Lens Sep 2 Tamron SP AF70-200 mm F2.8 Di LD IF Macro [review]
Lens Sep 2 Tamron SP AF18-270 mm Di II VC


Tokina
Lens Sep 24 Tokina 16.5-135mm F3.5-5.6 [review]


Zeiss
Lens Sep 19 Zeiss Distagon T* 2.8/21
Lens Sep 15 Zeiss Planar T* 1.4/50
Lens Sep 15 Zeiss Planar T* 1.4/85


On the storage front there have been a few new developments but nothing noteworthy speedwise. The biggest advances have been in the way of storage capacity and format.

Delkin
Delkin released its new USB external 4X Blue-Ray Disc drive and a line of archival quality Blu-ray discs. The discs have 25GB capacity and purportedly have a 200 year lifespan. A 25GB disk can be burned in 30 minutes using this drive.


Kingston
Kingston released its 32GB Class 4 SDHC card.


Lexar
Lexar 16 GB UDMA CF card


Pretec
Pretec 64 GB CompactFlash, 233x
Pretec 100 GB CompactFlash, 233x
Pretec 32 GB CompactFlash, 333x
Pretec 32 GB CompactFlash, 333x


SanDisk
SanDisk showed their new Extreme III 32 GB CF card, Extreme IV 16 GB CF card and the Extreme III SDHC card.


Digital Foci
Digital Foci announced Photo Safe II, a portable storage solution which can act as a portable card reader and USB hard drive. It copys all data off memory cards including RAW and video files.


Lenovo
ThinkPad W300


Lowepro
Lowepro announced a number of bags including the Terraclime; The PrimusMinimus AW and CompuPrimus AW which are made from 51 percent recycled materials. The compact PrimusMinimus can haul a DSLR with a moderate-range zoom attached in addition to one or two extra lenses. The CompuPrimus AW, which has space for a DSLR, up to five lenses, and features a laptop compartment large enough for a 15.4" notebooks, The Primus line feature an all-weather cover and tripod attachment hardware. Also new is the Flipside 400 backpack which will easily fit a DSLR with pro-grade zoom and up to six extra lenses, the SlingShot 330 AW which is a side-opening bag that can accommodate a DSLR and several lenses alongside a 15" laptop.

The most comprehensive coverage of the show can be found at http://www.photokina-show.com/ which has been put together by LetsGoDigital.

Canon Eos 5D Mark II

The 21.1 megapixel EOS 5D Mark II is Canon’s first DSLR camera to offer a High Definition video capability. The new camera features a newly designed Canon CMOS sensor with ISO sensitivity up to 25600, a new DIGIC 4 processor, a 3.0” Clear View LCD with VGA resolution, and 3.9 frames per second continuous shooting. The HD Capture Mode features a full 1080 resolution at 30fp for up to 30 minutes video or 4GB whichever comes first.

The EOS 5D Mark II has a body-only price SRP of $2,699 / €2,499 / £ 2,299 and will be available from the end of November. It will also be available in kit form with the EF 24-105mm f4.0L IS USM lens for an SRP of £3049.99 / €3999.99.

Canon Announce New Models

Canon have announced the Powershot G10, Powershot SX1 IS, the Digital Ixus/Elph 980 IS and the 870 IS.

The Canon PowerShot G10 features a 14.7 megapixel sensor and a 5x, 28-140mm zoom. This successor to the G9, also offers a large 3.0” PureColor LCD screen, a DIGIC 4 image processor, Canon’s new i-Contrast system to increase the dynamic range, and a Servo AF mode to continually adjust focus on a moving subject. It also like the G9, supports RAW.

The Canon PowerShot G10 will be available from October for an SRP of £499.99 / €649.99.

The PowerShot SX1 IS and PowerShot SX10 IS replace the PowerShot S5 IS, both the SX1 and SX10 feature a 20x wide-angle zoom lens, with USM and VCM for fast, silent, zooming, and optical Image Stabilizer. The Canon SX1 IS features a fast CMOS sensor which allows it to shoot full-resolution JPEGs at speeds up to 4fps. Both models also use Canon’s new DIGIC 4 processor, and feature full HD movie capture and full manual control over both aperture and shutter speed.

The Canon PowerShot SX1 IS will be available from December for an SRP of £519.99 / €679.99, whilst the Canon PowerShot SX10 IS will have an SRP of £359.99 / €469.99.

The 14.7 Megapixel Digital IXUS 980 IS features several exciting ‘firsts’ – including a Manual Mode that allows for control of shutter speed and aperture. It also comes in "stylish, head-turning" black and the traditional IXUS silver. The 10 Megapixel Digital IXUS 870 IS features a 4.0x wide-angle (28mm) optical zoom, a high-resolution 3.0” PureColor LCD II, and comes finished in gold or silver. Both cameras use Canon’s new DIGIC 4 processor. Both cameras offer smooth, 30fps VGA video shooting. Superior compression technology allows them store up to 40% more footage to memory card than their predecessors.

The IXUS 980 IS will be available from late September for an SRP of £349.99 / €459.99. The IXUS 870 IS will be available from late September for an SRP of £269.99 / €349.99.

The Photography Blog has published a hands on look at all these models at the links found below.
Canon PowerShot G10
Canon PowerShot SX1 IS / SX10 IS
Canon Digital IXUS 980 IS and 870 IS

Leica Announce M8, D-LUX 4 and C-LUX 3

Leica has announce a trio of digital cameras today. The cameras include the C-LUX 3, D-LUX 4 and the M8.2. The C-LUX 3, is a compact pocket-sized digicam that features 10-megapixel sensor, 25 to 125mm 5x optical zoom lens, all-metal chassis, optical image stabilization, face detection and a 2.5-inch LCD monitor. Available in black or white from October 2008, the LEICA C-LUX 3 will have an SRP of £420.

The D-LUX 4, is a 10.1-megapixel compact camera which can extend its zoom range of 24 to 60-millimeters via lens adapters. It also features a choice of either an additional flash or a 24-millimeter optical viewfinder. Available from October 2008, the LEICA D-LUX 4 will have an SRP of £590.

The M8.2, which keeps the current 10.3 megapixel sensor found in the M8 , but also features a new metal blade focal plane shutter, scratch-resistant sapphire crystal coverglass for the LCD, a "snapshot mode," redesigned bright frame lines in viewfinder and a Quick Override setting. The M8.2 should be available this month for an SRP of £3390. Authorised Leica dealers are also offering a £400 Leica M8 trade up incentive which is currently scheduled to end on 30th September 2008.

SanDisk Intro 32GB Extreme III CF Card

SanDisk's have added a 32GB CompactFlash card to their 30MB/s Extreme III line of flash cards. SanDisk just announced the 32GB Extreme III CompactFlash card for $299. If you're a pro photographer shooting high-speed RAW images or a film maker producing a HD masterpiece, check it out. The new card should be available in October.

Nik Software Announce Sharpener Pro 3.0

Nik Software have announced the latest version of their Sharpener Pro photographic plug-in for use with Adobe® Photoshop® and Apple® Aperture™. Sharperner Pro is designed for professionals and photo enthusiasts, and features Nik Software's patented U Point technology, which allows photographers to selectively sharpen objects and uses Control Points to offer precise control over sharpening.

“Sharpener Pro 3.0 has been dramatically improved with a range of new features, including powerful creative sharpening tools, a soft proofing option, and integrated U Point technology,” said Michael J. Slater president and CEO of Nik Software. “This new version of Sharpener Pro offers the most comprehensive tools for optimally sharpening images for any output device while also offering photographers the complete control they expect,” Slater concluded. Key Features include:

• New U Point Powered Control Points—Enables precise, selective sharpening control

• Updated Output Sharpening—Provides the ultimate control to create perfectly sharpened images on all devices and media types such as display, inkjet, continuous tone, half tone, and hybrid tone

• New Creative Sharpening—Enhances fine details and textures with new structure, focus, and local contrast tools for drawing attention to desired areas within the image

• New Industry-First Sharpening Soft Proof—Allows detailed inspection of sharpening results on screen before printing, eliminating costly test prints

• New Output Presets—Enables custom settings to be saved for consistent, professional results

• Updated RAW Presharpener—Retains and enhances sharp details within images without amplifying noise and other artifacts

• Updated Powerful Selective Tool (Photoshop only)—Enables the use of Photoshop’s brush tools to paint in sharpening selectively

• New Smart Filter Support (Photoshop only)—Provides compatibility with Adobe Photoshop’s Smart Objects enabling adjustments to sharpening after Sharpener Pro has been applied

• New Multi-Image Support (Aperture only)—Provides compatibility with Aperture’s multiimage support, allowing photographers to easily copy and paste settings between images to maintain consistency

Sharpener Pro 3.0 will be available in September for electronic delivery directly from (Nik Software) in four languages (English, French, German, and Spanish). It will be available through specialty camera retailers in October of 2008. The SRP will be € 199.95, with upgrades from any previous version will be available for € 99.95. For more information about Sharpener Pro 3.0, including video tutorials showing the software running within Photoshop and Aperture and a free 15-day fully functional trial version, please visit www.niksoftware.com/sharpenerpro.

Canon Tease With Possible 5D Successor

Canon are showcasing a number of ads using the old silhouette in the dark teaser ads. The photo doesn't really show much but you can see the first teaser at a page titled Destined Evolution, featuring the silhouette of a canon dslr against an image of the moon. Some sites are guessing its a new Canon 5D. The image below is what comes out of the teasers when you process the image in photoshop - silhouette certainly looks like that of a 5D.

Sony Ads Reveal 24 Megapixel Full Frame DSLR

Sony's revealed the A900 DSLR, which features a full frame 24.6 megapixel Exmor CMOS sensor, via an ill timed ad. It will also features Sony's Dual BIONZ image processing engine, a 3-inch Hybrid LCD with "Intelligent Preview," 5 fps continuous shooting, and Sony's SteadyShot image stabilization. There is no price or release date mentioned in the Ad but all should come clear as we approach Photokina.

Nikon Unveil D90 DSLR

Nikon have unveiled their new D90 DSLR. The D90 features a new 12.3 megapixel Nikon DX-format CMOS image sensor with an Integrated Dust Reduction System. The DSLR has a Low-noise capability which ranges from ISO 200 to 3200, it also has support for ISO 6400. The camera can also record video using their D-Movie mode, which records in AVI format at 320 x 216, 640 x 424 or 1,280 x 720.
Other features include:
Scene Recognition System based on 420 pixel RGB sensor for improved autofocus, autofocus and auto white balance, in addition to Face Detection.
Multi-CAM 1000 autofocus with 11 AF points.
3-inch, VGA Live View LCD.
4.5 fps continuous shooting
0.15 second startup
65ms shutter release lag.
SD / SDHC storage.
HDMI output
The Nikon should be available in kit form for around $1,299. For more info visit Nikon.com

Canon Eos 50D Announced

Canon have officially unveiled the EOS 50D. The 15.1 megapixel DSLR features an APS-C sized CMOS sensor, DIGIC 4 image processor, up to ISO 12800 support, a 3.0-inch LCD with Live View, face detection, HDMI output, 6.3fps burst mode. It also uses the same AF system found in Canon's 40D but with a new Microadjustment feature. This Prosumer centric model should have an SRP of $1,599 with Canon's EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM zoom lens -- $1,399 for the body only.

How People Kill Their Cameras

Amateur Photographer have released an article detailing some of the ways in which the public destroy their cameras. The details come from data which has been released by insurance group Domestic & General in the UK. It seems that around a sixth of us blame children or dog, 3% of claims run over their camera with a car, about three quarters drop their cameras, either onto a "hard surface", into water, or other wise damage the camera by falling onto it and using it to cushion their fall. The article is worth a read.

Xara Xtreme Pro 4 Review

Reviewed by: Mario Georgiou, August 2008
Published by: Xara Group Limited
Requires: Windows 2000/XP/Vista, Pentium processor or better, 128MB RAM, 100MB available hard drive space
MSRP: US$249.00, £125.00 GBP
Xara has long been one of the "other" programs artists can use for creating designs and illustrations. It also has one very attractive capability in that it is much faster at rendering than comparable programs, in some cases it is much faster than Adobe Illustrator at rendering the same illustrations. Xara Xtreme Pro can be used very effectively to create logos, brochures, websites and photographic panoramas. It is very fast at all these tasks and comes with an array of professional level controls. Version 4 is an improvement over earlier versions in that it not only features new capabilities but also includes support for multicore processors.

Added to this new version are 3D capabilities and bitmap editing features which help make it a hybrid creative solution. The editing of bitmaps is in itself different from software like Photoshop in that Xara Xtreme Pro isn't a pixel editor but uses non-destructive kind of element editing which lets you re-edit and modify at a later date.

There were some problems with some of the bitmap handling in that when I used filters and plug-ins, Xara had a tendency to get bogged down. Some other problem areas include compatibility with newer Adobe Illustrator and PDF formats, an issue which can be bypassed by exporting the problem file in an earlier revision from the native application. The import of RAW files is also supported, though I haven't tested all available formats.

Xara Xtreme Pro provides a comprehensive environment for vector editing, animation and web design all without changing applications. The layer capabilities are well designed and allow you to layer elements for easy editing and tracing. The software features an excellent array of vector editing and creation capabilities including Bevel, Contour, Drop Shadow, Extrude, Fill, Polygon, Transparency and many others.

The handling of text is really easy — simplified but powerful. Things like text flow and styling can be done in a flash. Text can be resized, skewed, rotated and more, and it is even possible to apply effects like bevelling, drop shadows, and make the entire text block transparent. Xara Xtreme Pro supports Unicode making it easy to create documents in multiple languages. The Text extrusion tool is used to create and edit extruded text with textures in real time by simply placing and dragging the text. You'll also find controls and settings for creating multipage documents, along with desktop publishing features which include text flow around graphics and the kerning and editing of text.

Xara Xtreme Pro 4.0's web capabilities can export documents to HTML for use on a web site. CSS styles are used format your page elements and text and while the code isn't the cleanest, it does the job. One thing for Xara to focus on for the next version of Xara Xtreme Pro would be to offer an option to clean up the HTML code on export.

The files generated by Xara are pretty compact and suffer little of the bloat I’ve come to expect from other software in the same class. The PDF export capabilities include support for high resolution PDFs which support Pantone PMS colors and font embedding.

Cons: File import could be more versatile. Xara Xtreme Pro is not available for Mac OS X. No pixel editing.

Pros: Very fast rendering. Inexpensive in comparison to other competing software. Flexible and powerful. Unlike dedicated software, Xara has a great many features which are useful for the non-designer. Xara Xtreme Pro facilitates the easy creation and editing of documents which can be used by the business user who want to make quick work of their creative business documents (promotions, presentations, marketing, etc.). Using Xara Xtreme Pro you will soon come to appreciate its speed and flexibility. You can add photos, vectors and apply all sort of effects to your documents without having to learn five different programs. Highly recommended.

Polaroid Reveal Future Instant Camera Plans

Polaroid are set to release an digital camera which includes an on-board printer which uses the Zink printing technology. The camera/printer will be able to produce 4 x 3 inch prints. It also looks likePolaroid are looking for consumer feedback on the devices final form factor. Visit amateurphotographer.co.uk for more information.

HP Launches New Laptops & Displays

HP launched a few new products at SIGGRAPH today. Firstly a few new laptops in the form of the 17" EliteBook 8730w and 15.4" EliteBook 8530w and 8530p. The 8730 features a 17-inch DreamColor display, a quad-core Intel CPU, 8GB of RAM and NVIDIA's 1GB Quadro FX graphics card. The EliteBook 8530w and 8530p, feature 8GB of RAM, a Core 2 Duo chip (the 8530w supports an optional quad-core chip) and HP's brushed anodized aluminum DuraCase.

HP also announced 22 and 24 inch displays. The 22-inch LP2275w lights up 92 percent of the NTSC color gamut across its 1680 x 1050 pixels, whilst the new 24-inch LP2475w puts 102 percent across its 1920 x 1200 pixels. Both displays feature 1000:1 contrast ratios, extra-bright panels and adjustable stands. The LP2275w will be avaialble immediately, while the LP247w will come next month. Retail pricing will be between $459 and $649 respectively.

Lowepro Announce Slingshot 350 AW

Lowepro, announced the launch of their SlingShot 350 AW. The 350 has larger carrying capacity that other sligshot models and includes a protective space for a widescreen notebook.
The SlingShot 350 AW features a main compartment that comfortably fits a professional DSLR fitted with a 70-200. It also accommodates 5-6 extra lenses or accessories.
The padded notebook compartment will fit a 15.4” widescreen notebook, it also features a fully adjustable, padded waistbelt; a built-in microfiber cloth to protect LCD screen; Hypalon SlipLock attachment loops for adding accessories; and Lowepro’s patented All Weather Cover. For more information about 350 AW or other Lowepro products, visit http://www.lowepro.com/.

Dell Vostro 2510 Now Configurable

Dell have rolled out their Vostro 2510. Their new, slab like, 15.4-inch laptop comes in a two-tone black and red body, incorporates a slot-load drive and a cooling system that vents heat away from the bottom of the notebook. It uses current-generation Core 2 Duo processors, supports a slot-load Blu-ray burner, a minimum 1440x900 resolution display with a built-in webcam, a GeForce 8400M GS for video and a 160GB hard disk. you can increase the display to 1920x1200 and increase storage to 320GB. The laptop won't ship till mid-august but look for more goodies when it becomes available.

Dell Release Studio Hybrid Desktop

Dell went live with their Studio Hybrid Desktop product page yesterday. The Page shows the Studio Hybrid in a range of colours and offers the unit for a base configuration at $499 (UK prices start at £399). A bamboo version is available for an extra $130. The display will add at least $200 and for an extra $50 you can upgrade to 2GB of RAM. Bluray and Hifi will cost extra. Dell are offering some "Instant Savings," for preconfigured models but no idea if its gonna be a long term deal. These cool little units can be viewed and configured online at Dells product page.

Adobe Release Lightroom 2.0

Adobe have released Lightroom 2.0. They' ve added a few new features and improved the overall performance since it's brief public beta. New features since 1.0 include:
Local adjustment brush
Enhanced organizational tools
Volume management
Extensible architecture
Multiple monitor support
Flexible print package functionality
Streamlined Photoshop CS3 integration
Enhanced output sharpening
64-bit support for Windows® and Mac OS
Adobe has also released Camera RAW 4.5 to support the additional Lightroom 2 adjustments within Photoshop and Bridge. Lightroom 2 will cost £175 in the UK and $299 in the US. Upgrades from existing versions will cost £69 and $99. UK Pricing excludes VAT.

The Moment It Clicks: Photography Secrets From One Of The World's Top Shooters

Reviewed by: Mario Georgiou, July 2008
Author: Joe McNally
Published by: New Riders & Peach Pit Press
ISBN-10: 0321544080
ISBN-13: 978-0321544087
Requires: Amateur or pro interest in photography
MSRP: US$54.99 USD, £29.99 GBP, $59.99 CAD

(Ed. Note: Books like this often tell readers about more than the apparent subject. Most often, a semi-autobiographical book of this type provides examples for success which transcend the categories of life, career, technique and business into which we tend to slot ourselves, others and our efforts throughout our lives. I love reading about the details, techniques and events, told from a personal perspective, which have occured and affected skilled, successful people because the knowledge helps me organize and make sense of the details, techniques and events in my own life. I hope you feel the same way.)

Joe McNally's book “The Moment It Clicks” has received a lot of press and acclaim, so when I received it for review, I already felt that it would be a book which would provide a challenge. There has been a lot of hype about it from all over the photography world. The book has become a bestseller and nothing I say will add to or take away from that. The Moment It Clicks tells a story which is essentially all about the 30 year photography career of Joe McNally, his life, and experiences both professional and personal. The book was written to provide an insight into the world of commercial photography and photojournalism.

The Moment It Clicks is not a biographical tome, but more about the pictures McNally has taken, the events in his life and how they have been shaped by his career. The book doesn't really take a chapter type approach (typically, photography books are always organized into traditional chapters and sub-sections), taking instead a more subjective approach. McNally uses a picture and then tells the story behind the picture and details how it was shot. This isn’t a step-by-step approach either, focusing rather on the more important details and insights which will add to your experience of McNally's photography as well as adding to the critical appreciation of your own photography efforts and learning process. The "How It Was Shot" section accompanying each photo provides varying detail with respect to subjective items such as lighting, camera positions, supporting elements, technical and aesthetic considerations key to learning about particular subjects.

McNally details the events which surrounded or led up to the moment of each photo. He frequently relates stories about how events affected his life, the adventures and often the misadventures related to the photography he's produced. Some of the stories are highly insightful and others somewhat sentimental. None of this takes away from one's experience of this book and the story it tells. Like many other great storytellers, McNally talks about his mistakes and the things he has learned which have added to his experiences and his art.

The Moment It Clicks is well put together and features many excellent images, it also features quite a few images which failed to inspire me. Overall the book is clearly aimed at those of you who are looking for or already involved in photography which is of a more commercial nature.

There are some other annoyances such as the frequent repetition of certain terms throughout the book and in the footnotes. As well, the photo in which McNally shows all his kit is a bit of overload. The reality is that it's quite unlikely that Joe would carry all that kit around with him all the time. In fact, he'd need a retinue of Porters to carry it all. It would have been more useful if he showed the various kit he carries on different assignments.

All that aside, Joe McNally tells his story well, and leaves you with some very memorable, useful and inspiring insights. This kind of book stays with you a lot longer than most technically based, how-to books, because it humanizes the process of learning and the process of involving yourself in photography. There is a folkloric nature to it, which you can identify with much moreso that any technical manual or step-by-step type of book. Life, after all, is experiential and the best way to relate those experiences is to tell stories.

Cons: Very few. Definite bias toward commercial photography. Frequent repetition in footnotes.

Pros: Humanistic approach to storytelling. Storytelling that engages and educates the reader. Joe McNally tells his story in a manner which allows the reader to identify and learn from his own personal experiences in photography. As a book on commercial photography it is a book you must have. If you are looking for a book on fine art photography this may not be it. The allegorical nature of the teaching in this book is engaging and will leave the reader with much to think about. Highly recommended.

Canon DSLR: The Ultimate Photographer's Guide

Reviewed by: Mario Georgiou, July 2008
Author: Christopher Grey
Published by: Focal Press
ISBN-10: 0240520408,
ISBN-13: 978-0240520407
Requires: An interest in Canon cameras
MSRP: US$39.95, UK £22.99

Christopher Grey has produced a reference book which covers most Canon digital SLR (DSLR) cameras and is squarely aimed at improving your use of your DSLR. The title of the book includes the phrase "The Ultimate Photographer's Guide" which is quite a boast. So as usual when we encounter this sort of thing, our initial goal during the review is to establish whether or not the substance of the book lives up to the 'hype' of the title.

The book begins by looking at the basics of photography and then briefly at the concepts of workflow. It continues by covering many of the existing workflow models and then looks into the common technology and features used in all Canon's Cameras. In the Common Ground section, Christopher Grey introduces the first of his many Photographer Spotlights found throughout the book in which he interviews and looks at the working practices of a large number of professional photographers

Grey then looks at the Zones — Basic and Creative — which allow users either easy choices for shooting under different conditions or, as in the Creative zone, a more technical approach requiring some knowledge of the features and capabilities of your Canon camera. The Basic Zone uses icons to allow the user to easily select a preferred shooting mode. With shooting mode selections in Canon DSLRs for Full Auto, Portrait, Landscape, Close-up, Sports and Night Portrait, it's easy enough for most people (especially casual photographers, more serious but still novice photographers, and even many intermediate photographers). A Basic Zone selector is missing from the dial on all prosumer and pro Canon DSLR models.

Canon DSLR: The Ultimate Photographer's Guide then looks at the focus, exposure and style, examining the use of external light meters, color temperature, focus methodologies and preferences. It is here where some excellent lessons are imparted regarding the judicious use of the excellent focusing technologies found in Canon cameras.

Grey then takes a look at Canon lenses. The coverage here is good, firmly establishing the practical uses of a wide variety of Canon lenses and examining the where and why of lens use too. In the next chapter, the use of Canon flashes is covered including built-in pop-up flash, accessory flash, off-camera flash, studio flash and location lighting.

The book's penultimate chapter looks at one of the most important parts of your toolkit: The use of the Canon Digital Photo Professional software. In this chapter the handling of your images — more specifically the Digital Negative or RAW file — is covered in some depth. Although Adobe Camera RAW (ACR) is mentioned, neither it nor Adobe Lightroom, Apple Aperture, ACDSee Pro 2 or any of the other RAW acquisition solutions are covered. The book finishes with a look at the works of a number of photographers from around the world.

Cons: No coverage of other RAW software.

Pros: Excellent layout and information throughout the book. Easy to follow. Although the book is aimed at the beginner and intermediate user there are many pros out there who use it instead of the manuals supplied with their Canon DSLR. Canon DSLR: The Ultimate Photographer's Guide is a book which should easily be updated as newer DSLR models are released. If you own a Canon Digital SLR camera then this excellent book from Focal Press is a worthy addition to your library. A must have for almost any serious photographer's reference library (because you never know when you might need to use a Canon). Highly recommended.

Nik Software Announce Free Update For Color Efex Pro 3.0

Nik software have released an update for Color Efex Pro 3.0. The 3.1 update includes support for Aperture and Capture NX 2, and compatibility with Photoshop® Smart Filters.

UK Government To Discuss Photography Guidelines With Police

The BJP have posted an article which details the Governments plans to discuss the issue of Photography in Public Places and recent behaviour by Police and Private Security Guards when it come to dealing with Photographers.

Samsung Announces New Cameras

Samsung have announced a number of new cameras. Their new NV100HD offers 14.7 megapixels, a 28mm Wide angle lens and can record 720p HD video. It also features a touch screen and has optical image stabilization. The new NV9 features a 5x optical zoom, 10.2 megapixel sensor and has the capability to play MP3 music files. The new Samsung L310W features a 13.6 megapixel camera and has a 28mm equivalent wide angle lens. Their S1070 compact digital camera, features a 10.2 megapixel sensor, a 3x optical zoom and a 2.7" LCD screen. The L201 is a 10.2 megapixel compact digital camera which feature Samsung's Auto Contrast Balance which will brighten dark areas in high-contrast and back-lit scenes. It can also charge batteries directly in the camera.

Phase One Intro 60 Megapixel Back

Phase One have announced their new P65+ 60 megapixel digital back. This unit is a full frame, 645 medium format back, which can shoot at 1 FPS, an uses a proprietary sensor built. The back will retail at $39,990 and will no doubt only be affordable for industrial level photographers.

Nik Software Announces Silver Efex Pro™

Nik Software announced their new Silver Efex Pro photographic plug-in for use with Adobe® Photoshop® and Apple® Aperture™. Silver Efex Pro is an advanced solution which allows users to create black-and-white photographs which closely emulate real world films. It uses advanced imaging algorithms to protect against unwanted artifacts, and emulates 18 black-and-white film types. Silver Efex Pro also features a state-of-the-art grain engine that according to Nik software, "truly mimics the silver halide process and creates the highest quality black-and-white images possible from scanned or digital color photographs." For more information about Silver Efex Pro, and to download a free 15-day fully functional trial version, please visit silverefexpro.

Hasselblads 50 Megapixel Camera

Hasselblad are preparing to release their new 50-megapixel high-end digital camera, the H3DII-50. This baby will set you back a massive $37K and has been designed with the high-end commercial photographer in mind. The H3DII-50 features 3-inch display and Kodaks 50-megapixel CCD sensor, which generates a 300MB file at 1fps. Due out in October, this beauty won't be on my buying list anytime soon, unless of course some nice person out there is feeling extremely generous...

Color Efex Pro 3.0 For Capture NX 2

Nik Software Inc. have announced the immediate availability of their award-winning Color Efex Pro 3.0 photographic filters for Capture NX 2, the latest version of Nikon's flagship photo editing software. Color Efex Pro 3.0 is a powerful and easy to use set of photographic based filters. "Unlike using plug-ins in Photoshop which require controls located in a separate interface, enhancements are made directly on the image in real-time and non-destructively in Capture NX 2, ... This tight integration dramatically simplifies enhancing images and offers photographers a powerful photo editing solution," said Michael Slater, Nik's President and CEO.

Color Efex Pro 3.0 adds nine powerful new filters that increase the traditional and stylistic range of the collection. New filters include Bleach Bypass, Cross Balance, Film Effects, Film Grain, Glamour Glow, High Key, Low Key, Polaroid Transfer, and Tonal Enhancer. Previously available filters have also been updated to provide even more options. Color Efex Pro 3.0 for Capture NX 2 has 52 filters, with a possibility of over 250 effects available. A complete filter list can be found at: cep3fornx2.

Averatech All-In-One

Averatech have launched their All-in-one PC. The desing is based around the form-factor we've seen previously in the iMac and the Dell XPS One. You biuld a display case which also houses everything a PC needs inside. The Averatec All-In-One has has a 22-inch display and has 2GB of RAM, a 320GB HDD, built-in HDTV tuner and like the iMac and XPS One features a slot loading optical drive. The All-In-One is powered by an Intel Core 2 Duo E4600 CPU and uses an NVIDIA GeForce 8400 for graphics. It is available for purchase now at an MSRP of $1249. For more info visit the

Nikon D3 Firmware Update

Nikon have released a firmware upgrade for the D3. there are no major bug fixes other than one for a dead battery issue that some people have been experiencing with both the D3 and D300. There are however a a few additions worthy of consideration.

Modifications enabled with upgrade of A and B firmware to v.2.00
Images captured with “Rotate tall”, in the playback menu, set to “On”, are not automatically rotated for display immediately after capture (image review).
The following changes and additions have been made to “f4: Assign FUNC.Button > FUNC. Button + dials” ; “f5: Assign preview button > Preview + command dials”, and “f6: Assign AE-L / AF-L button > AE-L / AF-L + command dials” menus in Custom Settings:
The “Choose image area” option has been separated into two options, “Choose image area (FX / DX / 5:4)” and “Choose image area (FX / DX)”
A new “Shooting menu bank” option has been added.
When “Choose image area (FX / DX / 5:4)” or “Choose image area (FX/DX)” is selected and the function button (Fn) is pressed, the image area setting is displayed in the top control panel, in the shooting information display, and at the bottom of the viewfinder.
A “Copyright information” item has been added to the setup menu. When “Copyright information” is enabled, the copyright symbol ( © ) is shown in the shooting info display.
“Recent settings” can now be displayed in place of “My Menu”.
The virtual horizon can now be displayed with shooting in LiveView mode.
The “Vignette control” setting can now be confimed in shooting information.
The “Vignette control” item in the shooting menu now supports all types of G- and D-type lenses, except DX and PC lenses.
The “Vignette control” compensation value has been optimized for shooting with “Active D-Lighting” the shooting menu.
Electronic analog exposure displays are now shown in the control panel and shooting info display while the exposure compensation setting is being applied.
The degree of the “High ISO NR” setting can now be confirmed in the shooting info display while the “High ISO NR” setting item, in the shooting menu, is being applied.
Design of the FX-format icon in the “Choose image area” setting has been modified.
Ankara, Riyadh, Kuwait, and Manamah have been added to the “Time zone” options for the “World Time” item in the setup menu.
When a GPS device is used and no heading information is available, –.–° is now displayed for the “Position > Heading” option in the “GPS” item in the setup menu.
When shooting in LiveView mode using Camera Control Pro 2 (ver. 2.2.0) or later with a PC-E lens, the aperture setting can now be adjusted from the computer.
Autofocus performance has been improved.
Auto White Balance performance has been improved.
An issue that, in some rare circumstances, caused the battery indicator to blink, regardless of actual battery charge, has been resolved.
Errors in the German help displays have been corrected.
US customers can download the Nikon D3 Firmware 2.0 here.

Nikon Release D700 DSLR

Nikon have just released the D700 digital SLR camera. This DSLR is aimed at the Prosumer and is based upon technologies found in their D3, boasting pro-level performance and an extensive array of features and innovations. It also features the Nikon FX-format CMOS sensor, Nikon’s EXPEED Image Processing System, Nikon’s renowned 51-point auto focus system with 3D Focus Tracking and two Live View shooting modes. Having seen the liveview in use on the D3 it is something I wish I had on my Canon Eos 5D.

Xandros Acquires Linspire

Growth in the Linux business - that is, the Linux business desktop - is slow. But determined companies can make things happen (and grow somewhat faster too?) as long as they keep their eye(s) on the ball. I remember when Xandros was a struggling little startup, but oh how times have changed. We still think that Xandros is the most business-facing Linux distribution (with kudos to Linspire and Red Hat as well, no doubt), and Xandros continues to remain focused on expanding its footprint on business desktops. The acquisition of Linspire (another Debian-based Linux distribution) helps narrow the somewhat bewildering field of choices confronting any business considering a jump to Linux. Choosing something other than Windows or Mac OS X has never been risk free, but we really think that Linux is a safe bet these days especially with Microsoft Office file compatibility so well covered by OpenOffice for Linux.

Review of DPI Show in London

On Thursday Howard and I attended the Digital Photo and Imaging Show at the Business Design Centre in Islington. My first impression on entering the show was one of disappointment as it seemed a little on the small side, however this was soon to change as I made my way around the show. There were a few manufacturers present who were showing their solutions and we managed to spend some valuable time, one on one with their reps.

On the software front there were a number of vendors showing their wares including Apple and Adobe. OnOne and Nik Software were also there showing their respective photoshop plug-ins and running continuous demos. A number of distributors and resellers were also on hand demonstrating other solutions. The live theatres from Adobe, Apple and DPI were running all day and were well attended, often with crowds spilling out into aisles.

Printer manufacturers were there in force with stands from Canon, Epson and HP well manned and equipped with the latest in large format printers. Nikon were notable in their absence, disappointing really as there were plenty of Pro Users in attendance.

There were the usual publications and associations present and it was nice catching up with some of them. The BPPA, BIPP and The SWPP were there looking for new members and spending time with existing members. Magazines such as F2, The BJP, Digital Arts Magazine and Macworld were on hand, giving out free copies and selling subscriptions.

I was pleased with Canon's presence at the show as they were demonstrating a start to finish capability which other manufacturers lack. My associate Howard Carson, noted that Canon was able to demonstrate a complete solution for Photographers from Capture, Acquisition through to output. In addition to their pro cameras and output solutions they also had their projectors and pro video solutions on hand for demo.

Other exhibitors included Skillset, who were there discussing their training programs for Digital Skills, photography and creative workflows. It's definitely worth checking them out. A number of retailers and resellers such as AJ Purdy, The Flash Centre, The Pro Centre and Rapid Group were there promoting their wares and services and selling discounted products and providing some excellent show specials.

Other Vendors included Wacom who were demoing their excellent tablet solutions. Computer Unlimited were also in attendance demoing solutions from Corel, Datacolor, Shiraz and Vertus.

The lecture program and seminar at the show was full and possibly offered many useful and valuable insights. Speakers presented on lectures and seminars useful to photo-libraries, portrait photographers, on documentary photography, celebrity shots, visual journalism and on the art of photography.

Overall the show was small in scale but big on delivery, We were able to spend some valuable time with the companies we wanted to see. I hope that next years show will be similar in nature but somewhat larger in scale. Nikon should really be there, as should a few more third party software and hardware vendors.

Datacolor’s Spyder3 Gets Price Reduction

Datacolor announced a price reduction for its Spyder3 range. As of June the 1st 2008, their award-winning Spyder3Elite is reduced in price from £175 to £155.99 whilst Spyder3Print is reduced by £60 to £253.99, including VAT. For more information on the Spyder3 range visit Datacolor.

Wacom Wins 2 Coveted Red Dot Awards

Wacom have won 2 Red Dot Awards for the Bamboo Fun Pen Tablet and their Cintiq 12WX hybrid interactive pen display. This is the second red dot award for the Bamboo range, as the first model in the series also received the same accolade in June 2007. The Cintiq 12WX features a high quality 12.1” screen, which is optimised for direct input using the ergonomically designed digital pen. With this form of interaction activities such as drawing, painting, sketching, storyboarding, finishing, retouching and compositing allow the creative to work much as they would on paper. For more information on the Bamboo Fun and the Cintiq 12WX visit Wacom.
For more information on the Red Dot award visit Red-Dot.org.

Akvis Relocate Headquarters To Canada

AKVIS Software Inc., the manufacturer of some excellent photo editing tools and plug-ins, has moved its head office to Vancouver in British Columbia, Canada. Founded in Russia, AKVIS is determined to improve their market presence by being able to get easier access to the North American software market.

Toshiba Tecra M9 Laptop review

Reviewed by: Mario Georgiou, June 2008
Manufactured by: Toshiba
Requires: Intel® Core™2 Duo Processor T7500 2.2 GHz,Intel® Wireless WiFi™ Link, Genuine Windows Vista® Business Edition, 2GB of 667MHz DDR2 RAM (maximum 4GB), 160GB hard disk drive, DVD Super Multi drive (Double Layer), 14.1" (1,440 x 900) display, NVIDIA® Quadro® NVS 130M mobile video card supporting TurboCache™ technology, Bluetooth version 2.0 plus Enhanced Data Rate (EDR)Wi-Fi™, 802.11a/b/g/Draft-N, 87 key keyboard, spill-resistant keyboard, type II PC card slot, 5-in-1 media card reader, VGA out, mic/headphone connectors, IEEE-1394 (FireWire), three USB 2.0 hi-speed ports, serial port
MSRP: US$1299.00

I currently own a terrific Toshiba m400 tablet PC. So when TalkToshiba called to tell me that they had a Tecra M9 available for review I jumped at the opportunity to find out what the latest generation of Toshiba laptops has to offer. The Tecra M9 is a laptop designed with business users in mind. The M9 ships with Windows Vista Business Edition.

The Toshiba Tecra M9 is a very clean looking machine, and the 14.1 inch screen looks a lot bigger than it actually is. With the higher than normal resolution for a 14.1" display I was quite comfortable with using it compared to similar laptops. The display on this notebook and the lid feel very secure, with very little flex. As a result I didn't experience any of the usual warping and momentary discolouration seen when adjusting the angle of the screen. The matte finish does a good job of diffusing any reflections. The vertical viewing angles are more limited than I would like, causing most dark or midrange colours to washout or completely disappear moving vertically above or below normal viewing angles. Horizontal viewing is somewhat better, but still washes out sooner than I've experienced with other laptops.

The Toshiba Tecra M9 is a very comfortable typing machine. The keys have a great feel, providing just the right amount of movement and feedback. Toshiba describes the M9's keyboard as spill resistant. The touchpad and pointer worked as expected, I also found that the left and right buttons used with the pointer control button were very nicely implemented. The keyboard and palm rest area exhibited a bit of movement when used compared to other laptops. However it wasn't enough to cause me any problems. The inclusion of a fingerprint reader for security also enhances the business-centric approach to the M9's design.

Moving around the M9, starting on the front, you will find the indicator light array, a wireless on/off switch, firewire connector, headphone/mic jacks, and volume knob. The left side of the laptop features a modem jack, Kensington lock slot, exhaust port, one USB port, PC-card Slot and the SD card slot. The back of the unit has a serial port, VGA connector, and AC plug port. The right side features two USB ports, the optical bay, and the LAN port.

The audio capabilities were what I expect from a laptop - clear and easy to hear. However I would always recommend using decent headphones for anything you really care to hear well. You can even try a pair of bluetooth headphones using the A2DP profile and the easy device discovery via Vista and Toshiba Bluetooth manager. The headphone jack had none of the telltale hiss and noise you would get from a sub-par connector, indicating good quality parts being used.

Starting up and shutting down the M9 was quick and painless. With this unit's 2GB of memory and the 2.2 GHz T7500 Intel Core 2 Duo processor and nVidia NVS 130M graphics card, I found no noticeable issues while using any of the standard productivity software or even the creative tools(and resource hogs) like Photoshop. Trying any of the graphically intensive games (like Crysis) was problematic and I found there was no point in attempting to squeeze any sort of decent gamely out of the M9 as the graphics capabilities weren't up to the task. It's not really much of an issue though, because the M9 is really meant to be a business machine.

Heat and noise didn't appear to be an issue at all for the M9. I kept the laptop running almost constantly for one day and found it quite comfortable to touch. The fan kept up quietly even when I took the laptop into a hot, noisy neighbourhood pub to test it out on a public wireless network.

Battery life was as expected, with the standard battery giving about 2.5 hours (on average) use. I did find the hard drive shock protection alarm a little on the sensitive side. The warning popped up with the slightest knock of the M9. This feature however can be disabled/enabled by pressing the Toshiba Assist button located next to the power on/off on the top of the keyboard.

Cons: Premature drop-off in display brightness. Somewhat oversensitive shock protection alarm. It's a business machine not a game platform, but a bit more graphics horsepower would provide a better all around experience with what is basically a very good laptop. Excellent screen resolution, but off-angle viewing could be better.

Pros: Nice spill resistant keyboard. Standard three year warranty. Excellent wireless support. Solid build quality. Runs Microsoft Office, Photoshop CS3 and most common business software very smoothly. I was initially a little afraid that the screen on the M9 would be a little on the small side, but after working with the unit for a few weeks I found that the high quality and high resolution more than met my needs. The Toshiba Tecra M9 is a nice business laptop that will more than do the job. Recommended

Quark Announce QuarkXPress 8

QuarkXPress 8 is nearly complete and will be available within the next two months. Already Quark are promising to provide a free upgrade to folks who purchase and register QuarkXPress 7 in the next couple of months. XPress 8 includes new pen and picture tools, new drag and drop features, better file handling of Illustrator files, and better control over typography and layout. For more information on what's new in XPress 8 visit Quark.

ACDSee Photo Editor 2008

ACD Systems have released ACDSee Photo Editor 2008, the next version of their easy-to-use digital photo editing and design software. The new version offers:
• Faster processing time
• More custom creative tools and options for resizing, cropping and masking
• Quick Web optimization & advanced printing functions
• Artistic effects that can be added, modified or deleted
• "Trim to shape" for quick-and-easy design templates
• Advanced journaling and text curving capabilities
Photo Editor 2008 is available for a 30-day trial ... for more info and to download a demo visit ACDSee.

DPI Show Reminder

For those of you who will be in and around London between the 26th and 27th of June, the Digital Photo & Imaging Show, taking place at the Business Design Centre in Islington, will the place to be. The DPI Show will provide pro-photographers and the whole photographic industry with a knowledge-based event where they can see and try the state of the art in creative tools and photographic equipment.

Exhibiting at the DPI Show are Adobe, Apple Solutions' Experts, BJP, BPPA, Canon, Colour Collective, CU, DataColor, Digital Arts, Digital Photo Solutions, Dreamtek, Epson, Hasselblad, HP, Macworld, Native Digital, Nik Software, OKI Printing Solutions, onOne, Pantone, Peartree, ProCentre, Profoto Ltd, Rapid Group, Republik Agency, Shiraz, Skillset, SWPP, Vertus, Wacom....
For more info visit The DPI Show.

Photomatix 3.0.3 Released

HDRsoft have released an updated version of Photomatix which includes several bugfixes.
Photomatix is a photo enhancement tool which deals with photography produced under difficult lighting conditions. Using Exposure Blending and Tone Mapping, images can be produced from multiple bracketed exposures, which offer a more balanced result. Photomatix 3.0.3 can be downloaded from the HDRsoft website. The upgrade from version 2.x to version 3.0 is free of charge. Download the Windows Version here and the Mac version
here...

FocalPoint 1.0 Released

onOne Software, Inc., announced the release of their new software plug-in, FocalPoint 1.0 for Adobe Photoshop and Photoshop Elements. FocalPoint is a selective focus and vignetting plug-in designed to help photographers easily blur and/or vignette areas of an image. It is available for immediate download at onOne.

Essentials 2 for iPhoto

onOne Software, Inc., announced the availability of Essentials 2 software for iPhoto users. Essentials 2 for iPhoto is a collection of four easy-to-use software tools based on technology used in the professional level onOne Software Photoshop® plug-ins PhotoTune 2.2, FocalPoint 1.0, PhotoFrame 3.1 and Genuine Fractals 5. Essentials 2 is designed to be used in iPhoto to help correct color, creatively blur a photo for dramatic visual impact, add creative borders and resize digital images for high quality large prints. Visit onOne for more info.

CHDK - Hacking Your Canon Point & Shoot

lifehacker.com have posted an excellent article on the Canon Hacker's Development Kit. CHDK is a free, open source project with which you can add features like RAW shooting mode, live RGB histograms, additional photographic settings, motion-detection, time-lapse, longer video recording and even games onto your existing Canon camera. The beauty of CHDK is that it is non-permanent and non-destructive, you can use when you want to; CHDK makes no changes to your camera. Installing CHDK entails having a couple of files added to your camera's memory card. Removing it involves simply restarting your camera without the memory card present.

UK Photographers Rights

Simon Moran and Linda Macpherson have announced the launch of the UK Photographers Rights PDF. The guide is intended to provide UK Photograpehrs with a short summary of the main legal restrictions on the right to take and publish photographs.

The guide was written by Linda Macpherson LL.B, Dip.L.P., LL.M, who is a lecturer in law at Heriot Watt University. The guide is a 2 page PDF, which can be printed out on the front and back of an A4 page. The guide is intended as an overview of the current legal situation in the UK for photographers, it is not a definitive bible of UK law. It can be downloaded directly from sirimo.co.uk, visit Simon Morans site for other useful information and articles.

PhotoAcute Version 2.8 Released

PhotoAcute have released Version 2.8 of PhotoAcute Studio, their Super Resolution based application for enhancing digital images. Their Super Resolution technology is designed to process sets of photographs taken in continuous mode to produce high-resolution, low-noise pictures. It increases image resolution, removes noise without losing image details, corrects image geometry and chromatic aberrations and expands the dynamic range. Visit http://www.photoacute.com/ for more information.

Two Thousand Photographers Test ACDSee Photo Editor

ACDSee Photo Editor has entered the final stage of Beta Testing, with over 2000 photographers involved in testing it. ACDSee Photo Editor 2008, will be an easy-to-use digital design and layout application created with avid photographers and scrapbookers in mind. The application comes with custom creative tools and exclusive designer templates. Look for a summer release.

Apple Release Their Aperture Plug-In SDK

Apple have released their free Imaging Plug-in Software Development Kit (SDK) for Aperture. It is now available through the Apple Developer Connection (ADC). Interested developers should visit the ADC website to download the SDK.

Xara Release Version 4 of Xara Xtreme and Xara Xtreme Pro

Xara Xtreme and Xtreme Pro have been updated to Version 4. Xara is one of the fastest and easiest creative tools to use. The flexibility of Xara Xtreme with its raster and vector capabilities is something worth trying. It is capable of drawing faster than pretty much any other package out ther. You can create 3D text, edit photos non destructively, create websites and even export flash animations. It also supports Photoshop plug-ins. Pop on over to the Xara Website to find out more and download a demo.

Adobe Releases Lightroom 1.41 and Camera Raw 4.4.1 Updates

Lightroom Product Manager Tom Hogarty announced the release of updates to the Photoshop Lightroom, Photoshop Camera Raw plug-in and DNG Converter to correct problems found in Lightroom 1.4 and Camera Raw 4.4. The revisions address several issues including:

Lightroom
Lightroom 1.4 incorrectly modified the EXIF time date field of images that had a metadata update applied. This incorrect modification does not appear in Lightroom or Bridge and is only viewable through third party EXIF tools. This error has been corrected in Lightroom 1.4.1 and all files in a Lightroom catalog that have been incorrectly modified will be corrected on their next metadata update. (Metadata can be updated by selecting the files in the Library grid view and choosing Command or CTRL + S to save and update the metadata.)

Olympus JPEG files could render incorrectly in Lightroom 1.4, displaying an artifact in the exported file.

Any conversion to DNG in Lightroom 1.4 (Windows Only) would cause the DNG file to become unreadable by Lightroom’s Develop Module or Camera Raw 4.4 in Photoshop. The issue has been corrected and files can be converted to DNG again in order to resolve the issue for existing files. Returning to the original native raw files is not necessary. The affected DNG files can be selected and converted again using the DNG Converter 4.4.1 available at www.adobe.com/dng/.

This process is not required but recommended to ensure that a correct validation value is stored within the DNG files.

Lightroom 1.4 provided degraded import performance relative to Lightroom 1.3.

Camera Raw
Camera Raw 4.4 incorrectly modified the EXIF time date field of images that were saved as TIFF or JPEG files from the Camera Raw dialog. This has been corrected in Camera Raw 4.4.1

Olympus JPEG files could render incorrectly in Camera Raw 4.4, displaying an artifact in the exported file.

The updates have been posted to the following locations:
Lightroom 1.4.1 - Mac - Win.
Camera Raw 4.4.1 - Mac - Win.

Digital Photography & Imaging Show 2008

The DPI show is a new event dedicated to digital photography and imaging. It is being held on June 26th & 27th at the Business Design Centre in Islington in North London.

The DPI show is designed to attract thousands of pro-photographers and agencies active in photojournalism, sports/action photography, portraiture, wedding and lifestyle photography, and those working in fashion and advertising, still life and macro. Industry leaders will come together to create a ‘Live Studio’, building a full-feature facility at the show with ‘celebrity’ photographers illustrating the facilities and capabilities of the studio.

A busy seminar programme will present 40-minute sessions on latest products and solutions so you can receive first-hand expert advice and tips from specialists in the technologies and processes, hear of case studies and then visit the exhibition area for hands-on experience.

Our conference programme will gather groups of speakers to look at improving workflow, at manipulating and storing images and at managing the demands of a modern photographic studio.

The show will feature stands from Industry leaders such as Adobe, Apple Solution Experts, Epson, HP, Hasselblad, Color Confidence, Extensis, A J Purdy, The SWPP, onOne and a whole lot more ... Many publications will also be represented, including Digital Photographer, Digital Arts, The BJP, Digital Camera and Macworld.

You can register for free at http://www.dpishow.com/

onOne Software Announces Plug-in Suite 4

onOne Software, Inc., announced the May release of their Plug-in Suite 4 software for Adobe Photoshop. Plug-In Suite 4 comprises of full versions of six essential software tools – Genuine Fractals 5 Print Pro, PhotoTools 1.0 Professional Edition, PhotoFrame 3.1 Professional Edition, Mask Pro 4.1, PhotoTune 2.2 and FocalPoint 1.0. The package should be available in early May to new users for $499.95, whereas existing users of Plug-in Suite versions 1, 2 or 3 can upgrade to Plug-In Suite 4 for only $199.95. For more information on Plug-In Suite 4, please visit onOne Software.

Adobe To Release CS4 64Bit Editions

Adobe have announced that they will be releasing their CS4 line in 64Bit Versions. They will not however be releasing the Mac OS X version in 64Bit until after the Windows Version. Where the 32 bit versions can generally only currently support 3-4 GB depending on the OS and application. After Effects supports up to 2 GB per processor on a multicore machine by assigning different processes to different cores. The 64-bit versions of Windows and Mac OS X 10.5 will potentially be able to access up to a theoretical limit of over 17 billion GB of RAM.

onOne Announce Free Liquid Resize Product Preview

onOne Software, Inc., announces today the availability of its Liquid Resize product preview. Available for immediate download at the products preview page. Their Liquid Resize software is a ground-breaking way to resize images using a technique known as "seam carving" to reduce the distortion that typically occurs when manipulating the aspect ratio of an image. The Technology is really interesting, check it out.

Adobe Release Lightroom 2.0 Beta

Adobe have made Version 2 of Lightroom available as a public beta. The beta is available as a 30 day tryout, for everyone who wants to try it, and even longer for registered users of Lightroom 1.x.
It is suggested that everyone read the Release Notes document before using it.

Beta Eligibility
Q: Who is eligible for the Lightroom 2.0 beta?
A: All Lightroom 1.0 customers. Lightroom 1.0 customers can download and install Lightroom 2.0 beta for use throughout the beta program
Q: What about customers new to Lightroom?
A: Anyone can download the Lightroom 2.0 beta and try it for 30 days
Q: How can new customers try the beta for the entire program?
A: An invitation program through labs.adobe.com allows Lightroom 1.0 customers to invite friends to try the beta beyond the 30 day trial until the beta expiration date
Q: When does the beta expire?
A: August 31, 2008

IMPORTANT NOTES, PLEASE READ
Primary Known Issues
Lightroom 2.0 beta will not upgrade Lightroom 1.x libraries. The beta is intended to be used for testing and feedback purposes. Lightroom 1.x and 2.0 beta libraries will be migrated to the finished version of Lightroom 2.0.
While data loss is not expected, this is a very early ‘beta’ quality build and you should always work on duplicates of files that are securely backed up.
Lightroom 2 beta will not overwrite or interfere with a machine that currently has Lightroom 1.3.1 installed.
Develop settings applied in Lightroom 2.0 beta are not guaranteed to transfer correctly to the final version of 2.0. This is particularly true for localized corrections.
The new Photoshop integration functionality is only available with Photoshop CS3 (10.0.1) and should only be used for testing purposes. Metadata associated with the original file may not carry over to the subsequent file saved from Photoshop
Additional known issues are listed in the release notes.

New Features

Library
Streamlined Library Layout
Smart Collections
Powerful Filter Bar to search and refine images
Suggested Keywords for simplified keywording
10k pixel size limit raised to 30k pixels
Output-based Collections

Multiple Monitors:
-Four flexible modes for an alternate window: Grid, Loupe, Compare, Survey(Check out the Live Loupe mode!)

Photoshop CS3 Integration:
Open files in Photoshop as a Smart Object
Select multiple images to merge as a Panorama
Merge multiple exposures into a single Photoshop HDR image
Load multiple files or virtual copies into Photoshop as separate layers in a single document.

Export Functionality:
Auto-add exported images to the Lightroom catalog
Auto Output Sharpening for images on export

Develop Module
Non-Destructive Localized Correction for dodging and burning specific areas of an image
Post Crop Vignette
Basic Panel Keyboard Shortcuts
Improved Auto Adjustment
Improved memory handling through 64-bit support on OS X 10.5 and Vista 64-bit.(Not limited to develop module)

Print Module
Picture Package for multi-page layouts
Print Module output directly to JPEG
Enhanced Print Sharpening based on PhotoKit Sharpener algorithms
16-bit Printing for Mac OS X 10.5

Additional Resources
Lightroom video tutorials by Julieanne Kost: Lightroom 2 beta Tutorial Part I and Lightroom 2 beta Tutorial Part III. (Part II is on the way)
Lightroom 2 beta preview by Ian Lyons
Lightroom Tasmania Adventure
Lightroom 2 beta review by Uwe Steinmueller at OutbackPhoto.com.
Lightroom 2 beta review for our French-speaking photographers
Photoshop Cafe provides a feature review and 1 hour training video.

Thanks to Tom Hogarty at Adobes Lightroom Journal for the info posted above.

Adobe Launches Free Photoshop Express Beta

Adobe have launched a public beta of Photoshop Express, their new photo storage and editing application. This free solution allows users to store up to 2GB of images and edit them with a number of Photoshop’s most popular image editing tools.

Users can upload their images to Photoshop Express and use the rudimentary editing tools to edit and modify images. This solution may be excellent for users with basic requirements but will lease anyone else wanting much more.

Photoshop Express also features slide show options and offers users their own Adobe hosted, online gallery. Images hosted on the service can also be used on blogs or social networking sites such as Facebook. Adobe plan to expand the service/tool as it gets feedback from users of the open beta. To sign up for Photoshop Express visit Adobe’s website.

Nik Software & Vertus - Color Efex Pro 3.0 and Fluid Mask 3 Software Bundle

Nik Software, Inc. and Vertus announced a new software bundle which offers photographers and creative professionals Color Efex Pro 3.0 Complete Edition from Nik Software and Vertus’ Fluid Mask 3. These tools offer excellent capabilities for doing image extractions and creative enhancements. Available on both companies’ websites as an electronic download, the bundle is available for $429.95. For download and discount information please visit niksoftware.com or vertustech.com.

Apple Release Aperture 2.1 Update

Apple have released Aperture Version 2.1, a free update which includes an Apple developed plug-in. The plug-in is Dodge & Burn, a tool which adds brushed based tools to lighten or darken, affect contrast and saturation and that can sharpen or blur. Apple will be working with third-party plug-in developers to expand the capabilities with more plug-ins. Visit the Aperture page at Apple

Manfrotto 190XPROB Tripod Review

Mario Georgiou, March 2008
Manufactured by: Gruppo Manfrotto S.r.l. (a subsidiary of Vitec Group PLC), Manfrotto USA (distributed by Bogen Imaging also owned by Vitec Group)
Requires: N/A
MSRP: US$170, UK£110
The Manfrotto 190XPROB is the latest take on the base model 190, a tripod that has been in the Manfrotto line for many years. This 2007/2008 incarnation seems to incorporate all of the excellent characteristics of its predecessors and adds a couple of important new features. The 190XPROB is a black anodized tubular aluminum tripod with a three-faceted adjustable center column. The tripod has three-section legs made of 16mm, 20mm and 25mm diameter high strength extruded aluminum with a round cross section. Each section is retained or locked by Manfotto's patented flip-lock pressure leg locks. At 1.8kg (a little under 3.9 lbs) the tripod is a lightweight. Load capacity is 5kg (11 pounds, plus a head) making it broadly useful for a wide range of SLR and DSLR body and lens combinations.

In my recent review of the Manfrotto 468MGRC0 Hydrostatic Ball Head I mentioned that I had replaced my old tripod with something more in keeping with the high standards I try to achieve and maintain. I think it's most important to follow a strategy when selecting a tripod and head: a) visit the makers' web sites to figure out what they recommend for your camera gear, b) match size, footprint and general weight of each item to create the lowest possible balance point — there are few things worse than a head that is too heavy for the tripod, c) how much weight you want to carry and what sort of tripod fits your travel, location and shooting needs, d) decide which models among the ones remaining on the list will suit your needs, and e) visit local stores in order to check out the models you've short-listed. After much consideration I decided on the new aluminium 190XPROB. For my needs, this model's center column design was very important. Swing the faceted centre column into a horizontal position by extending it fully and pressing a release button.

The center column feature when combined with the fully adjustable and stable leg geometry means you have a tripod which provides excellent adaptability to most environments. After all due delibration and research I finally purchased the 190XPROB in a store in Cambridge, England during a photographic road trip in October 2007. Having got to grips with the tripod in very short order, I very quickly realized I'd made the right decision. I ended up using the tripod in marshland, on the side of cliffs, in torrential downpours, on large boulders and in a couple of streams, all without any real issues.

The Manfrotto 190XPROB is beautifully designed and well constructed. The legs feature flip-lever pressure leg locks, which make opening, positioning and closing fast and easy. Lock pressure is adjustable using the supplied Allen/hex wrench. The user adjustable mechanism makes it a pleasure to use. The legs can also be adjusted to four different angles (25°, 46°, 66° and 88°), allowing for a very flexible geometry and an extremely stable platform from which to take your photos.

The Manfrotto 190XPROB stands about 48in/122cm tall in its fully extended mode, center colum down. Extending the center column adds another 9.5in/24cm. You can invert the center column allowing you to shoot upside down. The patented design of the center column allows the photographer to position the camera on the head horizontally or vertically and, when used with a good ball or 3-way head, offers a platform which is perfect for macro work, product or table-based photography, low angle shooting or any work which requires the camera to be positioned off center.

The adaptability of this tripod also makes it ideal for photographers who have to sit down for long periods and for those who are wheelchair bound. The only real gripes I have are that Manfrotto has chosen not to include a carrying strap and ground spikes.

(Ed. Note: In early March 2008 we loaded another 190XPROB with a Markins Q20 ball head and a very heavy Nikon D3/300mm f/4 rig for a semi-frozen marshland walkabout just outside of Toronto. We also brought along a couple of shock cords to make boot loops to add some downward pressure to the rig to help combat instabilities when set up on unstable ground and when shooting in gusting wind conditions. When taking into account the downward pressure of the stabilizing shock/bungee cords, we easily exceeded the overall load rating of the tripod by at least 3x but it worked perfectly. Manufacturers' load ratings are conservative — we've obtained similarly excellent 'overloading' performance from a variety of Benbo, Benro, Gitzo, Hakuba Carmagne and other Manfrotto models.)

Cons: No ground spikes or carrying strap included.
Pros: The Manfrotto 190XPROB is extremely stable. Versatile leg and column adjustments don't compromise stability. Good vibration damping when matched with the right head. The Manfrotto 190XPROB tripod is ideal for use with a wide range of heads from Acratech, Arca Swiss, Gitzo, Kirk, Manfrotto and Markins. Great leg locks that never slip even when overloaded. Other than a couple of minor issues (see Cons above) I have to say the 190XPROB is worth every penny. All I want now is to get a carbon fibre version (for extended trekking) and I'll be very happy camper indeed. A great choice for amateur, semi-pro and professional photographers. Highly recommended.

It's not the Camera, It's the Photographer

Make the statement "It's not the camera, it's the photographer" during any discussion or debate on the relative merits of one piece of camera gear over another and you will surely end up in some sort of argument. Really.

We don't advocate any attempt to use semi-operational used gear which only possesses the virtue of being cheap to acquire. We don't advocate throwing a top-of-the-line digital SLR (or any other top-rank SLR) at a novice photographer. We do advocate that photographers should educate themselves about the art and craft of photography at every opportunity, and regularly consider how well their gear is serving them. Buy the best you can afford, but buy only what you can afford.

Professional photographer Ken Rockwell posted an article on his web site about this subject. Professional photographer Michael Reichman posted a rebuttal article on his own web site. Unfortunately, neither photographer seems to be able to engage in the debate without resorting to hyperbole. So since I've been making photographs longer than Rockwell (but not quite as long as Reichman), I feel confident enough to offer a moderating opinion.

Pros, semi-pros and amateurs are working with Olympus, Pentax, Sony, Nikon, Canon, Leica, Kodak and Sigma digital SLR bodies attached to all manner of lenses. All of these photographers make great photos with all of this equipment. Occasionally, even great shots taken with compact and so-called prosumer cameras manage to sneak through. Whether or not a photo is sharp enough and large enough to be credibly reproduced at some large size in a high-end coffee table book or on an art poster is not, in my opinion, the measure of its value as a good (or bad) photo, and the lack of gear to capture such a photo is not a measure by which to judge your existing equipment. Sorry Mr. Reichman. On the other hand, moderately attractive balances of composition, color and subject in moderately good focus during the brief and only time of day in which some cheap compact has any chance of capturing a decent photo is not the measure of a truly versatile camera or satisfying photography experience or a useful choice of gear. Sorry Mr. Rockwell. I think Reichman and Rockwell both use excessive amounts of what can only be described as hyperbole which serves to inflame the debate rather than qualify it. They're both doing a good job of attracting traffic to their respective web sites.

Using only the best gear you can afford has a very special effect on most people. As you engage in a photography experience which is based on an affordable start, it has the effect of bringing you closer to your gear in ways which make it easier for you to judge which exposure settings will achieve the best result. The longer you work with your chosen, affordable gear, the more you'll find out about its flaws and the more you'll find ways to make better and better photos. Use that gear for a couple of years and you may never part with it. Ever. The reason? It's mainly because you will certainly use that gear at some point to make some photos which have deep and emotional meaning and value for you. Not meaning and value worthy of posting and adoring comments on photo.net or redbubble.com (although that surely will happen too), but rather meaning and value for you personally. That's the wonderful thing about photography though — it can be shared or not shared.

Our quest for public approval of so much of what we do has extended to photography no doubt. The problem is that photography in and of itself is often a very personal experience. My father-in-law has posted on his photo.net page a rather close-up photo of an elephant. The photo is nice enough, but not great. It's just a photo of an elephant. But listen for a few minutes to my father-in-law's story about how the huge wild elephant surprised them by lumbering out of dense bush just a few metres away, how his guide, photography partner & friend reached immediately for the rifle in case the obviously tense bull elephant charged them, and how the situation diffused rapidly after the bull determined they were no threat and then turned to lumber down to a herd near a watering hole, and the photo causes a different reaction altogether. You turn again to the photo and look at it with new eyes. Wonderful. The point is that the photo could have been taken with almost any vaguely decent camera, but you had to be physically in that location in Zimbabwe to actually make the shot.

That last point is what really separates good photographers from snapshooters. You have to go to your subjects — they don't come to you. Fly, drive, walk, ride or scoot to wherever and bring whatever gear will do the job. You don't bring a compact point & shoot to a landscape trip; you don't bring a huge lighting setup to a kid's party. Buying and using the gear you can afford never means buying the cheapest used gear that still technically qualifies as camera equipment. Rather it means buying the best gear you can afford which is also appropriate to your photography needs. After that, it's all you.