Photography Bay

Digital Camera News, Reviews and Tips

Archives for March 2008

Nikon D60 Review

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Nikon introduced entry-level D60, a follow up to the D40x, in January 2008 at PMA.  The 10.2 megapixel Nikon D60 then became the third entry-level DSLR that Nikon has brought to the market in just over a one year period.  This is a stark change in the market life of DSLRs over the past several years.  Generally speaking, camera makers have introduced replacements in their various lines approximately every 18 months.  However, Nikon has seen great success in the entry-level DSLR market since the introduction of the 6 megapixel D40 at the end of 2006, which was followed by the 10.2 megapixel D40x in Spring 2007.

The Nikon D60 is really more of an evolution of the D40/D40x line than a revolutionary update.  Slated toward the entry-level market, the Nikon D60 brings some powerful and exciting features to the table that give entry-level users plenty of room to grow with the camera. [Read more…]

 

Heads Up Nikon D3 Users: Image Authentication and Buffer Clearance

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Nikon LogoA quick heads up to those shooting with the Nikon D3, (this presumably effects the other Nikons too?)…If you are shooting with Image Authentication turned on, the buffer clearance times are increased. With my Extreme IV card it took an extra 10 seconds to dump a full buffer to the card.

Despite it being mentioned in one spot in the manual (but not in the image authentication section) most people I have talked to were unaware of this and as it could mean missing shots (especially for sports shooters) it is worth spreading the word.

This post on Nikon D3 Image Authentication and Buffer Clearance Issues is by UK based photographer and Nikon D3 shooter Richard Costin.

Pentaxians Organize Global Photoshoot

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Forum members at www.pentaxforums.com plan to shoot locally on that day and submit images to a central website. Named “PENTAX WORLD DAY,” the global shoot is not intended as a competition (there are no prizes), and it is organized just for the satisfaction of shooting and sharing images with other forum members.

Images must be captured on PENTAX Day (April 5, 2008) between midnight and midnight. Photographers may submit up to three photos. Photos must be taken with a PENTAX camera and should be between 800 and 850 pixels wide or tall, depending on orientation. Photos may be no larger than one megabyte in size. Please leave all EXIF information intact. Images may be submitted from 4/5/2008 to 4/19/2008. After this period, only viewing will be allowed for this category.

Complete details are available here.

Apple Aperture 2.1 – Now With Plug-In Compatibility

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Apple has released an updated version of Aperture, which features open plug-in compatibility. This means that you can expect to see third-party plug-ins like Nik’s Viveza and PictureCode’s Noise Ninja in Aperture soon. It’s great to see a streamlined RAW-processing program like Aperture opened up. Hopefully, Adobe will do the same with Lightroom soon. [Read more…]

Free Links Friday

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Below are some of the best photography links from other sites that I came across this week.  Enjoy!

Photo Industry Braces for Another Revolution – Steven Shankland over at Cnet’s Underexposed reports in an insightful article about the next wave of technological breakthroughs in photography and post-processing.

Lose the Smile for More Versatile Headshots – David Hobby of Strobist digs deep into Platon‘s portrait of Eliot Spitzer, which appeared in this week’s issue of Time, and includes some very specific and educational reverse engineering of the lighting used.

Photography 101 – Lenses, Light and Magnification – Digital Photography School continues its Photography 101 series with an examination the basics of lenses, how they interact with light and magnify images.

You Suck at Photoshop #9 –  Donnie over at My Damn Channel gives us some more weird and insulting instructions on how to use Photoshop.  This episode’s lesson: Curves.

Building Your Wedding Business Series (Part 1 of 4) –  Professional photographer David Ziser gives his insights to budding wedding photographers with 11 ways to better portfolio development and presentation.

Important Lightroom 1.4 and Camera Raw 4.4 Update – Adobe recalls the updates to Lightroom and Camera Raw due to some bugs, and they’re sorry for the mishap.

Adobe Photoshop Express

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Adobe has released Photoshop Express in beta to the public. The above video that Scott Kelby placed on YouTube does a good job of explaining what it does and doesn’t do.  Additionally, here’s a brief description from Adobe:

During the public beta period, Adobe will solicit Photoshop Express user feedback on product features and functionality, which will continue to evolve over time. As the newest addition to the Photoshop family line, Photoshop Express has taken much of Adobe’s best image editing technology and made it simple and accessible to a new online audience. Photoshop Express allows users to store up to 2 gigabytes of images online for free, make edits to their photos, and share them online in creative ways, including downloading and uploading photos from popular social networking sites like Facebook.

Adobe Photoshop Express beta is available now for free via any Web browser at http://www.photoshop.com/express.

Sony A200 Review at Photography BLOG

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Photography BLOG has posted a review of the new Sony A200.

If you have no investment in a DSLR system and you’re looking for an entry-level model, the Sony A200 is a real alternative to the likes of the Nikon D60, Canon EOS 450D and Olympus E-510. It may not be the most exciting camera on paper, with no Live View and “only” a 10 megapixel sensor, but in practice it’s an easy-to-use, solid proposition from which you can confidently upgrade in the future to a more feature-rich model.

For the latest news and reviews, be sure to visit Photography Bay’s Sony A200 Reviews and Resources.

DIY Softbox

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Last weekend, my wife asked me if I wanted to shoot her brother’s yearbook pictures.  I said, “Sure,” without really knowing what to expect.  She told me they would be less formal than a traditional high school’s yearbook photos because, in his home school group, it’s up to the parents to get the photos done and to the yearbook editors.  “Something nice in the backyard,” she said. Upon my arrival, however, the in-laws wanted a more traditional/formal shot for the yearbook.

Softboxes for $0.16

I don’t really have a great portrait setup, so my next question was, “Do you have a couple of shoeboxes?”  [Read more…]

Ashton Kutcher in New Nikon COOLPIX Camera Ad Campaign

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I enjoy seeing how camera makers choose market their products, even more so after Sony’s Foam City. To that end, enjoy Nikon’s new commercial above and check out the full details on the ad campaign from Nikon in the below press release.

If you want to get your hands on the Nikon COOLPIX cameras featured in the Ashton Kutcher commercial, you can go to the best-selling Nikon COOLPIX cameras at Amazon.com by clicking here: Nikon COOLPIX Digital Cameras

NEW YORK (March 25, 2008) – Hollywood’s A-list actor and producer, Ashton Kutcher, is lending his photogenic qualities to Nikon to promote the manufacturer’s new COOLPIX Style series cameras. The campaign will debut nationally on March 25th with a television commercial, which precedes the print advertisements and an interactive online component. Nikon selected Kutcher for the campaign to bring brand relevance to a broader and more youthful audience. Taking place in trendy locales such as boutique hotels and upscale shopping destinations, the campaign highlights the exquisite styling, fashionable colors, simplicity and great performance of Nikon’s Style series compact digital cameras.

“Ashton is the perfect choice for this campaign as he embodies both the stylish and fun attributes of Nikon’s COOLPIX Style series cameras,” said Lisa Baxt, senior communications manager for Nikon Inc. “Ashton’s collaborative spirit, creativity and approachable personality enhanced our campaign which showcases the great style, sleek colorful design and ease of use of Nikon’s newest COOLPIX Style series cameras.”

“I am thrilled to work with Nikon on this campaign,” said Kutcher. “I think technology today represents so much more than just function – it represents personal style and sophistication. I’m enjoying the opportunity to work with such a well respected brand and a group of highly creative individuals on a campaign that showcases the style, design and simplicity of the new COOLPIX cameras.”

The television campaign spots, directed by Emmy award winner Brian Buckley, have Kutcher’s COOLPIX camera being discretely taken and passed around by numerous adoring fans who take several pictures with it before slipping it back into Ashton’s pocket. Ashton then notices some surprising pictures when he reviews the photos on his camera’s LCD screen. The print campaign, shot by legendary photographer Norman Jean Roy, truly captures the sophisticated yet playful essence of Ashton and the aesthetics of the camera. Following the television and print advertisements, the campaign will come full circle with a uniquely engaging internet component, details of which will be revealed shortly.