November 2009

Sony has released a firmware update for the Sony A230, A330 and A380 DSLRs.  The firmware version 1.10 addresses the following:

When the [Metering mode] is set to the [Center weighted] or [Spot] metering modes, the exposure will be locked when the focus is confirmed. (When shooting in AF mode).

To learn more about the update or to download it, visit Sony’s download site for Windows PC or for Mac.

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I’ve only got $1000 to spend on a camera, lens and accessories, what should I buy and why?

This is a question that frequently pops up on popular photography forums like those found on Photo.net.  I have a soft spot in my heart for Photo.net and its members.  It’s where I renewed my interest in photography, specifically “digital photography.”  And, I’ve asked so many questions about what to buy and read countless questions of others asking the same thing.  (I’ve really asked some dumb questions.  But the crew at Photo.net were very friendly and responsive to my questions.)

Now, it may not always be the $1000 figure, it might be $800 or $1500.  Or, someone might be trying to decide between a couple of lenses and flashes.  I’ve also received plenty of questions like this from readers of Photography Bay in the form of comments, emails and our own fledgling forum.  But, for now, we’ll stick with this budget and look for a good first DSLR kit.

With the holiday shopping season ramping up, many of you may be in just this boat, with a budget in this neighborhood, give or take a few bucks.  So, here’s the advice I would give myself if I were looking to by my first DSLR today. [click to continue…]

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The Olympus E-P2 is a quick follow-up to the E-P1, which was introduced just 5 short months ago.  The E-P2 actually appears to be a mild upgrade to the E-P1 since it sports the same internals, including the same 12.3-megapixel Live MOS sensor.  What the E-P2 adds is a port for accessories like an external mic or high-res electronic viewfinder, along with AF tracking capability, i-Enhance color boosting and some new Art filters.

The E-P2 should be available in December 2009 at an initial retail price of $1099.

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Canon 7D

Canon has released a firmware update for the EOS 7D.  The new version 1.1.0 is supposed to address the strange ghosting issue that was uncovered last week.

Canon’s official word about the firmware:

1. Corrects a phenomenon that in images captured by continuous shooting, and under certain conditions, barely noticeable traces of the immediately preceding frame may be visible.

To learn more about it or to download the update, see Canon’s website.

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DXO Optics Pro 6

by on November 4, 2009

in Software

DXO Optics Pro 6

DxO Labs has announced DxO Optics Pro 6, which is geared toward taming high ISO RAW conversion and extends optical fault correction. Additionally, the software adds support for Olympus DSLRs, the Sony A230, A330 and A380, as well as the Nikon D300s.

More details in the press release below. [click to continue…]

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If you’re reading this, then chances are you’re a photographer (be it a budding amateur or an old pro) and you have photos on the Internet somewhere.  But where?

I have photos in more than one place to share them with different groups of people; however, the images don’t overlap completely.  For instance, I might take a handful of images from a given shoot or outing and share them with friends on Facebook; however, I might put a couple of hundred from the same shoot on SmugMug.  And then, I might put four or five on Flickr.

They way I’ve shared images online has changed over the years with the way I use the web.  What about you?

How do you share your images?  Do you share them in more than one place?  I’ve created a multiple choice poll below that covers some of the popular sharing sites and general categories of how we share images.

Take a few seconds to make your picks.  Additionally, feel free to eloborate on how you share your images in the comments below and why you choose those methods over alternatives. We’ll take a look at the results and your comments in a follow-up soon.

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