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What's New Archives Jul 01, 2009 - Jan 01, 2010
Everybody loves a contest. Our latest one, which starts today and runs throught the end of September, allows you to win the DSLR of your choice along with a lens or lenses totaling up to a value of US $2,000.
Someone's going to win it. It could be you.
Tim Wolcott is a very fine American landscape photographer, and pioneer of inkjet printing technology. He recently asked me to write an essay introducing his new book, Along The Water's Edge. That essay is now republished on these pages. Tim will be writing an article for us soon on the process of designing and publishing his book.
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This is a holiday weekend, with Canada Day on July 1, and Independance Day on July 4. Have a safe and enjoyable weekend.
But – do come back here early on Monday – because I will be announcing an extreemly exciting new workshop coming up this November that will be of particular interest to anyone currently shooting with or planning on moving to high-end medium format digital. There are only 20 spots available. First come, first served.
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I just finished going through again your recent seminar series on Where the #%*! Are my Pictures? with you and Seth Resnick, and I must compliment you and Seth on producing a great seminar. I never learned so much in so little time and I have started implementing some of the strategies presented already.
Your interviewing style seems to bring out the best in your seminar partners presenting the content as a story with a logical end. DAM is an intimidating subject, but after watching the seminars, I walked away with a total understanding and how (with Seth’s experience) to increase my workflow process.
Rumours of the demise of Frankie & Heideke have been rife ever since the company went into reorganization a month or so ago. Following Phase One's acquisition of Leaf from Kodak last week, and their CEO's comment that the Leaf Afi camera was likely not commercially viable, the writing was on the wall.
The British Journal of Photography reports today that Frankie & Heideke, the makers of Rollei cameras, the Leaf Afi, and the Sinar Hy6, has laid off all employees and will definitively close operations by September.
This is regretable news, and a sad reflection on the global economy and its effect on the photographic industry. R.I.P.
Imagine four days of intensive photography in the splendor of Death Valley National Park with four of the world's leading photographic instructors. Imagine doing this with a brand-new Phase One 645 camera system and a 60 Megapixel P65+ back, along with a wide variety of lenses.
In an exclusive workshop being held by Phase One this coming November, Michael Reichmann, Jeff Schewe, Mark Dubovoy and Bill Atkinson – each Phase One system owners themselves – will be teaching a four day workshop sponsored by Phase One. Also attending will be Claus Mølgaard, Phase One's head of R&D, and one of the world's leading experts in digital camera and back design.
Each day will feature two multi-hour field shooting sessions as well as classroom tutorials on printing, colour management, equipment familarization and much, much more.
Limited to just 20 participants, this unique and exclusive workshop is going to sell out quickly. Find out more.
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If the timing or content of this workshop isn't right for you have a look at the various workshops being offered by some of my other colleagues. Pierre Claquin and his partner Moumina Dorgabekova have one this Fall in Bangladesh, and Jay Maisel has added some new dates at his New York facility.
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The convergence of still photography and video continues to be a hot topic. The latest issue of W Magazine has a feature stills spread shot with the RED Cine camera, the Canon 5D MKII has been used to shoot a slew of music videos, commercials and even parts of feature films. Now the just-released Panasonic GH1 is being used to shoot a feature film, with a preview clip available here and some behind the scenes footage also available. (My GH1 review will be online here next week).
Which brings us to today's new review of the JVC HM-100, a pocket battleship of a camcoder designed for the indie and documentary film maker. It is unique in that it is the first camcorder to shoot directly to SD cards in XDCAM EX format wrapped in a Final Cut or MP4 wrapper. No transcoding, no rendering, no format conversion required.
With video capable DSLRs on the march, is there still room for camcorders or are their days numbered? Find out what the new JVC HM-100 is all about and watch next week for my Lumix GH1 review.
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I just finished going through again your recent seminar series on Where the #%*! Are my Pictures? with you and Seth Resnick, and I must compliment you and Seth on producing a great seminar. I never learned so much in so little time and I have started implementing some of the strategies presented already.
Your interviewing style seems to bring out the best in your seminar partners presenting the content as a story with a logical end. DAM is an intimidating subject, but after watching the seminars, I walked away with a total understanding and how (with Seth’s experience) to increase my workflow process.
Alain Briot has been a long-time contributor to this site; the author of Briot's View. If you're interested in learning more about Alain, Smibs TV, an online video interview service, now has an almost 30 minute long interview with Alain online.
Philip Bloom is a UK-based film maker who, over the past couple of years, has developed an online presense with regard to creative video production techniques. Smibs also has a 12 minute long video interview with Philip.
And, if you missed it back in December, there is also an 18 minute interview with me, Michael Reichmann, available on the same site.
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Moore's Law is pretty well known to computer literate folks. It's the reason why your dual processor 8 core computer doesn't cost more than a Boeing 747.
But does it apply to our camera's sensors, and if not, why not?
Ray Maxwell asks that question with his essay Why Moore’s Law Does Not Apply to Digital Photography.
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"I wanted to congratulate you on your LL guide to Lightroom 2 which I've just watched in a marathon single sitting while trying out the techniques demonstrated on a second monitor. Despite managing a database of 40,000 images in Lightroom this is the first time I've really deeply understood this software. The tutorial was extremely thorough, clear and enlightening. I cant wait to incorporate this new knowledge into my daily work".
The world of medium format technical cameras is alive and well and being energized by medium format back owners looking for movement capability as well as an opportunity to use some of the extraordinary Schneider and Rodenstock digital-optimized lenses. For some, it's simply an opportunity to return to the pleasures of working in a more deliberate manner.
Arca Swiss has long been one of the industry's leading speciality camera makers, and the new Arca Swiss Rm3d continues their record of innovation and technical excellence. My review, including a free 30 minute long streaming HD video on the Rm3d's technical features, filmed with the asstance of large format expert and photographer Mark Dubovoy, is now online.
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"I had not expected this video to be this good. I already learnt a lot from your previous Lightroom videos with Jeff Schewe, but this video with Seth Resnick is really enlightening. I am now drastically reorganizing and keywording my library and making sense of it. Without your instructions I would never have been able to bring any structure into my collection. I tried a lot but this video really set me on the right track".
Last week's essay by Ray Maxwell made the statement – Why Moore’s Law Does Not Apply to Digital Photography. That essay has produced quite a bit of informed discussion on this site's forum, but has also lead to a rebuttal in the form of another essay, this time by photographer and scientist Nathan Myhrvold. It is titled Not So Fast in Dismissing Moore’s Law.
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Every now and then someone on a web forum makes a comment to the effect that RED's Scarlet camera is vapourware. Well, I don't think so!
In fact here is a link to a brief video taken just a couple of weeks ago at a trade show in Germany where company executive Ted Shilowitz shows a Scarlet prototype (not the final physical form) and discusses both price and availability.
Other camera makers – Be afraid. Be very afraid!
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This issue contains an interview with Pulitzer prize winning National Geographic photographer Jack Dykinga and a segment on him and Michael Reichmann conducting a spring "Moose" photo workshop in Algonquin Park.
There is also a remarkable video of our trip through The Gullet, south of the Antarctic Circle this past January – a must-see in HD.
My expedition to Madagascar is the main feature. The technical feature is a detailed look at strategies for the back-up of your images in the field.
This High Definition (720p) download video may be viewed on any Windows, Mac or Linux PC.
The HD version is just $14.95, while the SD Version is only $9.95. Any purchase makes you eligible for our new contest.
Panasonic's new Lumix GH1 is hands-down the most capable video equipped digital stills camera to date. I have been a big fan of the G1, and now with comprehensive video recording capability the new GH1, along with its 14-140mm (28-280mm equiv) lens, offers tremendous value – if you're interested in shooting video, that is.
I have now been working with the GH1 for a couple of weeks, testing all of its video features and modes, and my comprehensive review of this camera's video capabilities is now online.
Now if only Panasonic could manufacture enough of them to meet the demand. The camera appears to be back-ordered everywhere in the world.
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I just finished going through again your recent seminar series on Where the #%*! Are my Pictures? with you and Seth Resnick, and I must compliment you and Seth on producing a great seminar. I never learned so much in so little time and I have started implementing some of the strategies presented already.
Your interviewing style seems to bring out the best in your seminar partners presenting the content as a story with a logical end. DAM is an intimidating subject, but after watching the seminars, I walked away with a total understanding and how (with Seth’s experience) to increase my workflow process.
There are many specialized photographic pursuits, but one of the most arduous and challenging is Mountain Climbing Photography. Today's new tutorial is by Alexandre Buisse, an expert in both fields.
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Those who enjoyed Part One of the video interview from Smibs TV with our featured columnist Alain Briot will want to watch Part Two, which was recently placed online.
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Unless you enjoy reading about the folks that write the software that we all use, such as Photoshop and Lightroom, you may not be aware of the name Mark Hamburg. Mark is a former Photoshop Architect and was the founding engineer on Lightroom. Last year he left Adobe and went to Microsoft to work on new usability for Windows (two words which one usually doesn't find in the same sentance, I know).
In any event, Mark has now left Microsoft and returned to working with Adobe. Those of us who know him wish him well. If you'd like to read more, there's additional detail on Photoshop News.
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Jay Maisel is one of America's most celebrated photographers. A true photographic genius. He is also an incredible teacher.
Jay runs week-long workshops at his amazing studio / gallery building in Manhatten, and he has a few openings in September, October and November. Totally, completely and very highly recommended!
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The Luminous Landscape Guide to Raw Processing in CS4 Using Camera Raw 5 is now online. It runs two hours in length and covers in detail the new features and capabilities of these two programs. It is priced at $19.90 and is available for immediate download.
The video also wins an Emmy for having the longest title of any product we have yet published.
You can find out more about our other video tutorials covering Fine Art Printing, Raw Processing, Adobe Lightroom and Photographic Asset Management here. All videos are downloads, which means immediate availability, no delivery hassles, no customs charges or fees. Your satisfaction is, of course, guaranteed.
These tutorials are playable on any computer system anywhere in the world and do not contain any digital rights management – which means that they can be played on any device anywhere, at any time, at your convenience.
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UPDATE
If you shoot and edit motion and video, and are on a Mac, and haven't been paying attention for the past few days, you'll be excited to learn that Apple has released Final Cut Studio 3, which includes Final Cut Pro 7, Color 1.5, Motion 4, Soundtrack Pro 3, Compressor 3.5, Cinema Tools 4.5, and DVD Studio Pro 4.
Though this isn't the mega-make-over that some were hoping for there are enough new features and enhancements to make the $299 upgrade price worthwhile. For new users, the good news is that the price of the package has been dropped to $999, a significant reduction.
If you want some valuable insights into the new features in Final Cut Studio 3 check out the brief but free video tutorials at Ripple Training. And if you're just starting to climb the Final Cut learning curve check out the Final Cut 7 video tutorial at macprovideo.com. It may be a bit fast-paced for the absolute beginner, but it is well done.
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Leica announced their launch pricing on the new S2 camera system in the U.K. yesterday. With the time difference it took a little while for U.S. pricing to emerge, but thanks to Florida Leica dealer David Farcas of Dale Photo and Digital we now have the details, which are reproduced below.
Bodies: (Oct 09)
S2 Camera Body - $22,995
S2-P Body with Sapphire LCD Cover Glass and Platinum Service Package - $27,995
Accessories:
Multi Function Handgrip S - $1,295 (Jan 10)
Battery Charger (spare/extra) - $399
Service Packages for Bodies:
S-Body Premium Service - $1,495
S-Body Platinum Service - $3,795
Lenses:
Summarit-S 70mm f/2.5 ASPH - $4,495 (Oct 09)
Summarit-S 70mm f/2.5 ASPH CS - $5,995 (Nov 09)
APO-Tele-Elmar-S 180mm f/3.5 - $6,495 (Oct 09)
APO-Tele-Elmar-S 180mm f/3.5 CS - $7,495 (Nov 09)
APO-Macro-Summarit-S 120mm f/2.5 - $6,495 (Nov 09)
APO-Macro-Summarit-S 120mm f/2.5 - $7,495 (Nov 09)
Summarit-S 35mm f/2.5 ASPH - $5,295 (Dec 09)
Summarit-S 35mm f/2.5 ASPH CS - $5,995 (Dec 09)
Service Packages for Lenses:
S-Lens Premium Service - $495
S-Lens Platium Service - $995
Waiting for my editorial comment on this pricing? OK – here goes.
It's high. Higher than equivalent cameras and lenses from Hasselblad and Phase One. But Leica gear, especially Leica lenses, have always commanded a premium over almost anything else – and for the most part, deservedly so.
But, we're in the middle of a serious global recession, and even those with platinum credit cards are being restrained in their spending.
I don't think that anyone doubts that Leica's S series lenses will be some of the finest ever. The real question mark is the S2 body and sensor, which will have to wait for some serious hands-on testing and comparisons before any judgements can be made. Stay tuned.
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As a rule I don't promote photo contests, but I am a long time supporter of The Nature Conservancy and so you might want to check out their 2009 contest.
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I just finished going through again your recent seminar series on Where the #%*! Are my Pictures? with you and Seth Resnick, and I must compliment you and Seth on producing a great seminar. I never learned so much in so little time and I have started implementing some of the strategies presented already.
Your interviewing style seems to bring out the best in your seminar partners presenting the content as a story with a logical end. DAM is an intimidating subject, but after watching the seminars, I walked away with a total understanding and how (with Seth’s experience) to increase my workflow process.
It what may be the most comprehensive dialogue on the topic found on the net to date, today we publish the third (and I promise – final) essay on this topics, in the form of a further series of rebuttals.
The essay that started this all was called Why Moore’s Law Does Not Apply to Digital Photography and the second was titled Not So Fast in Dismissing Moore’s Law. This latest follow-up is named Moore's Law and Digital Photography.
Please, please, please don't send me any more submissions on this topic, even if you have a double PhD on the topic. I'm done like dinner!
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In June I published an essay titled The Quest for Good Photographs and How the Brain Perceives Images. It was written by Charles S Johnson Jr., and excerpted from his forthcoming book Science for the Curious Photographer.
Today I am pleased to publish another installment, with the title Understanding What Makes a Good Image and Learning How to Use That Knowledge. If you can tear yourself away from browsing the net in search of "how many pixels can dance on the head of a pin", you may find it of interest. :-)
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I just finished going through again your recent seminar series on Where the #%*! Are my Pictures? with you and Seth Resnick, and I must compliment you and Seth on producing a great seminar. I never learned so much in so little time and I have started implementing some of the strategies presented already.
Your interviewing style seems to bring out the best in your seminar partners presenting the content as a story with a logical end. DAM is an intimidating subject, but after watching the seminars, I walked away with a total understanding and how (with Seth’s experience) to increase my workflow process.
Wednesday morning saw this month's full moon setting over Lake Muskoka in Northern Ontario. Though the "formal" full moon wasn't till that evening it's always the moonset of that day that is the best for photography, as it coincides almost exactly with sunrise.
The clouds cooperated for a change and it was a lovely, though windy morning.
I have placed a very brief video clip online just for the fun of it. I've been working this summer with the new Panasonic GH1, mostly shooting video with it, specifically a personal documentary on the Muskoka Lakes region, it's flora, fauna and moods.
Whether it's due to unanticipated demand, or simply poor production planning on Panasonic's part, the GH1 has been in very short supply in most markets, and when camera's do arrive dealers are sold out in minutes.
This clip was shot with a Sigma 50-500mm at an effective focal length of 1,000mm. 720/P60 / ISO 400 / f/6.3 / 1/60 sec shutter. Speeded up 4X in Final Cut 7. Running time = 20 seconds. Music by Muse.
With the passing of high-end CRTs, such as the Sony Artisan, most serious workers are now using LCD screens for image editing and production colour work. For many the 30" Apple Cinemadisplay offers a combination of size, image quality and price that's hard to beat.
But, if money is no object, or ultimate accuracy is what's needed, the Eizo ColorEdge CG301W is an excellent choice, and Mark Dubovoy today tells us why.
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I am currently testing quite a bit of new gear which will appear in reviews on these pages in the weeks ahead. One is the fascinating Canon 17mm f/4 T/SE lens. A shot taken with it just yesterday is the new Home Page image. A field review will be published here soon.
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Andy Biggs has just announced a four-day-long workshop in Sante Fe, New Mexico in early October. It is on Adobe Lightroom and Fine Art Printing, and coincides with the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, which will be one of the workshop's photographic destinations.
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UPDATE
Why you should be really really pissed that Panasonic isn't making and shipping enough GH1 cameras.
No matter how good our cameras get, no matter how wide the dynamic range, and no matter how low the noise, we always want more.
HDR is one way of obtaining greater DR, but it isn't without cost. In a new tutorial titled You'd Be Surprised What Those Files May Contain, Mark Segal today looks at ways of extracting the most information from your current images.
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Incidently, if you're located in Toronto, or elsewhere in Southern Ontario or upstate New York, Mark will be teaching two seperate, two-day seminars at Vistek's Mississauga location on Oct 3 and Oct 17, and then again on October 24, and 31 at Vistek's downtown Toronto store. These each take place on two seperate Saturdays, and comprise a total of 12 hours of instruction for each seminar. If you can figure this all out, then I recommend that you attend because Mark, who is a frequent contributor to this site, really knows his stuff.
Canon has had several tilt-shift lenses in EF mount for more than a decade. Earlier this year they updated the 24mm (the Home Page shows a shot taken with the original version), and I have now had an opportunity to work with the exciting and unique 17mm TS/E. My field review is now online.
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Leica has issued a press release announcing final details, pricing, and availability of its long-awaited S2 medium format camera. I have created a page reproducing the full text in English of that release.
I expect to have a lot to say about this new system in the weeks ahead!
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I just finished going through again your recent seminar series on Where the #%*! Are my Pictures? with you and Seth Resnick, and I must compliment you and Seth on producing a great seminar. I never learned so much in so little time and I have started implementing some of the strategies presented already.
Your interviewing style seems to bring out the best in your seminar partners presenting the content as a story with a logical end. DAM is an intimidating subject, but after watching the seminars, I walked away with a total understanding and how (with Seth’s experience) to increase my workflow process.
Using longer or wider lenses doesn't just change ones field of view, it also changes perspective. Today, Peter Cox explores this topic in a tutorial titled Changing Perspective.
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"I wanted to congratulate you on your LL guide to Lightroom 2 which I've just watched in a marathon single sitting while trying out the techniques demonstrated on a second monitor. Despite managing a database of 40,000 images in Lightroom this is the first time I've really deeply understood this software. The tutorial was extremely thorough, clear and enlightening. I cant wait to incorporate this new knowledge into my daily work".
If an automotive magazine or web site reviews a new Ferrari no one complains at the price. It just is what it is.
But, with photographic equipment high priced gear gets the gears from many people. Even me, sometimes.
Why is this? In Want – Need – Afford – Pick Any Two I explore this topic. Nothing profound; just some observations.
Sony has today announced several new cameras and lenses, including thier A500, A550 and A850. My report on the A550 will appear here in a couple of days, but today has the publication of my A850 report.
What's an A850, you ask? It's a full frame, 25 Megapixel DSLR, almost identical to the A900, for around US $2,000. Now have I caught your interest? My review is found here.
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DXOMark now has test results for the A850 online, though as expected they are pretty much the same for as the A900.
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As many will already know Adobe has released Camera Raw 5.5 (beta), an update with support for several new cameras, including the Nikon D300s, Nikon D3000, Olympus E-P1, and Panasonic DMC-FZ35. I would have mentioned it a few days ago but I was traveling abroad when it was announced and was offline for a couple of days.
Hasselblad has also now announced that CR 5.5 has added support for Hasselblad 3FR files, though there is no support in this version for tethered shooting and FFF files.
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I just finished going through again your recent seminar series on Where the #%*! Are my Pictures? with you and Seth Resnick, and I must compliment you and Seth on producing a great seminar. I never learned so much in so little time and I have started implementing some of the strategies presented already.
Your interviewing style seems to bring out the best in your seminar partners presenting the content as a story with a logical end. DAM is an intimidating subject, but after watching the seminars, I walked away with a total understanding and how (with Seth’s experience) to increase my workflow process.
The Sony A550 is that company's new top-of-the-line consumer camera. Three camera were announced a couple of days ago; The A850, A550 and A500. My A850 report has already been published and today we have my Sony A550 First Impressions.
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After the publication of my Sony A850 review the other day (and my ongoing complaints about poor OEM raw software), I got a note from DxO Labs letting me know that in some European countries Sony is bundling this new camera with DxO Optics Pro (full Elite version) as free companion software.
Nicely done Sony. You finally got the memo. Now, how about offering this program everywhere else in the world?
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Apple started shipping Mac OS 10.6 Snow Leopard yesterday. If you own an Epson printer, this is the page that you should visit to download the latest drivers for your printer.
Leica has just announced that they will be webcasting a press conference to introduce new products (notice the plural) next Wednesday, the 9th of September, at 10am Eastern.
For those of you who haven't had your coffee yet this morning, don't let the significance of the 09/09/09 date escape your notice. :-)
You need to register online to be able to view this webcast.
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"I wanted to congratulate you on your LL guide to Lightroom 2 which I've just watched in a marathon single sitting while trying out the techniques demonstrated on a second monitor. Despite managing a database of 40,000 images in Lightroom this is the first time I've really deeply understood this software. The tutorial was extremely thorough, clear and enlightening. I cant wait to incorporate this new knowledge into my daily work".
Two major announcements today.
The first is the new Epson 3880 printer. Imagine the 3800 but with the 880 ink set and heads. In other words, Epson's UltraChrome K3 with Vivid Magenta ink technology and an advanced MicroPiezo® AMC print head.
The 3880 replaces the 3800, and will be available in October with a U.S. MSRP of $1,295. I expect to have a review sample soon, so watch for my test report. Looks like the industry's best printer value just got better.
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Canon has announced today their newest DSLR, the 7D. No surpise really, as their subsidiaries in China and Taiwan leaked all the specs and pictures last week. (One year it's France, the next it's another country. I think they may be competeing for the honours). For a company that appears to be paranoid about providing product information to journalists, even under NDA, they do a pretty good job of leaking it themselves – so why bother?
The camera itself looks very exciting. It's a fresh redesign and likely will be the template for additional cameras to come. The main features are an 18 MP APS-C CMOS sensor, a new high performance autofocus system, 8 FPS, Full HD video at 24, 25 and 30 FPS, a built-in flash capable of acting as a flash trigger, a built-in leveling sensor, and much more.
Will it have easily accessable mirror lock up? I doubt it, but I can't wait to find out. Look for a hands-on review here soon.
We always hear the horror stories; the gear that fails and the company that won't fix it properly, or which makes the process a frustrating and painful one.
But, how often do we hear of a company in the photographic industry that goes out of its way to provide exemplary service? Not as often as we should, but there are such companies out there.
Today's story, called It's Nice to Deal with Pros, is about Geoff Baehr's experience with a defective Epson 9900 printer. It's a heart-warming tale, and one which we don't hear often enough. (I know you had a bad experience with Epson – but don't write to me about it. This is a good news story, maybe even a parable which others can learn from).
Geoff, by the way, is the ex-CTO of a Fortune 500 company and knows a thing or two about technology.
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Panasonic has announced today the GF1, their entry in the pocket-camera / big-sensor sweapstakes.
The only other cameras in this catagory at the moment are the Sigma DP-2 and Olympus E-P1. What makes the camera exciting are its high image quality – since it uses the same well-regarded sensor as the G1, DSLR speed autofocus (unique to this camera series from Panasonic), HD video, and an accessory eletronic viewfinder. The GF1 will have a U.S. retail price of $899.
Oh yes, did I mention the 20mm (40mm equiv) f/1.7 ASPH lens coming as well? Panasonic has several new lenses coming this year, and next, and I'll have more to say about all of these in my GF1 hands-on report, to be published here within the next few weeks.
Snow Leopard (OS 10.6) is an important new update to the Mac OS that just came out last week. But, as sometimes is the case with operating systems, there can be driver compatability issues.
In the case of Epson printers, some people have had no problems but others have, and the tale of one of these, and the solution, are now detailed in Epson / Snow Leopard Woes, by Mark Dubovoy.
There's an exciting week coming up with new product announcements and a number of new product reviews. In fact the next few weeks are going to be chock-a-block with new cameras and reviews.
I am currently working on my Canon 7D field report and have six other new camera reviews scheduled for publication in the coming days, so come back often. The fun starts on Wednesday.
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On Sunday Oct 4, 2009 I'll be conducting a Fall Colour Workshop on behalf of Sony Canada at Webster's Falls, near Hamilton, Ontario. This is limited to just 40 Sony owners living in the southern Ontario region, so grab a spot as soon as possible if you're interested in attending. (Please note that I am teaching this workshop, not running it, so please direct any questions that you might have about it to Sony).
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When the Olympus EP-1 was introduced a short while ago I looked closely at it but decided not to do a review. Why? Primerily because my plate was full at the time, but also because I wasn't that impressed by what I saw. I also wasn't in the mood for the kind of wailing and gnashing of teeth that ensues from the faithfull when I savage a product online.
But now, Thom Hogan, one of the most insightful reviewers on the Net, has published his report on the EP-1. Since it almost exactly mirror's my thoughts on that camera I suggest that you read it if you'd like to know what that fascinating but highly flawed product is all about.
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I just finished going through again your recent seminar series on Where the #%*! Are my Pictures? with you and Seth Resnick, and I must compliment you and Seth on producing a great seminar. I never learned so much in so little time and I have started implementing some of the strategies presented already.
Your interviewing style seems to bring out the best in your seminar partners presenting the content as a story with a logical end. DAM is an intimidating subject, but after watching the seminars, I walked away with a total understanding and how (with Seth’s experience) to increase my workflow process.
Leica has announced today three new cameras. The basics are as follows…
– Leica M9: full frame 35mm; same body size as the M8; 18.2 Megapixels CCD sensor, no antiailiasing filter, no IR filters needed on lenses.
– Leica S2: a new medium format camera system with a 37.5 Megapixel CCD ensure, weatherproof body and lenses, focal plane and leaf shutter lenses; 1.5 FPS
- Leica X1: pocket sized camera with a 1.5X APS-C sized CMOS sensor and a 24mm f/2.8 Elmarit ASPH lens (non-interchangable)
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In mid-August I was invited to join a small group of journalist on a visit with Leica at their headquarters in Solms, Germany. The purpose was to preview three new cameras, the M9, S2 and X1. We were able to spend time shooting with the S2 and M9 and also had unprecedented access to Leica's executives, product development team, and engineers over a three day period.
In addition to shooting in a studio and afield with the M9 and S2 we met with a wide range of Leica executives, including the CEO, department heads, product managers, design engineers, and project leaders.
I have reviews ready of the M9 and S2, and also three in-depth video interviews with senior Leica engineers and executives. Because I don't want to put everything online all at once, I will be spreading these out over the next week, and in keeping with agreements that I and other journalists made with Leica about publication dates.
Here's the schedule…
Today: Leica X1 Preview
Thursday, Sept 10: Leica M9 Production Camera Review
Friday, Sept 11: Leica S2 Pre-Production Camera Hands-On Report
Monday, Sept 14: Video
An interview with Stephan Daniel, Product Manager for Leica Camera – regarding the M9 camera. 70 minutes in length.
Tuesday, Sept 15: Video
An interview with Leica's chief optical designer, Peter Karbe. 44 minutes in length.
Wednesday, Sept 16: Video
Leica factory visit – building the Leica M9
I've shot with M Leicas, both professionally and personally, for more than 30 years. After working with a production Leica M9 in Germany last month I was taken by how that company has finally and successfully transitioned from film to digital with this new model.
While the Leica S2, (to be reviewed here tomorrow) is a fresh from-the -ground-up digital design, the M9 attempts to carry forward the essence of what made the M series – among the finest cameras ever made – into the digital realm.
The M8 and M8.2 were steps in that direction, but had their failings. But with the M9 I believe that Leica has nailed the transition. With an 18 Megapixel full frame sensor, no AA filter, no need for IR filters, and the ability to take virtually every lens that Leica has ever made over the past 75 years, the M9 has what it takes to satisfy the traditionalist as well as the most demanding digerati.
No, it's not inexpensive. But the world's best of anything never is. But, at about US $7,000 the M9 is the smallest and lightest full frame 35mm camera available, and I believe it will challenge the Canon 1Ds MKIII and Nikon D3x in terms of image quality. Not as many gizmos and features, to be sure, but it does so for a comparable price. And for some photographers, in some situations, ultimate image quality along with discrete size and low weight will trump the bricks which we call "Pro" DSLRs.
As the saying goes – "You pay your money and you make your choices".
My Leica M9 First Look Report is now online.
"I wanted to congratulate you on your LL guide to Lightroom 2 which I've just watched in a marathon single sitting while trying out the techniques demonstrated on a second monitor. Despite managing a database of 40,000 images in Lightroom this is the first time I've really deeply understood this software. The tutorial was extremely thorough, clear and enlightening. I cant wait to incorporate this new knowledge into my daily work".
The Leica S2 is the third entry in that company's trifecta of product announcements this week. We've known about it since last October's Photokina, but now it's real, and about to ship.
During my visit to Solms, Germany last month I had the opportunity to shoot for a day with an S2 system. My first impressions report is now online. I expect to have a full production S2 camera for testing later this month or early October, and of course will provide further analysis and reporting here then.
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If you want some insightful Leica M9 reporting, have a look at David Farkas' blog. David was one of the members of our August visit to Solms. A great read.
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Come back on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of next week for three exclusive video reports...
– A 44 minute long interview with Leica's chief lens designer Peter Karbe.
– A 69 minute long interview with Leica's Product Manager, Stephan Daniel.
– A look at the final assembly and testing process of the M9 at Leica's Solms factory.
In mid-August, 2009, together with a small group of web journalists, I visited Leica's Solms, Germany headquarters for a preview of the new Leica S2 and M9.
We were given unprecedented access to shoot stills and video in Leica's manufacturing and testing facility, and during our three days there I produced three videos – including interviews with Leica's M9 Product Manager Stephan Daniel and Peter Karbe, the company's head of lens design.
Today's video, running 18 minutes in length, is a tour of the M9's final assembly and testing clean room – astonishing for the amount of manual work involved.
The two interviews will appear here over the next couple of days.
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Over this past weekend there have been rumours circulating on various web forums that the first shipment of Leica M9s have been recalled.
I spoke with a senior Leica executive in the U.S. on Sunday morning and he subsequently spoke with representatives of the company in Germany. I have been told that these recall reports are completely false and groundless.
The facts are that the first M9s have been on sale in Europe since the middle of last week, and U.S. and Canadian dealers will start to receive initial shipments toward the end of this week.
It's also clear that demand for the M9 is turning out to be very high, and so it may be some time until the initial feeding frenzy can be satisfied. When you've watched my video of what's involved in final assembly and testing you'll understand why. No robots, no mass production – just careful and therefore slow hand work and meticulous testing. No wonder Leicas cost what they do.
In addition to an opportunity to work with the new Leica M9 and S2 during a visit to Leica in mid-August, we were able to spend considerable time chatting and exchanging ideas with some of the company's senior executives.
The M9 Product Manager, Stephan Daniel, was kind enough to allow me to video record our introductory session with him about the M9, and that 70 minute long interview is now online.
I just finished going through again your recent seminar series on Where the #%*! Are my Pictures? with you and Seth Resnick, and I must compliment you and Seth on producing a great seminar. I never learned so much in so little time and I have started implementing some of the strategies presented already.
Your interviewing style seems to bring out the best in your seminar partners presenting the content as a story with a logical end. DAM is an intimidating subject, but after watching the seminars, I walked away with a total understanding and how (with Seth’s experience) to increase my workflow process.
During my visit last month with Leica in Germany for a preview of the soon to be announced M9, S2 and X1, there also was an opportunity to interview Leica's head of optical design, Peter Karbe.
There is now a 35 minute long video of that session online during which we primarily discussed the new lenses for the S series camera.
This concludes my coverage of the recent Leica product launches. We've had six featured product reports and videos in the past eight days. It's now time for me to take a break.
I'll be on vacation for the next week, and likely not online much, so you can catch up with any of the new material that you haven't yet read, or some of the more than 3,500 pages of essays, reviews, tutorials and articles on the site.
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Adobe has released updates in the form of Lightroom 2.5 and Camera Raw 5.5. These include support for several new cameras, including the Nikon D300S, Nikon D3000, Panasonic DMC-GF1, and Olympus E-P1.
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It isn't often that there's a new medium format camera announced, but today we were surprised by the Hartblei Cam, which looks to offer a hybrid lens / camera / back integration system.
Whether this turns out to be a real product, and when it might come to market, remains open at the moment. More as it becomes known.
"I wanted to congratulate you on your LL guide to Lightroom 2 which I've just watched in a marathon single sitting while trying out the techniques demonstrated on a second monitor. Despite managing a database of 40,000 images in Lightroom this is the first time I've really deeply understood this software. The tutorial was extremely thorough, clear and enlightening. I cant wait to incorporate this new knowledge into my daily work".
Ray Maxwell has written a reminder about how to best set your camera when shooting raw, in a brief tutorial titled Proper Settings for an Accurate Histogram.
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My week-long vacation in Paris has now drawn to a close and I'm on my way home. Along with too much good food, some great art, and miles of walking and people watching, I had time to shoot about a thousand frames with my new Leica M9 and also a pre-production Panasonic GF1. I'll have reports here on both cameras within the next week or so.
The new Home Page image was taken with the M9 earlier this week.
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Canon has finally given its flagship prosumer DSLR a major facelift in the form of the EOS 7D. The competition in this segment is getting tough and Canon needed to really pull out the stops. The 7D is also likely the basis on which Canon will build a number of future models so it is well worth a look.
In my 7D First Look I describe what this new camera is like to work with, but because it is still a pre-production model I have not commented on image quality at this time.
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PhotoPlus Expo is on in New York City in just under a month from now. I have been invited by B&H Photo to give a talk at the B&H Event Space on Thursday, Oct 22 from 10am – 12pm. This is a free two hour lecture. All you need to do is register in advance. But, space is limited so if you'd like to attend register online now.
I look forward to seeing you there.
"I wanted to congratulate you on your LL guide to Lightroom 2 which I've just watched in a marathon single sitting while trying out the techniques demonstrated on a second monitor. Despite managing a database of 40,000 images in Lightroom this is the first time I've really deeply understood this software. The tutorial was extremely thorough, clear and enlightening. I cant wait to incorporate this new knowledge into my daily work".
We've all done it. There's a photograph or a 100% crop of an image online, taken with a camera or lens that we're interested in, and we judge its image quality capabilities (at least in part) on the basis of that screen image.
Wrong!
In The Fallacy of Judging Image Quality Online I look at why, though many people do it all the time, it's really a very bad idea.
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And, speaking of image quality, one of the biggest factors in getting the most out of your digital camera's images is learning how to sharpen properly. Jeff Schewe's newly updated book, Image Sharpening with Adobe Photoshop, Camera Raw, and Lightroom is now available. It is the ultimate reference on the subject of sharpening and well worth your attention.
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My friend Nick Rains, the well known Austrailian photographer, writer, and photographic educator, is the guest lecturer on what sounds to be a fantastic cruise, a sub-Antarctic Wildlife Adventure beginning on December 1. If you've got the time and the money, this sounds like a great trip. Tell them Nick sent you and you'll get a discount.
I just finished going through again your recent seminar series on Where the #%*! Are my Pictures? with you and Seth Resnick, and I must compliment you and Seth on producing a great seminar. I never learned so much in so little time and I have started implementing some of the strategies presented already.
Your interviewing style seems to bring out the best in your seminar partners presenting the content as a story with a logical end. DAM is an intimidating subject, but after watching the seminars, I walked away with a total understanding and how (with Seth’s experience) to increase my workflow process.
The Micro Four Thirds format continues to gain strength with recent new models from both Olympus and Panasonic.
The Panasonic GF1 caught my attention because I was already an enthusiastic owner of both the G1 and GH1, and based on its specs at least it seemed to trump the Olympus EP-1.
Panasonic managed to get a production GF1 into my hands just the day before I left for a week-long trip to Paris earlier this month. I shot with it extensively, as well as with a full production Leica M9, which I had purchased after my visit with Leica in Germany last month.
My Panasonic GF1 Field Report is now online, and my Leica M9 field report will appear here before the end of this week.
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Both Hasselblad and Phase One have announced new cameras within the past few days.
Hasselblad's offering is the H4D-60, with 60 megapixel back and a number of innovative new features. Among these are some unique focusing technologies.
Phase One has announced the Phase One 645DF, along with three new high performance Schneider leaf shutter lenses, 55mm, 80mm and 110mm, all f/2.8. These lenses are a result of close collaboration between Phase One, Mamiya Digital Imaging, and Schneider Kreuznach.
The 645DF is claimed to now be the only 645 medium format camera which supports both focal plane and leaf shutters, though the forthcoming Leica S2 does as well (though not strictly speaking a 645 format camera).
Among the enhancements to the new 645DF are improved autofocus speed and pre-defined custom shooting modes.
The 645DF and leaf shutter lenses are scheduled to become available over the next few months.
I expect to soon have one of the new Phase One cameras for field testing.
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ONLY TWO DAYS REMAINING
Enter Now To Win
And Support This Site!
Photographer on The Dunes – Michael Reichmann
I announced here back in July, that along with renown photographers and educators Jeff Schewe, Bill Atkinson and Mark Dubovoy I would be teaching a field workshop for Phase One in Death Valley, California in early November, part of the company's Digital Artist Series.
That workshop sold-out within a couple of days, as we expected it would. But now, a few of the attendees have had to drop out due to personal scheduling issues, and we have re-opened this workshop to registration.
Find out more here. If you want to spend five days shooting with a 60 Megapixel Phase One medium format camera system in one of the planet's most remarkable photographic locations, learn from four of the most experienced photographic educators, and spend time talking with Claus Mølgaard, Phase One's Chief Technology Officer and Vice President R&D, one of the world's leading experts on digital imaging, then this is the workshop for you.
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This Is The Last Day To Enter!!
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Please note that we will be updating our video and store server later today (Wednesday) and it therefore may be down for a few hours at some point. This means that access to the on-line Store, and the ability to download tutorials and videos may be interupted at some point. Sorry for the inconvenience.
The main site server will not be affected.
If there is an icon in the camera industry, it's the M series Leica. More than half a century has gone by since the M3 was introduced, and nearly two generations of photojournalists and other photographers have used it and the subsequent M4, M5, M6, M7 and M8 to take some of the world's greatest photographs.
Now the new Leica M9 is shipping. Is it the digital M3? Read my Leica M9 Field Report to find out.
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The winner of our just-concluded Win a DSLR Contest is Serge Polevitzky of Marina, CA. Congratulations Serge!
Our next contest has already started. We're just not telling you what it is yet. But, every purchase made from our store (even just registration) is an entry. Past prizes have included cameras, workshops, and seminars, usually worth thousands of dollars.
"I wanted to congratulate you on your LL guide to Lightroom 2 which I've just watched in a marathon single sitting while trying out the techniques demonstrated on a second monitor. Despite managing a database of 40,000 images in Lightroom this is the first time I've really deeply understood this software. The tutorial was extremely thorough, clear and enlightening. I cant wait to incorporate this new knowledge into my daily work".
This is to announce a brand new workshop at the Luminous Landscape Landscape Gallery and Print Studio in Toronto, on the weekend of November 21,22.
It is titled An Introduction to Digital Image Processing and is presented by Mark Segal, along with the participation of Michael Reichmann.
There are just 20 seats available, and this will likely sell out quickly. The weekend costs CDN $595, including taxes, and also includes a catered breakfast and lunch both days. A comprehensive illustrated training manual that summarizes and details all of the material that is covered in the seminar will be provided to each participant.
If you live in southern Ontario or up-state New York, or anywhere else for the matter and can make it here for that weekend, this will be a very enjoyable and productive learning experience. I hope to see you here next month.
Pentax is one of the venerable names in the camera marketplace, though in recent years they have been eclipsed by the major players.
Their new K7 is a strong contender, though not as compelling a choice as prospective owners might wish. My hands-on report on the K7 is now online.
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An Introduction to Digital Image Processing, a seminar at The Luminous Landscape Gallery and Studio, presented by Mark Segal and first announced here on Monday, still has a few spots available.
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If you doubt the eventual convergence of stills and video, especially in commercial work, you'll likely be more than interested in this article – err, video.
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I don't often hand out endorsements, however, when I see something
unique, entertaining, educational and very reasonably priced
I must say something.
Your interviews with Jay Maisel and Jeff Schewe really helped me
understand the business ... and Antarctica ....
Worth every penny and more, especially the HD version!
Our Store was off-line for part of yesterday due to a server problem. It's now back up and we want to make up for lost time. So, for the next 48 hours everything in our Store is On Sale at 25% Off!
Update – The sale has been so well received that the server has slowed and some people have been having trouble placing their orders. We are therefore extending the sale through Monday evening, so that if you find the store slow to respond, just wait a while and try again.
Our Store and Forums have now been restored to normal functioning after a hardware crash last night. The main site (which runs on a different machine) has been working normally throughout.
Some Forum postings from last night have been lost, but otherwise everything should now be back to normal.
Sorry for any inconvenience.
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Pentax K7 Update
My Pentax K7 review of a couple of days ago has not been well received by some of the Pentax faithful. I am actually surprised, because I found the camera to be quite competent, and said so. But I also said that I didn't find it a very compelling camera personally, because it doesn't have any one aspect of its design or performance that makes it stand out.
In any event, e-mails pro and con are currently running about 4:1 supportive of my evaluation, and that's by those that have tried the K7, so I guess I'm not alone in the wilderness.
Virtually every DSLR and medium format back on the market has a Bayer Filter array. This is what allows them to produce colour images. But, what if you want to shoot monochrome? You can always convert in post-processing, but we do lose some resolution to the Bayer matrix.
And what about those that need to shoot in the infrared and ultraviolet ends of the spectrum, or who need to use narrow bandpass filters for scientific applications? Almost every camera also has an Infrared blocking filter.
The Phase One Achromatic Plus back is a solid (though expensive) solution to these challenges, and my world-exclusive review is now online. This back has no Bayer Matrix, no IR blocking filter, and no Anti-Aliasing filter; simply a sensor covered by a piece of plain glass for physical protection.
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An Introduction to Digital Image Processing, a seminar at Michael Reichmann's Luminous Landscape Gallery and Studio, and presented by Mark Segal, still has a few spots available.
Here's wishing a very Happy Thanksgiving holiday to all our Canadian readers.
In the Muskoka / Algonquin region of southern Ontario, where I've spent the past week shooting and vacationing, we have had one of the most intense and colourful fall foliage displays in a generation. Reason enough for thanks if you're a photographer.
The new photograph on the Home Page was taken just yesterday, and is my homage to Canadian Thanksgiving.
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Memory cards continue to get bigger, faster, and less expensive on a per Gigabyte basis. There are now 32GB SD cards and 64GB CF cards shipping, and they're fester than ever.
But will they work with your camera? Today I report on a new brand called PhotoFast.
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An Introduction to Digital Image Processing, a seminar at The Luminous Landscape Gallery and Studio, to be presented by Mark Segal in November, still has a few spots available.
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UPDATE
Nikon has announced the D3s, an evolution of the two year-old D3, this time with 720P/24 HD video and sensativity up to ISO 102,400. Black cats in coal mines beware.
Australian photographer Marcus Bell has spent a few days shooting with the D3s, and shares his impressions on his blog.
If you'd also like to see how a talented photographer blends stills and motion, have a look at this video by Marcus.
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For those that have watched my recent videos shot at the Leica factory in Solms, Germany, but still haven't had enough, Wired Magazine now has an online essay and photo story about their recent tour of the Leica factory.
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I don't often hand out endorsements, however, when I see something
unique, entertaining, educational and very reasonably priced
I must say something.
Your interviews with Jay Maisel and Jeff Schewe really helped me
understand the business ... and Antarctica ....
Worth every penny and more, especially the HD version!
Epson dominates the photo-quality printer market, and with good reason. The company has been the industry leader when it comes to new head and ink technologies, and arguable has done more to develop and perfect inkjet printing that anyone else.
The 3800 printer has been the most popular desktop photographic printer among pros and serious amateurs now for several years. This month it is finally being upgraded to the 3880, with new K3 with Vivid Magenta inks, new head coating technology, and new dithering techniques.
I've been using the 3880 at my studio for the past few weeks, and my Epson Stylus Pro 3880 hands-on report is now online.
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An Introduction to Digital Image Processing, a seminar at The Luminous Landscape Gallery and Studio, to be presented by Mark Segal in November, still has a few spots available.
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UPDATE
Canon has today announced the EOS 1DMK IV, a 16 Megapixel 1.3X factor DSLR with a new high sensitivity autofocus system, 10FPS capability, HD video with manual controls (the same video modes as the 7D), and of course (given last week's announcement of the Nikon D3s), ISOs up to 102,400. The 1D MK IV will retail for US $4,999.
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The Federal Trade Commission in the U.S. is going to be requiring that all web sites, web authors, and bloggers that review products online disclose... "their connection, if any, with the advertisers; and also reveal the receipt of free products and or payments from the advertisers".
I believe that this is an excellent rule, and even though I am located outside the U.S., I fully support this move. In the past I have tried to be clear about my commercial relationships, but have never made a statement about it in a single place.
I have now done so here, and this page is permenently linked on the site's side panel, found on the left side of every page.
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If you have been sitting breathlessly, Platinum Visa card in hand, waiting for Leica to ship the S2, you'll now have to wait a bit longer. In the company's own words...
"Because pre-orders are at a higher level than anticipated, Leica AG has therefore decided to adapt the S-System production lines to a higher daily output without compromising quality. However, this cannot be done during a running production and this intricate process calls for further testing and optimization at various stages. Therefore, Leica AG will postpone the start of serial production the S-System. First deliveries will be made in the 2nd week of January 2010.
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An Introduction to Digital Image Processing, a seminar at The Luminous Landscape Gallery and Studio, to be presented by Mark Segal in November, still has a few spots available.
____________________
I just finished going through again your recent seminar series on Where the #%*! Are my Pictures? with you and Seth Resnick, and I must compliment you and Seth on producing a great seminar. I never learned so much in so little time and I have started implementing some of the strategies presented already.
Your interviewing style seems to bring out the best in your seminar partners presenting the content as a story with a logical end. DAM is an intimidating subject, but after watching the seminars, I walked away with a total understanding and how (with Seth’s experience) to increase my workflow process.
A beta release of Adobe Lightroom 3 is now available as a free download to anyone on both Macintosh and Windows platforms. You don't even have to own a previous version of Lightroom. My introductory look at this new release is now online.
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And when you're ready to really learn Lightroom, here's the most painless way to do so. Purchase and download our Lightroom 2 video tutorial and automatically receive a discount on our Lightroom 3 tutorial when it becomes available.
"I wanted to congratulate you on your LL guide to Lightroom 2 which I've just watched in a marathon single sitting while trying out the techniques demonstrated on a second monitor. Despite managing a database of 40,000 images in Lightroom this is the first time I've really deeply understood this software. The tutorial was extremely thorough, clear and enlightening. I cant wait to incorporate this new knowledge into my daily work".
The Canon G11 has garnered a great deal of interest because, for what may be the first time, a major camera maker has reduced the pixel count on a new model. The G11 is 10MP while its predecessor, the G10 had 15MP.
I have been shooting with the G11 for a couple of weeks and have done some comparisons with the Canon G10 and also the Panasonic GF1, a more expensive camera but in the same weight class. My report and comparisons are now online.
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An Introduction to Digital Image Processing, a seminar at The Luminous Landscape Gallery and Studio, to be presented by Mark Segal in November, still has a few spots available.
____________________
I don't often hand out endorsements, however, when I see something
unique, entertaining, educational and very reasonably priced
I must say something.
Your interviews with Jay Maisel and Jeff Schewe really helped me
understand the business ... and Antarctica ....
Worth every penny and more, especially the HD version!
One of the most popular raw processing programs among working pros for the past 10 years, especially for tethered shooting in the studio with Phase backs and Canon and Nikon DSLRs, has been Capture One.
Their newest edition, Capture One 5.0, was announced today and is now available for a free trial download as well as a paid upgrade for exisiting users. My preview is now online.
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The B3K Group is conducting an intensive one day seminar on Capture One 5.0 in Toronto next week; on Tuesday Nov 3. It is being conducted by Walter Borchenko, an expert in the software and one of Phase One's top trainers and evangelists. I'll be there. Hope to see you.
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An Introduction to Digital Image Processing, a seminar at The Luminous Landscape Gallery and Studio, to be presented by Mark Segal in November, still has a few spots available.
____________________
I just finished going through again your recent seminar series on Where the #%*! Are my Pictures? with you and Seth Resnick, and I must compliment you and Seth on producing a great seminar. I never learned so much in so little time and I have started implementing some of the strategies presented already.
Your interviewing style seems to bring out the best in your seminar partners presenting the content as a story with a logical end. DAM is an intimidating subject, but after watching the seminars, I walked away with a total understanding and how (with Seth’s experience) to increase my workflow process.
Our worst nightmare as photographers has got to be losing our image files. The question is not if a hard drive will fail – only when.
But, what's the best backup strategy? In an exclusive article, Geoff Baehr, previously the CTO of Networking for Sun Microsystems, offers some suggestions.
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UPDATE
RED has finally made a new announcement, with both good news and bad news. The Epic-X will appear slowly over the next few months, with priority going to existing RED One owners.
The Scarlet seems to have been further delayed, with more information apparently coming a month from now, on Nov 30.
The weakened economy as well as expected development issues and changing industry trends are to blame for the delays. Understandable.
But, I fully expect Canon to release a video camera using their full-frame sensor technology along with raw video processing capability early in the year, and that's going to put the cat among the convergence pigeons.
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25% OFF
The holiday season is about to begin and that brings the question of – what gift to buy for photographer friends, wherever in the world they may live?
We have the answer – a multi-hour download video from The Luminous Landscape. These range in price from $15 to $50 at our regular prices, and most are available in SD as well as HD formats.
We have four major tutorials available – From Camera to Print, Raw Processing in Photoshop, Guide to Lightroom 2, and Guide to Digital Asset Management.
There are also Issues 17 & 18 HD editions of The Luminous Landscape Video Journal available.
Between Now and December 25%
Everything in our Holiday Gift Store
is Available to Gift
at - 25% Off.
Give a Gift of The Luminous Landscape
No Taxes – No Duties – No Delays
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Panasonic knocked one out of the park last year with the Lumix LX3.
This camera combined small size, raw capability, a fast high-quality zoom lens, and fine image quality, all in a shirt pocket sized package.
Now Canon has issued its challenger in the form of the Powershot S90. This is the smallest and lightest pocket camera yet with a zoom lens and that shoots raw, and it's a worthy competitor. The S90 uses the same sensor and processing engine as the new G11, all in a much smaller and more convenient size.
What's not to like? Find out in my just published S90 Field Report.
UPDATE: It appears that some folks are upset that I used Lightroom 3 Beta rather than Canon's DPP when doing my review, thus supposedly not showing the S90's raw files at their best.
Not wanting to have disadvantaged the S90 in any way, I subsequently spent some time confirming what I had already seen: when default noise reduction and sharpening are zeroed out in both programs they perform quite similarly. It appears that some Canon users have simply become used to high default levels of noise reduction in DPP.
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Another small sensor pocket camera that you might find of interest is the Ricoh GRIII. Sean Reid at Reid Reviews has just published his review. Reid Reviews is a paid subscription site, but if you're an afictionado of fine cameras and a lens lover, it's well worth the price of admission.
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Give a Gift of The Luminous Landscape
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If you have a Mac running Snow Leopard, run Photoshop CS4, and use the latest Epson printer drivers, you may have a problem creating proper printer profiles. In fact, it may be impossible to do so.
This problem has been driving people nuts for many weeks, and the Net is full of complaints, finger pointing, and half-baked solutions.
Last week Mark Dubovoy encountered the problem, and being a very fussy fine art printer as well as a scientist by profession, he set out to find the source of the problem and also a solution if possible.
He polled a wide number of the industry's top printing and colour management gurus, and a very intense round-robin email discussion ensued.
Adobe computer scientist, and avid photographer, Eric Chan, researched the issue, discovered the cause, and came up with a work-around which Mark and others have tested. It works.
The nature of the problem and how to deal with it is now detailed in a new exclusive tutorial titled Solving Recent Profiling Issues With Apple Computers, Epson Printers and Photoshop.
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UPDATE
DxO Labs has today announced DxO Optics Pro 6, a major new revision which includes higher ISO noise performance, new manual distortion controls for non-supported lenses, a simpler user interface, and support for a number of new cameras and lenses, now totaling more than 1,600. My preview is now online.
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I have been field testing a production Leica X1 camera for the past week and am currently working on my report. I expect to publish it here next week. The new Home Page photograph was taken with the X1.
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Give a Gift of The Luminous Landscape
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Adobe's raw processing programs; Camera Raw in Photoshop, and Lightroom 2 as well as Lightroom 3 Beta, all now allow users to create their own camera profiles using the free DNG Profile Editor. This program came out in the summer of 2008 and was reviewed here at the time.
Now xrite has introduced the ColorChecker Passport, a simple and inexpensive device and accompanying software, that allows us to create custom camera profiles quickly and easily in the field for any light conditions. My review is now online.
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There are still two seats available for An Introduction to Digital Image Processing, a seminar at The Luminous Landscape Gallery and Studio, to be presented by Mark Segal in a couple of weeks.
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Please note that for administrate reasons no new forum registrations will be accepted from today until November 16. We apologize for the inconvenience.
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Many people are looking forward to my Leica X1 review, which is now schedule to be published here late next week. I spoke with Sean Reid at Reid Reviews, and he tells me that he will likely be publishing his report at the end of next week as well. Watch for both of these.
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Give a Gift of The Luminous Landscape
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Today begins a five-day workshop in Death Valley, CA, run by Phase One at the famous Furnace Creek Inn. I am among the group of teachers that includes Bill Atkinson, Claus Molgaard, Jeff Schewe, and Mark Dubovoy.
Kevin Raber, Phase One's US Vice President, is blogging the workshop this week and you can follow his blog, which will be updated daily, here.
The new Home Page photograph, taken with the Leica X1 (hey – I'm ecumenical), was taken on Saturday evening on the way to the park.
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I have now been shooting with the upcoming Leica X1 for the past few weeks, including this week on a workshop / shoot in Death Valley.
How is the image quality, and handling? Find out in my X1 Field Report, which is now online. You can also read Sean Reid's observations at Reid Reviews (a subscription site).
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Give a Gift of The Luminous Landscape
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I'm now back from my workshop / shoot in Death Valley. We had a great time. What a terrific group of participants, and Phase One did a fantastic job with the preparations and logistics.
All of the members of this workshop were given the new Phase One 645DF camera to use, along with a P65+ or P40+ back. These were the first twenty five production 645DF cameras off the assembly line, and with the exception of a few little bugs, worked flawlessly.
I am now preparing my Phase One 645DF camera review and expect it to publish here within the next 10 days. The new Home Page photograph was taken with the 645DF and my P65+ at Zabriskie Point.
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While I was away I received a production Leica S2 camera system for testing. Firmware still isn't final, but the hardware is, and I've already started putting it through its paces. My review should appear here before the end of the month.
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I published my Leica X1 field report a few days ago while I was in Death Valley, but it wasn't until I returned on Saturday that I was able to catch up on reader comments. I have also spoken with Sean Reid who has also been reviewing the X1, and I now have an update to my review online.
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I just finished going through again your recent seminar series on Where the #%*! Are my Pictures? with you and Seth Resnick, and I must compliment you and Seth on producing a great seminar. I never learned so much in so little time and I have started implementing some of the strategies presented already.
Your interviewing style seems to bring out the best in your seminar partners presenting the content as a story with a logical end. DAM is an intimidating subject, but after watching the seminars, I walked away with a total understanding and how (with Seth’s experience) to increase my workflow process.
Buying a medium format back is a serious financial committment for a pro, and the thought process involved and a photographer's initial experience with it makes for an informative and interesting read.
Today's new article by Robb Williamson is on the Leaf Aptus II 10. It details his purchase decision process and his first week's shooting experience.
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I don't often hand out endorsements, however, when I see something
unique, entertaining, educational and very reasonably priced
I must say something.
Your interviews with Jay Maisel and Jeff Schewe really helped me
understand the business ... and Antarctica ....
Worth every penny and more, especially the HD version!
UPDATE – 10:30am EST
It was announced today that Christian Poulsen has decided to resign from his position as CEO of Hasselblad. Chairman of the Board, Dr. Larry Hansen will now also serve as Chief Executive Officer.
This follows the recent replacement of Hasselblad USA's President Jack Showalter by Tom Olesen.
I have no editorial stance on these announcements at the moment, but one has to wonder as to the nature of the changes taking place within Hasselblad and their underlaying motivations.
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When it comes to technical cameras for use with digital backs few would argue that ALPA makes some of the most functional and beautifully design cameras on the market.
Mark Dubovoy is an ALPA user, and today he reports on his field use and testing of some new ALPA lenses, cameras and software.
Ps: If you notice a similarlity between my new Home Page shot of the so-called Devil's Golf Course and the one Mark has in his article, it's because we were shooting together that afternoon. (And if you're curious, yes, I like Mark's better then mine.)
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The American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP) along with the United States Library of Congress has produced the Digital Photography Best Practices and Workflow project.
This is the result of two years of extensive research led by prominent ASMP members Richard Anderson and Peter Krogh, who are photographers, authors and industry experts. You can find out more on ths ite but might particularly want to download this free PDF.
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Adobe today announced the Photoshop Camera Raw 5.6, Lightroom 2.6 and DNG Converter 5.6 Release Candidates, available for immediate download on Adobe Labs. The term 'release candidate' means this update is well tested but would benefit from additional community testing to provide the highest quality experience for customers working on a variety of hardware and software configurations.
The updates add raw file support for 19 new popular camera models, including the Canon EOS 7D and Nikon D3s, with additional DNG support added for the Leica M9 camera model.
The Lightroom 2.6 Release Candidate is available as a free download for existing Lightroom 2 customers, and the Photoshop Camera Raw 5.6 Release Candidate is available as a free download for existing customers of Photoshop CS4. The DNG Converter 5.6 Release Candidate is also available as a free download for all customers.
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Most medium format users know by now that Phase One is the controlling shareholder at Mamiya, and for some time now has assumed responsibility for new product development, including camera bodies and lenses. These are marketed under both the Mamiya brand name as well as Phase One.
Their latest camera is the Phase One 645DF, and it will begin to become available to photographers world-wide beginning next month.
A couple of weeks ago, along with some 25 other photographers and instructors at the Phase One Digital Artist Series in Death Valley, I had the opportunity to spend a week working with the 645DF, and have been doing additional testing since my return.
Continuing to provide the web's most comprehensive coverage of medium format equipment, my field report on the 645DF is now online.
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It's easy to take someone or something for granted. They're there. They've been there for a while, and they'll likely be there in the future.
We'll maybe not. I'm referring, of course, to this site – The Luminous Landscape.
With nearly 4,000 pages of content, many terabytes of traffic, and more than a million unique visitors each month, just the cost of our servers and bandwidth is considerable. Add to that the time and effort of our staff and contributors, including programers and customer service, and our costs are significant.
What do we charge? Nothing. This site is free to anyone to read and enjoy. But we do ask from time to time for your support in the form of a purchase of one of our unique educational video products. We don't want contributions or gifts – just that you consider the purchase of one of our modestly priced products.
Thank you.
To find out more, check our online store for our Guide to Raw Processing Photoshop, Guide to Asset Management, Guide to Lightroom, Tutorial on Fine Art Printing, or one of our 18 different Video Journals.
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It isn't often that a major camera maker introduces a totally new camera system. The Leica S2 is that company's entry into the larger-than-35mm market (call it medium format if you will) and it has now been some 15 months since the S2 system was first announced.
Shipments of the S2 body and its first two lenses will begin in early January. During November I have been fortunate to have had a full production Leica S2 with both the 70mm and 180mm lenses for testing, both on location and in the studio. Leica is still tweaking the camera's firmware, but the camera that I've been using is essentially production final.
What is it like? In a word – Wow! You can read my full review here.
This review also contains a 14 minute long HD video report produced by Chris Sanderson that shows a seven hour long studio testing session which took place at Toronto's Studio One last week. Enjoy.
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Of possibly greater interest at this time to those into video (raw video in particular) then stills, RED Scarlet inched a bit closer to reality today with an announcement of features and pricing, and for the first time an actual photo of the camera rather than a rendering.
The 2/3" model with fixed 8X zoom will be $4,750 with body, lens, CF card module, LCD screen and battery, while the interchangable lens version – body only – will be $2,750; all other modular components extra. A line of new "mini-prime" lenses will cost $950 each.
The Scarlet S35 has (last we heard) a 30X15mm sensor (bigger than APS-C), will have a 13.8 Megapixel sensor, shoot 30FPS stills and video in raw mode, and has been priced at $7,000 – body only, but no other details are given. Delivery date on the two first Scarlet models is given as May/June, 2010 and for the S35 as "summer".
Glean what you can from the announcement page. There just isn't enough information on the still photo side of the ledger at this time, though the video aspects are surely enticing.
Frankly, being able to shoot 3K raw video for under $5,000 is an astonishing price breakthrough. Sleep well tonight Canon, Sony and Panasonic, particularly because it appears that the entire modular Red / Epic / Scarlet product line will consist of completely interchangable modules and components.
From stills, to commercials, to indy shoots, to Holywood feature productions, all with one interchangable component system. 2010 should be an interesting year.
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When you're ready to really learn Lightroom, here's the most painless way to do so. Purchase and download our Lightroom 2 video tutorial and automatically receive a discount on our Lightroom 3 tutorial when it becomes available.
"I wanted to congratulate you on your LL guide to Lightroom 2 which I've just watched in a marathon single sitting while trying out the techniques demonstrated on a second monitor. Despite managing a database of 40,000 images in Lightroom this is the first time I've really deeply understood this software. The tutorial was extremely thorough, clear and enlightening. I cant wait to incorporate this new knowledge into my daily work".
Epson has just started to ship four new fine art matte papers that are worth your attention. Mark Dubovoy has been working with early samples of these papers and today provides us with his exclusive review.
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DxO Optics Pro 5.36 is now available in a version for Macs OSX. Still a generation behind the Windows version, but with support for Snow Leopard and all the latest cameras.
Capture One 5.0.1 was also just announced and adds support for the Panasonic G1, GH1, and GF1, and also the Olympus E-P1.
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Bill Atkinson is someone known both within the computer and the photographic community. He's a brilliant programmer as well as a very fine photographer and teacher.
Bill has now published Bill Atkinson's PhotoCard, a must-have iPhone app. My review is now online.
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Give a Gift of The Luminous Landscape
No Taxes – No Duties – No Delays
Available World-Wide
How about a 645 camera that takes medium format digital backs along with 35mm lenses? Would you believe putting a Canon EF 24mm or 17mm T/S lens on a Phase One P65+ – with movements?
Get ready for the Hartblei Cam – designed in Germany; made in Italy, and becoming available in just a few weeks. My world-exclusive review is now online.
– – –
If you live in or near Manchester in the UK you can see the Hartblei Cam and meet the company's CEO Stefan Steib at the Peartree UK Leaf Roadshow tomorrow, December 10.
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When you're ready to really learn Lightroom, here's the most painless way to do so. Purchase and download our Lightroom 2 video tutorial and automatically receive a discount on our Lightroom 3 tutorial when it becomes available.
"I wanted to congratulate you on your LL guide to Lightroom 2 which I've just watched in a marathon single sitting while trying out the techniques demonstrated on a second monitor. Despite managing a database of 40,000 images in Lightroom this is the first time I've really deeply understood this software. The tutorial was extremely thorough, clear and enlightening. I cant wait to incorporate this new knowledge into my daily work".
The Luminous Landscape Video Journal #19 is now available for immediate purchase and download. This issue features three hours of HD video content, and includes...
– A photographic expedition to Namibia
– An interview with imaging scientist Norman Koren
– An interview with stock photographer and educator Seth Resnick
– An interview with photographer and canvas printer Andrew Collett
– A field report on the Xrite ColorChecker Passport
Watch Free Video Previews of Each
Major Feature in This Issue
Is it possible to do landscape photography with a rangefinder camera? Of course. But what are the compromises?
In A Landscape Photography Experiment – On the Trail With the Leica M9 I explore the question of whether the new Leica M9 is a suitable camera for serious landscape and nature work.
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"Video Journal 19, one of the best. Interesting and relevant topics, knowledgeable engaging guests, and a host that gently guides the conversation through terrain I want to explore. And more, it's beautifully shot in a clean, no tricks style that keeps the conversation in focus. Well done all! This one is worth twice the price".
– paul b. kramarchyk
Watch Free Video Previews of Each
Major Feature in This Issue
Many photographers want to prepare their own files for commercial four colour printing. This seems a deep mystery, but is actually quite manageable. When we do, as the image's creator we have much more control over final output quality than was possible in the bad old days.
A new book titled CMYK 2.0 removes much of the mystery, and we have just published a review by Ray Maxwell.
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UPDATE:
Lightroom 2.6 is now available as a free download for existing Lightroom 2 customers, and Photoshop Camera Raw 5.6 is available as a free download for existing customers of Photoshop CS4, Photoshop Elements 8 (Win/Mac) and Premiere Elements 8. DNG Converter 5.6 is also available as a free download for all customers. Click here for more information and to download the updates.
This update includes additional camera support for several new camera models including the Canon EOS 7D and Nikon D3s.
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PLUG:
My good friend Andy Biggs is an African Wildlife photographer, expedition leader, and educator. He also is the designer of the Kiboko camera bag from Gura Gear. I reviewed the Kiboko on these pages a year ago.
Andy has just put online a brief video pitching the features of the Kiboko, so if you're looking for a new lightweight yet rugged camera backpack you might want to check it out.
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"Video Journal 19, one of the best. Interesting and relevant topics, knowledgeable engaging guests, and a host that gently guides the conversation through terrain I want to explore. And more, it's beautifully shot in a clean, no tricks style that keeps the conversation in focus. Well done all! This one is worth twice the price".
– paul b. kramarchyk
Watch Free Video Previews of Each
Major Feature in This Issue
HDR has been "big" this past year, but as many photographers as there are who love it, there seem to be an equal number who hate it.
In today's essay by Alexandre Buisse titled A Plea For HDR, we look at the esthetic dimension of HDR rather than simply providing another "How-To" tutorial.
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If you have read my recent review of Bill Atkinson's Photocard, a fantastic new App for the iPhone, you might be interested in this new hint from Bill on maximizing image quality.
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One of the top nature and landscape photographers working today is Art Wolfe, who, due to his books and TV shows, needs little introduction. But you may not be aware that Art also does travel workshops, and he has two coming up in February – one in Vietnam and Cambodia, and the other in Myanmar. I have also linked to them from my Workshops page.
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There are a great many photographers scanning film, either because they still shoot film or because they have a large slide and negative collections requiring digitizing.
SilverFast is widely acknowledged as the leading scanning software, and is found bundled with a number of top scanner models.
Mark Segal is an expert in both scanning technique and the use of SilverFast, and today provides us with a tutorial titled Scanning with SilverFast – The Old World Joins the New. In it Mark explores calibration, scanning with the new Epson V750 Pro, and techniques for an integrated workflow between SilverFast and Adobe's Lightroom.
This tutorial is in two part. The web page contains an introduction while because of its length and layout complexity the main tutorial is in the form of a free downloadable PDF, which can be read onscreen or printed out for reference. The PDF link is found at the bottom of the article.
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"Video Journal 19, one of the best. Interesting and relevant topics, knowledgeable engaging guests, and a host that gently guides the conversation through terrain I want to explore. And more, it's beautifully shot in a clean, no tricks style that keeps the conversation in focus. Well done all! This one is worth twice the price".
– paul b. kramarchyk
Watch Free Video Previews of Each
Major Feature in This Issue
It's now been a year since Sony shook up the DSLR world with its 24MP A900, priced at less than $3,000. We've offered extensive coverage of this model here, including its use by me on my last Antarctic expedition.
Contributor Bill Caulfeild-Browne today provides us with his experiences and thoughts on this camera system in The Sony A900 – One Year Later.
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When you're ready to really learn Lightroom, here's the most painless way to do so. Purchase and download our Lightroom 2 video tutorial and automatically receive a discount on our Lightroom 3 tutorial when it becomes available.
"I wanted to congratulate you on your LL guide to Lightroom 2 which I've just watched in a marathon single sitting while trying out the techniques demonstrated on a second monitor. Despite managing a database of 40,000 images in Lightroom this is the first time I've really deeply understood this software. The tutorial was extremely thorough, clear and enlightening. I cant wait to incorporate this new knowledge into my daily work".
Return to the What's New archives page.
Go to the current What's New page.
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