The Luminous Landscape - What's New

8 May 2008 - Strange Pricing in Canada (Again)

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Wed, 7 May 2008 20:33:53 CDT

Last week I mentioned that the Fuji S5 DSLR was selling in Canada for under $1,000 while in the US it was some 50% more expensive. (See What's New for April 30).

Today I've noted that the 24" HP Z3100 printer is available at several Canadian dealers for around $1,500. Even more curious, in one case, DirectDial.com, their online Canadian store has the printer for $1,518 while their US online store has it for $3,254, more than double the price. At B&H, though it shows as currently out of stock, the 24" Z3100 is listed at $4,095.

I'm only guessing here, but it's pretty clear that for some reason both Fujifilm and HP have decided to use Canada as an outlet for discontinued products. Given that the internet now allows for complete pricing transparency on a global basis it's hard to figure that they aren't aware that word gets around – instantly. (Readers outside the US and Canada should note that the Canadian and US dollars are essentially at par, and have been for months).

In the case of the Z3100, $1,518 is an incredible deal. At this price it costs not much more than a Eye One Spectrophotometer kit, and if you figure that you can now use the Z3100 as an automated profiling machine (as written about here last week), it's almost like getting a free 24" printer at this price.

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And speaking of deals, My friend Mikkel Aaland who organized this year's Adobe Lightroom Adventure in Tasmania just told me about a contest to win a free trip for two to downunder. All it takes is filling in an online entry form.

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Watch a free HD streaming video extract.

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6 May, 2008 - The Convergence of Still Photography and Video

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Tue, 6 May 2008 06:59:53 CDT

I have just returned from a long-weekend workshop photographing moose and spring landscape in Algonquin Park. My co-teacher was Pulitzer prize winning landscape photographer Jack Dykinga. A good time was had by all, though it rained almost the whole time. (Great light though.) I'll have a small portfolio of mine as well as of the participants on these pages within the next couple of weeks. The first of my images from Algonquin is now on the home page.

This was also the first multi-day shoot in which I used the Nikon D3 exclusively, and I'll have more to say on this remarkable camera in a separate article in the days ahead.

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A new essay has just been published titled The Convergence of Still Photography and Video. I have written about this peripherally in recent weeks, and now because of the importance of the subject, thought it worthwhile to gather my observations in one place. Pros should ignore this trend at their peril.

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I would like to thank everyone for their overwhelming response to our Help Alexis Special Print Offer. There have been literally hundreds of orders, and every penny will be going toward helping our friend with her ongoing medical expenses. My wife Teya and I say a big thank you!

Because of the shear quantity of prints on order producing and shipping them will take some time, so please be patient. It will likely be 2-3 weeks after an order is placed until it is received.

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2 May, 2008 - Spring Prize Winners Announced

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Thu, 1 May 2008 15:06:23 CDT

Our Almost Spring contest ended on Wednesday.The winner of the Nikon D300 is M.N. Hutchinson of Alberta, and the winner of the Canon G9 camera is Konstantin Dubinets of New York. Congratulations to both of them!

Our next contest will be announced soon, and all purchases from our online store beginning as of yesterday, May 1, will be eligible. I'll be announcing what the prizes will be and additional contest details within a few days. Purchases from the Help Alexis Special Print Offer as well as any of our DVDs, download Video Journals, and download video tutorials will be eligible.

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30 April, 2008 - Fund Raising Print Sale For Our Friend Alexis

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 07:21:28 CDT

Beginning today, and running through the month of May, I am offering a special print sale to help raise money for a dear family friend in the US who is unable to meet her ongoing medical care costs.

I invite you to purchase one or more of my fine-art landscape prints, with 100% of the proceeds going to our friend Alexis' ongoing medical care expenses.

Help Alexis – A Special Print Offer

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Canadian Fujifilm S5 Price Drop

I don't usually pay a lot of attention to international price arbitrage on photo equipment. I know though that a lot of Europeans, Brits and Australians do since often their prices are so much higher than in the US, or Canada.

But my attention has been drawn to a curious bit of pricing on the part of Fujifilm, so I though some might be interested in knowing about it.

The Fuji S5 camera is now selling at Canadian retailers for $999. This is a camera which when it started to ship just a year or so ago was priced at some $400 more than the Nikon D200 on which it is based.

Today, one can buy the Fuji S5 for $999 at Canadian retailers such as Henrys in Toronto. In the US I see that B&H currently has it for $1,699, and when you add it to your shopping cart it is discounted to $1,549. Since the Canadian and US dollar has been at or around par for some time this huge price discrepancy is notable.

In Europe the S5 is selling for about 920 Euro, which is $1,500 Canadian, similar to the B&H price. In the UK things are a bit better (surprising, for a change) and an S5 costs about 625 GBP, or about $1,240 Canadian.

So – without really knowing what this all implies, if you're in the market for a Fuji S5 camera Canada is the place to shop at the moment. ...

29 April, 2008 - Using the HP Z3100's Spectro to profile Other Printers

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 14:07:59 CDT

The HP Z3100 large format printers have proven to be very popular, in large measure due to their built-in spectrophotometer. This makes automatically producing high quality profiles for these printers a breeze.

Many of us have wondered whether it would be possible to use a Z3100 to produce profiles for other printers as well. After all, why let the spectro and its automation capabilities go underutilized?

Many of us have thought about it, but no one has figured it out – until now. Charlie Cramer now has an exclusive tutorial here titled Making Profiles with the Z3100 Printer.

Please note that in addition to a Z3100 printer you will also need the HP Advanced Profiling software and files which can be downloaded from this site.

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The Home Page photograph has been updated with one taken with a video camera, of all things. The new Sony SR12 HD camcorder is able to shoot 10MP stills, and doesn't do too bad a job of it. More on this in the days ahead.

Ps: Before the Lolita crowd get too bent out of shape, thinking I've gone over to the dark side, the photograph's title is a literary allusion to a poem by the 19th century British author William Blake.

And was Jerusalem builded here,
Among these dark Satanic Mills?

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For those interested in (or familiar with) some of the personalities in the industry the fact that after 17 years Mark Hamburg has left Adobe to work for Microsoft is news. Mark is a brilliant coder, the former architect of Photoshop, and the father of Lightroom. You can read more about him and his going-away party, which was held last week, at Photoshop News.com.

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25 April, 2008 - Free Tutorial Video Preview & Botswana Opening

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 14:44:59 CDT

We have just placed online a free video preview from our new Camera Raw Download Video Tutorial. It covers using Adobe Camera Raw to process JPGs.

Well, I just made my first pass of the Guide to Adobe Camera Raw videos (all of them). They are excellent! I have the Real World Camera Raw with Adobe Photoshop CS3 book by Bruce Fraser and Jeff Schewe.

The video is a perfect companion to this book. I'm about 1/3 of the way through the book, and have enjoyed it greatly so far. I like the modular arrangement of the Guide to Adobe Camera Raw videos. It means I can play only the video (again) that relates to what I'm studying in the book.

It is also nice that the book was essentially put together by Jeff Schewe who is also doing the demonstrations in the Video. Thanks for putting such a wonderful thing together.

Find out what these unique in-depth tutorials are like, and then imagine the benefit of almost 8 hours of this type of material (not to mention the pleasure of viewing Jeff's Hawaiian shirt for that long).

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In September Andy Biggs and I will be conducting a Photographic Safari Expedition to Botswana. One spot has just come open. If you are able to take advantage of it act quickly and drop me a line so we can discuss it further. Sorry – Sold Out

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Our Almost Spring contest ends next week. Will you be the one to win a Nikon D300 or Canon G9 camera?

"I have just purchased the excellent Camera to Print Tutorial. This
wonderful and exhaustive resource clearly and entertainingly explains
what really matters within the digital workflow from camera to print.

You and Jeff make a great and wise double act and bring passion and fun
to the topics covered. Many questions have been answered for me. I feel
I understand the fundamentals far better. I know my work will improve".

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24 April, 2008 - Casio EX-F1 Review

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 14:16:40 CDT

The Casio EX-F1 is a hybrid stills / video / high-speed camera with capabilities unlike those of any camera seen to date. Does it fulfill its promise, and is it the first of a new breed of convergence cameras? Read my review to find out.

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Our Almost Spring contest ends next week. Will you be the one to win a Nikon D300 or Canon G9 camera?

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19 April, 2008 - Announcing a Talk

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 05:41:49 CDT

One week from today, on Saturday, April 26th, I will be conducting an all-day seminar titled Photography and Technology – The Uneasy Alliance. This is a much expanded version of the talk which I gave recently in Korean, Japan, Singapore and Australia.

If you live in the Northeast or Northcentral part of the continent, and think you would like to spend a day near Toronto attending what I believe you will find to be a stimulating and challenging presentation, click on the link below to sign up. I hope to see you there next week.

An all-day seminar (Download the Registration Brochure at this link) at the Latow Photographer's Guild in Burlington, Ontario on Saturday, April 26, titled Photography and Technology, The Uneasy Alliance.

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Coming Soon...

We have the following articles in preparation and scheduled over the next few weeks:

– a review of the new and unique Casio EX-F1 crossover camera

– a review of the new Nikon 24mm T/S lens, including a tutorial on using Tilt / Shift lens

– how to use an HP Z3100 printer's built-in spectrophotometer to profile any other printer

– an introduction to videography, for still photographers

– more essays on deconstructing images

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15 April, 2008 - Sigma DP1 Review / Camera Raw Video Tutorial / Scarlet Announced

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 13:35:24 CDT

Adobe Camera Raw Download Video Tutorial
Now Available

Chris Sanderson, Jeff Schewe and I are very pleased to announce the immediate availability of our Download Video tutorial on Adobe Camera Raw.

This nearly 8 hour long, 28 segment live instructional video covers Camera Raw in great depth, and includes detailed instruction on topics like raw workflow, Photoshop / Bridge integration, the use of Smart Objects, and more.

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Sigma DP1 Review

The much anticipated Sigma DP1 started shipping just a couple of weeks ago. I have been putting this new pocket camera, which uses a Foveon technology, APS sized sensor though its paces, and my review is now online.

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Scarlet Previewed

The National Association of Broadcasters show (NAB) opened Monday in Las Vegas, and the much anticipated Scarlet camera from RED was announced. Not due until early next year, and unpriced as yet, though rumoured to be under $3,000, Scarlet could well change the face of still photography as well as video production.

If you believe in the inevitability of stills and video convergence, as I do, this is a product to watch.

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12 April, 2008 - Olympus E3 Second Opinion

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 17:20:32 CDT

Late last year, after a wait of some four years, Olympus users finally got an updated flagship camera in the form of the E3. Photojournalist Doug Brown reviewed it here in January, and now UK pro Mark Pinder weighs in with his Olympus E3 Second Opinion.

Watch a free HD streaming video extract.

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11 April, 2008 - Adobe Updates

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 07:56:10 CDT

Adobe has updated both Camera Raw and Lightroom to versions 4.4.1 and 1.4.1 respectively. These updates include bug fixes as well as the addition of support for new camera formats.

Anyone considering purchasing our 5-hour-long video tutorial on Lightroom should note that it covers 99% of the content in releases up to and including the new 1.4.1. The changes to Lightroom 1x since the tutorial was released have been almost exclusively bug fixes and new camera additions.

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There has just been a cancellation on my September Botswana Safari. If you are interested in this single spot, please contact me right away.

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9 April, 2008 - Jay Maisel Workshop Next Week in NY

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Wed, 9 Apr 2008 08:04:04 CDT

I'm going to give a blatant plug to a workshop being offered next week in New York by my friend Jay Maisel. Jay has been unarguably one of the world's leading photographers for much of the past 40 years.

Issue #17 of The Luminous Landscape Video Journal features an hour-long interview with Jay.

Download PDF Information Sheet and Application

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7 April, 2008 - Balmoral Mist Deconstructed

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Mon, 7 Apr 2008 07:03:31 CDT

What makes a great photograph? Why do some images (sometimes even ones own) speak to us, and others – often technical excellent ones – leave us emotionally and intellectually unsatisfied?

On a recent visit to Australia I met one of that country's leading photographers, David Oliver, and was captivated by one of his photographs. In Balmoral Mist Deconstructed I discus what it is that makes this particular image so resonant for me.

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Issue #17 of The Luminous Landscape Video Journal is now available on DVD. Existing DVD subscribers should start receiving theirs in the mail within the next couple of weeks. Those wishing instant gratification can always download our Hi-Def version right now.

Just wanted to send you and Jeff a big thanks for your From Camera to Print video.

With the info you and Jeff provided about colour management and workflow I was able to get perfect and consistant prints right from the start and have continued to do so as I experiment to settle on my favourite matte papers.

So thank you to you and Jeff, you've taken an admittedly complex art and made it easy and clear enough for anyone to follow. This has taken my art to a new level and has allowed me to continue to grow as a photographer.

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4 April, 2008 - Red raw, the Casio EX-F1, and the Convergence of Stills and Video

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Thu, 3 Apr 2008 19:07:27 CDT

There's something new in the wind – the convergence of stills and video. My new essay titled Seeing Red – Raw Goes to the Movies is now online.

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UPDATE:

Adobe's lawyers have been spanked. Following up on last week's announcement of Photoshop Express, an online image file sharing service that had a pretty ridiculous rights grab by Adobe (clearly unintentional), the company has now issued the following update to its terms...

"Adobe’s Rights – Adobe has retained only those limited rights that allow us to operate the service and to enable you to do all the things the service offers. If you decide to terminate your Photoshop Express account, Adobe’s rights also will be terminated. Adobe doesn’t claim ownership of your content and won’t sell your images".

Watch a free HD streaming video extract.

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2 April, 2008 - Adobe Lighroom 2.0 beta Available : DXO Article Update

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Wed, 2 Apr 2008 02:41:25 CDT

I don't normally reprint press releases on this page, but today's announcement of the Lightroom 2.0 beta has a lot of meat on its bones, so here it is.

SAN JOSE, Calif. - April 2, 2008 - Adobe Systems Incorporated today announced Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2.0 beta, a public preview of new and improved functionality to be delivered in the next major release.

Lightroom is the professional photographer's essential toolbox, providing one application for managing, adjusting, and presenting large volumes of digital photographs. Lightroom 2.0 beta will feature enhancements such as dual-monitor support, localized dodge and burn correction and will be the first Adobe application to support 64-bit for Mac OS X 10.5 Intel Macs and Microsoft Vista 64-bit operating systems.

"Photoshop Lightroom 2.0 beta provides early access to requested improvements over version 1.3 and continues our ongoing dialogue and open communication with the photography community," said Tom Hogarty, senior product manager for Photoshop Lightroom and Camera Raw. "We're excited not only for our existing customers, but also for the general public who will have an opportunity to take Lightroom 2.0 beta on a test run."

New in Lightroom 2.0 beta

An improved layout in the Library module allows for a more intuitive approach to image organization by simplifying the location of the features needed to find and filter photographs. A new feature called Smart Collections automatically updates collections with images that match desired criteria such as star-rating, keyword or other metadata. "The Suggested Keywords feature eases the task of keywording by making recommendations based upon keyword associations across a catalog as well as the use of keywords in neighboring images."

Photoshop Lightroom 2.0 beta includes improved memory handling through 64-bit support for OS X 10.5 Intel Macs and Vista 64-bit operating systems. Additional enhancements in Lightroom 2.0 beta include support for a dual monitor configuration that maximizes a photographer's workspace and can be easily adjusted to meet a particular workflow. Additionally, the Develop module has been updated to provide the ability to correct specific parts of an image without affecting other areas. Now, fundamental photographic techniques such as dodge and burn can be performed using the same non-destructive approach, allowing unprecedented control within the Lightroom program.

Beta Availability

Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2.0 beta is available as a 30-day trial for free download on Macintosh and Windows platforms at http://www.labs.adobe.com/downloads. Existing Lightroom 1.0 customers will be able to test the beta for an extended period until Aug. 31, 2008 and can invite friends to take part in this trial period. Recommended system requirements are Macintosh OSX 10.4, 10.5 1 GHz PowerPC G4 or G5 or Intel-based processor, or Microsoft Windows XP SP2 or Windows Vista Home Premium, Business, Ultimate, or Enterprise, Intel Pentium 4 processor, 1 GBRAM and a 1024x768 resolution screen.

You can find out more, and download the beta at this Adobe Labs web page. Make sure that you also read the important information on this page.

If you're an experienced Lightroom user I highly recommend Ian Lyons' new tutorial page on Lightroom 2.0 beta. Nicely done Ian!

Jeff Schewe and I will be producing a comprehensive updated Lightroom 2.0 video tutorial to coincide with the end of the beta period. In the meantime our 5 hour-long Lightroom 1.3 video tutorial will get you up to speed on 90% of the program's features.

When the Lightroom 2.0 video tutorial becomes available there will be a special discounted price for anyone that will already have downloaded the Lightroom 1.3 tutorial, so no need to wait to get started now with Lightroom.

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Author Mikkel Aaland, O'Reilly Media and Adobe have teamed up again for a Lightroom Adventure – this year in Tasmania. Last year's expedition to Iceland, which I greatly enjoyed being part of, resulted in Mikkell's Lightroom Adventure book, and this year's will as well, but will also include live updates from the field. Check it out regularly over the next couple of weeks.

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Alain Briot's Tutorial on DXO Optics Pro 5.0 last week raised a number of questions. Alain was on a shoot in France at that time, but he has now returned and has written a response to these questions. This is now available as an update to his original piece.

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31 March, 2008 - Yes it Matters - A counterpoint essay.

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 07:26:09 CDT

In mid-March I penned an essay titled Your Camera Does Matter : A Rebuttal which fanned a bit of debate on this site's forum as well as elsewhere. Much of it, unfortunately, by those who either didn't read what I actually wrote or who wished to interpret it though their own set of mental filters.

Today author, reviewer and photographer Sean Reid provides a further counterpoint essay titled Yes, it Matters.

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29 March, 2008 - LLVJ DVD Subsciption to Download Promo

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 16:07:51 CDT

Issue #17 of The Luminous Landscape Video Journal has been available for download for a couple of weeks and it will begin shipping on DVD within the next two weeks.

Due to the space limitations of DVDs, the Download editions contain about one hour's more content than the DVD. The HD download edition is also of higher screen quality and resolution than the DVD.

Since there are still a number of people who have DVD subscriptions, we would like to offer them the chance to switch to one of the two download editions with a good deal.

Each paid up DVD can be exchanged for either two Standard Definition downloads or approximately one and a half High Definition downloads. Just contact our Customer Service.

Check out the high quality of the HD version here or the Standard Definition here. The shipment of plastic DVD disks will soon be a thing of the past. We urge you to switch.

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Photographers with a strong interest in camera sensor technology may find this article on a site called Chipworks to be of interest. It looks at some of the factors involved in manufacturing and pricing of CMOS sensors, and even speculates as to who might be the fab for the Nikon D3 sensor.

Watch a free HD streaming video extract.

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28 March, 2008 - DXO Optics Pro V5 Introduction and Tutorial

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 07:39:09 CDT

Though Adobe dominates the raw file processing marketplace with Camera Raw and Lightroom, DXO Optics Pro is quite popular because of its lens correction capabilities. Today, Alain Briot, a DXO Image Master, provides us with an Introduction and Tutorial to DXO Optics Pro V5.

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Speaking of Adobe, the company announced this week Photoshop Express, a web-based photo sharing service that allows for online image editing.

UPDATE 1:

Several people have drawn to my attention the following paragraph from Adobe's "Terms of Use" for Photoshop Express, in Paragraph 8a it states...

"Adobe does not claim ownership of Your Content. However, with respect to Your Content that you submit or make available for inclusion on publicly accessible areas of the Services, you grant Adobe a worldwide, royalty-free, nonexclusive, perpetual, irrevocable, and fully sublicensable license to use, distribute, derive revenue or other remuneration from, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, translate, publicly perform and publicly display such Content (in whole or in part) and to incorporate such Content into other Materials or works in any format or medium now known or later developed.”

Caveat emptor!

UPDATE 2:

The Draconian rights terms contained in the Photoshop Express user agreement seems to have come as a surprise to Adobe's management as well as to its prospective users. Late today a company spokesman issued a statement that their legal team will be revisiting the current terms in response to initial media and consumer reaction.

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Apple today released Aperture 2.1, which introduces an open plug-in architecture that makes it easy for photographers to use third party imaging software from within Aperture. Available today as a free software update, Aperture 2.1 includes the Apple-developed plug-in, Dodge & Burn, which adds brush-based tools for dodge (lighten), burn (darken), contrast, saturation, sharpen and blur. Over the coming months, third party software developers will deliver image editing plug-ins for localized editing, filters and effects, noise analysis and reduction, fisheye lens correction and more.

This appears to be a very significant new capability, and is bound to raise the competitive stakes against Adobe's Lightroom for Mac users.

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Just wanted to send you and Jeff a big thanks for your From Camera to Print video.

With the info you and Jeff provided about colour management and workflow I was able to get perfect and consistant prints right from the start and have continued to do so as I experiment to settle on my favourite matte papers.

So thank you to you and Jeff, you've taken an admittedly complex art and made it easy and clear enough for anyone to follow. This has taken my art to a new level and has allowed me to continue to grow as a photographer.

...

26 March, 2008 - All Day Seminar on Photography and Technology

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 09:19:03 CDT

One month from today, on Saturday, April 26th, I will be conducting an all-day seminar titled Photography and Technology – The Uneasy Alliance. This is a much expanded version of the talk which I gave last month is Korean, Japan, Singapore and Australia.

If you live in the Northeast or Northcentral part of the continent, and think you would like to spend a day near Toronto attending what I believe you will find to be a stimulating and challenging presentation, click on the link below to sign up. I hope to see you there next month.

An all-day seminar (click on Seminar then Download the Registration Brochure) at the Latow Photographer's Guild in Burlington, Ontario on Saturday, April 26, titled Photography and Technology, The Uneasy Alliance. ...

24 March, 2008 - Ricoh GX100 Review

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 15:22:38 CDT

Is that a camera in your pocket, or are you just glad to see me?

So someone might ask – if you had a digicam in your pants pocket. And if that camera is the Ricoh GX100, you'd have what may be the smallest yet most versatile pocket camera currently on the market. My review of the GX100 is now online.

If you ever wondered what a photographic expedition to Antarctica might be like, but lack the time or funds to go there yourself,
this hour-long video report is a must!

Watch a free HD streaming video extract.

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22 March, 2008 - Moose Spot Available

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 07:09:08 CDT

An opening has just appeared for my May 2 – 5, 2008 Moose and the Intimate Landscape workshop with Jack Dykinga, in Algonquin Park in Northern Ontario. If you are interested in joining please drop me a line. First come, first served. SORRY, SOLD OUT – AGAIN

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At last week's PIE show in Tokyo, Sony was showing its upcoming 25MP full frame A900 DSLR. Ship date will likely be in August or September. Can Nikon's D3x be far behind?

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20 March, 2008 - Mamiya AFDIII, New Lenses and a Leaf Promotion

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 08:52:33 CDT

I don't usually simply publish new product press announcements, but following yesterday's Phase One announcement it's appropriate to mention some further medium format releases.

Mamiya has, as expected, announced the AFD III camera, with enhanced communication abilities with digital backs, faster and more accurate autofocus, and a number of additional enhancements. The camera is scheduled for release in June.

Mamiya has also introduced three new lenses, an improved 80mm f/2.8, a 150mm f/2.8 IF, and a 45-90mm f/4.5 Aspherical – very welcome additions to the line up.

Leaf America also announced today a special promotion – Buyers of a new Leaf Aptus 75, 65, or 22 back, or the Aptus S equivalent in Mamiya AFD mount, will receive a Mamiya 645 AFDII camera free of charge, with an automatic upgrade to a new AFDIII at no charge when it becomes available in June.

If you ever wondered what a photographic expedition to Antarctica might be like, but lack the time or funds to go there yourself,
this hour-long video report is a must!

Watch a free HD streaming video extract.

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19 March 2008 - New Phase One 645 Camera Announced. Antarctic HD Clip Online

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 20:57:27 CDT

Phase One announced at a trade show in Japan today their new Phase One 645 AF camera. This camera was developed jointly with Mamiya, and is being released simultaneously as the Mamiya AFD III. My initial report, based on interviews with Phase One executives, is now online. A full field review will follow once a test sample of the camera becomes available in a month or so.

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We have just placed online a free HD streaming video extract from our Antarctic Expedition segment of Video Journal #17 – Download Edition. Enjoy!

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18 March, 2008 - It's Up - Antarctica

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 15:46:59 CDT

At long last the Antarctica segment of Video Journal #17 is now online for purchase and download. Both SD and HD versions are available. This completes the issue. The DVD will be sent to the duplicator shortly, and mailed out to subscribers when ready.

If you have already purchased LLVJ #17 Download Edition all you need to do is go to the site's Store, Log In and then select My Account. Click on the version that you have already purchased and all download files including the two new ones on Antarctica will be available.

Please download only one file at a time as simultaneous downloads by a single user tends to clog the server.

If you ever wondered what a photographic expedition to Antarctica might be like, but lack the time or funds to go there yourself,
this hour-long video report is a must!

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17 March, 2008 - Free HD Video Journal Intro Online

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 13:00:10 CDT

The final segment of Video Journal #17 Download Edition, an almost hour-long travel segment on Antarctica, will be online within a couple of days. It's availability via our store will be announced right here as soon as it's online.

In the meantime we have made available the HD Introduction to Issue #17 as a free streaming video for everyone to sample.

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Duhhhh!

Last week's essay Your Camera Does Matter : A Rebuttal has generated a lot of debate. That's fine. But, based on emails received and what I read on this site's forum and some others, there is a small percentage who either didn't get it, or who simply have sub-optimal reading skills.

Firstly, just because I was arguing that good and appropriate equipment is important when doing many types of photography doesn't mean that the inverse is untrue; in other words, that talent isn't necessary. This is a simple logical fallacy that is taught in any reading comprehension course, yet which some seem to have assumed to be the case.

So just for the record, and as the kids say – Duhhhh! Of course talent and artistic skill are also necessary. How could anyone think otherwise? That's why I put the cartoon on the page. It makes that very point!

Secondly, people have said that I was misinterpreting Rockwell's article. No. I don't think so. Unfortunately, from what I have seen of his writing in the referred to essay, as well as the rest of those on his site, consistency of thought and clarity of expression are not hallmarks of his writing style. I was simply using his headlined position as a jumping off point to make my rebuttal.

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14 March, 2008 - What The Duck

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 18:50:53 CDT

Today's What the Duck cartoon is either a coincidence, or a most apropo rejoinder to yesterday's essay. In either event, it's funny, and I've added it to Your Camera Does Matter : A Rebuttal.

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13 March, 2008 - Your Camera Does Matter

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 10:25:50 CDT

Enough. I can't take it any more. If I read one more time – It's not the camera, it's the photographer – I'm going to scream.

Or, instead of screaming, how about if I write an essay, which I have now done, titled Your Camera Does Matter : A Rebuttal.

I recently purchased the "From Camera To Print" video tutorial and just wanted

to say how completely, utterly and absolutely satisfied I am with the video.

The tips, tricks and just general excellent advice given by you and Jeff was like
having an apprenticeship with the two of you.

I've learned more from the video than reading any book.
As a result of the video, my acceptance rate for images being submitted

to iStockPhoto has gone from 50% to 100% after applying the techniques

of sharpening, noise reduction and image punch.

Thanks for an outstanding product at a very affordable price.

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12 March, 2008 - Two Nikon D300 Reviews Now on Other Sites

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 15:25:35 CDT

Thom Hogan has published his Nikon D300 review this week, and today DPReview published theirs as well. An interesting alternative to the latest Eliot Spitzer reports, and never-ending Democratic primary stories. :-)

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11 March, 2008 - Endowment Recipients Announced

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 06:03:54 CDT

I'm very pleased to announce today the recipients of the 2007 / 2008 Luminous Landscape Endowments. These eight award winners were chosen by our panel of judges from more than 200 applicants.

Your purchase of our download videos, along with generous donations from our private contributors and corporate sponsors made this possible. Thank you all.

Thanks as well to our judges. I know what a tough job it was selecting from such a wealth of talent and worthwhile projects.

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9 March, 2008 - Global Chroma Noise Reduction in Photoshop

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Sun, 9 Mar 2008 11:29:54 CDT

Noise in digital image files is becoming less of a problem with each new generation of cameras. ISO 400 is now looked at as an anytime setting, whereas once it was at the high end. Cameras like the new Nikon D3 allow shooting at ISO 25,000 – previously almost inconceivable.

But, there are cameras and situations where noise, especially chroma noise, still needs to be dealt with. Today's new tutorial by contributor Andrew Masur is titled Global Chroma Noise Reduction in Photoshop. It's easy to do and quite effective.

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The Home Page photograph has been changed to one taken last week in Sydney, at Luna Park, the venue for my seminar in that city. It was shot with a Ricoh GX100, a camera which I picked up the week before in Tokyo.

I'll have a brief hands-on review of this fascinating little camera later in the week.

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Our panel of judges has spent the past month reviewing applications for grants from The Luminous Landscape Endowment Fund. I am now in the process of collating their selections, and though an announcement is scheduled for this coming Tuesday, March 11, due to my recent travels it might be a day or so longer till the selection process is completed. Stay tuned.

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6 March, 2008 - I'm back

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Thu, 6 Mar 2008 11:10:39 CST

After being on the road, in Hawaii, Korea, Japan, Singapore, and Australia for the past few weeks, I'm finally home. I arrived late last night after 24 hours of flying from Melbourne to Toronto. Body and luggage arrived safely, though my brain may have been left behind somewhere over the International Date Line. Sixteen hours of jet lag is the pits.

I'd like to express my thanks to everyone that attended my presentations. It was really enjoyable meeting you all.

I'd also like to comment on my impressions of the state of photography in Australia. I had an opportunity while there to view work by several of that county's finest photographers, and found them to be most impressive. There is also a vibrant photographic magazine and book publishing industry that puts to shame that in the US, especially considering that Oz has a population significantly less than 1/10th that of America. Good on-ya.

New articles and reviews will begin again this weekend, and we hope to have our latest download tutorial on Camera Raw available by mid-month. Our major Antarctic video will also become available for download quite soon.

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29 February, 2008 - Botswana Safari sold out

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 12:44:24 CST

An update to inform those interested, that the Botswana Photographic Safari is again sold out.

Also for those waiting... the LLVJ-17 Antarctica video is in the hands of the music composer and the completed download video should be posted to the product within 2 weeks.

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21 February, 2008 - Lunar Eclipse and Hello from Maui

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 13:57:06 CST

There was a partial lunar eclipse last night, visible (weather permitting) from much of the world. I found myself in Maui, Hawaii, on vacation, and spent a while earlier in the day scoping out a good location to view, and hopefully to photograph the event. Fortunately we were on the east side of the island and had a clear view of the rising moon over the Pacific, as it did so in partial eclipse just at sunset.

My favourite photograph from last night's event is now on the home page, and though it likely won't win any awards, it's a pleasant memory. I hope that you had clear skies and a chance to view the eclipse, the last one till 2010.

This weekend I begin my Asia / Australia speaking tour and will likely continue to be mostly off-line until about March 5th.

I recently purchased the "From Camera To Print" video tutorial and just wanted

to say how completely, utterly and absolutely satisfied I am with the video.

to iStockPhoto has gone from 50% to 100% after applying the techniques

of sharpening, noise reduction and image punch.

Thanks for an outstanding product at a very affordable price.

...

20 February, 2008

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 11:10:44 CST

February 19th marked the first Birthday of Adobe's Lightroom and intriguingly Photoshop 1.0 was released on the same date back in 1990. Photoshop News has a story on the coincidence of dates.

All appears 'normal' back in the Store - finally...

The opening in the September '08 Botswana Photographic Safari expedition remains unfilled. If you have ever thought about a 1st Class photographic camping trip in Southern Africa in areas where big game abounds, you owe it t yourself to check this one out... ...

18 February, 2008

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 21:50:22 CST

Apologies are due to those who had difficulty completing purchases in our web store yesterday, it appears that our credit card gateway experienced a DNS 'problem'... It seems to be fixed but it may take several hours for the revived DNS to populate servers around the world.

UPDATE: The inability to connect to Internet Secure remains a problem for some customers - we apologise. A DNS change can take up to 48 hours to propagate through the internet. We are currently seeing about 80% of "normal" volume, so most ISP's have already recognised the change, but many have not. We ask for your patience... ...

17 February, 2008 - Botswana Expedition Opening

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 18:46:44 CST

Due to a cancellation, a single opening is now available in my September '08 Botswana Photographic Safari.

If you would like to take advantage of this unique opportunity please contact Chris Sanderson. This spot will not last long. ...

14 February 2008 - 7 Cities in 5 Countries in 21 Days + A New Photoshop Masking Tutorial

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 14:03:27 CST

Since I am now traveling for the next three weeks (see below) I'm leaving you with something meaty in the form of an exciting new Photoshop tutorial by the exceptional landscape photographer and teacher Charlie Cramer, titled Tough Selections Made Easy.

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If you've already purchased either the Hi-Def or Standard Definition download of Video Journal #17 you'll be pleased to learn that the more-than 30 minute long interview with digital imaging pioneer and pixel masher Jeff Schewe is now available for download.

If you haven't purchased it yet – what are you waiting for?

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I am now on the road for the next three weeks, with stops in San Francisco, Maui, Seoul, Tokyo, Singapore, Sydney and Melbourne. The first week is vacation (SFO and Maui) and the rest is my speaking tour in Asia and Australia, sponsored by Phase One and its local partners. If you live in one of these cities I hope you can make it to one of my talks.

While there will likely not be new content added until I return on March 6 (it depends on my time and Internet access, and definitely not during the first week of my vacation) site activities continue, with our store and Forum in operation under the supervision of Chris Sanderson.

There are more than 3,500 pages of essays, tutorials and product reviews, so if you're hankering for something new to inspire your photography click on one of the subject headings on the left-hand panel or use the site's Search function.

I recently purchased the "From Camera To Print" video tutorial and just wanted

to say how completely, utterly and absolutely satisfied I am with the video.

to iStockPhoto has gone from 50% to 100% after applying the techniques

of sharpening, noise reduction and image punch.

Thanks for an outstanding product at a very affordable price.

...

12 February, 2008 - Canon iPF6100 Printer Review

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 07:31:12 CST

The photographic printer market is now a three-way race, with Canon and HP both challenging Epson's 10 year hegemony, particularly in the area of large format pigment ink printers.

Canon's latest entry is the 24" iPF6100, and my review is now online.

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Apple announced today the release of Aperture 2. This follows just a day after the release of the latest Leopard update – OS X 10.5.2. This update was necessary for Aperture 2.0 to support several of the latest cameras, including the Canon 1Ds MkIII and G9, Nikon D3 and D300, Sony A700, Hasselblad CF-22 and CF-39, and Leaf 75s.

Along with a slew of new features, including a revised user interface, the price of Aperture has been reduced to $199, with an update fee to previous owners of $99.

I expect to review Aperture 2 in the weeks ahead.

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Applications for the Luminous Landscape Endowment Fund end today. As of this morning we have received some 210 applications, each requesting a portion of the $20,000 made available by your recent purchases of our Camera to Print video tutorial.

These applications will now be sent to the jury panel, and winners will be announced on March 11. Full details on the winning applications will be provided here at that time. Thank you to everyone who applied!

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9 February, 2008 - Epson Exhibition Fiber - A Review

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Fri, 8 Feb 2008 17:19:34 CST

Few papers have been as eagerly awaited as Epson Exhibition Fiber, which is now shipping. For the past number of weeks photographer, scientist, and writer Mark Dubovoy and I have been working with this paper. Our joint review is now online.

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Another sad passing in the photographic products industry was announced yesterday – Polaroid. The company has said that it is closing its remaining film manufacturing plants and discontinuing its photographic products, both professional and consumer. This is a real blow to professional photographers who have been using products like Type 55 for decades, and who have come to rely on them.
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7 February, 2008 - Seminars and Workshops & Video Journal #17

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Wed, 6 Feb 2008 14:35:27 CST

At long long last Video Journal #17 is available for download. Or, at least part of it is. The segments currently available include an hour-long interview and portrait of Jay Maisel, one of America's leading photographers; a short travel piece featuring elephants in a S. African game reserve, and a half hour chat with Ray Maxwell - colour scientist & colour management guru.

Coming over the next few weeks will be a half hour interview with digital imaging pioneer, industry consultant, and pixel masher Jeff Schewe, and a major travel video on our 2005 Antarctic Expedition.

This new issue is, for the first time, available as both a standard definition version and also a high definition version. The standard definition version (smaller file sizes, faster download, better for iPod conversion) sells for $9.95. The high definition version costs $14.95, covering the extra bandwidth requirements.

Remaining subscribers to our DVD edition will have to be patient until all segments are completed and a DVD can be replicated and shipped. The DVD will also not feature all of the content of the downloads due to space limitations.

If you'd like to convert your remaining DVD subscription to download please contact customer service.

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I'll also take this opportunity to mention my speaking tour in Asia and Australia, sponsored by Phase One, which begins in just a few weeks. I'll be visiting Seoul, Tokyo, Singapore, Sydney and Melbourne. I hope to see you there.

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More convenient for some will be my all-day seminar (click on Seminar then Download the Registration Brochure) at the Latow Photographer's Guild in Burlington, Ontario on Saturday, April 26, titled Photography and Technology, The Uneasy Alliance. ...

6 February, 2008 - Reading Tea Leaves - PMA and After

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Tue, 5 Feb 2008 16:16:04 CST

Having not traveled to Las Vegas and PMA because of a local snow storm, I have been free to think about the products introduced, and their possible implications, rather than actually having to report on them in detail.

My latest essay titled Reading Tea Leaves is now online.

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3 Feb, 2008 - Epson Stylus Pro 11880 Review

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Sun, 3 Feb 2008 07:40:58 CST

This is a "SUPER" few days, at least in the U.S. The Superbowl is being played today, and this week brings us "Super Tuesday", a likely decisive date in the seemingly never-ending American election primary process.

So, no better time than to publish my review of Epson's latest super printer, the Stylus Pro 11880. Will one of these find its way into your den or studio? Probably not, given its size and cost. But it is a harbinger of things to come in large format printer technology, and is therefore well worth knowing about.

"I recently purchased From Camera to Print. After seeing your Lightroom 1.0 tutorial, I knew that From Camera to Print would be invaluable. I was not disappointed. From Camera to Print was more than I could have hoped for: an indispensable resource regarding not only the process, but the theory, of fine art printing. It's comprehensive level of detail truly makes it worthy of the title From Camera to Print.

You and Jeff Schewe are a dynamic team, and your video tutorials are the obvious choice for Lightroom, fine art printing, and soon, as I understand, Camera Raw.

I have seen a dramatic increase in the quality of my prints and fully intend to keep up with all of your future tutorials."

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1 Feb, 2008 � Snowbound

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Fri, 1 Feb 2008 11:05:31 CST

I had hoped to be PMA-bound today, but instead I find myself snowbound. Much of Northeastern North America is being hit by a pretty sever winter storm, and so far today more than 200 flights out of Toronto have been canceled.

So, rather than driving though a snow storm, sitting in a crowded airport waiting for a flight that might or might not take off, and possible missing my connections to Las Vegas, I decided to spend today relaxing, doing some winter shooting, and generally chill'n. Much more fun than a trade show.

I wasn't going to be reporting on the show that much here, but rather using it as an opportunity to meet with various companies and conduct some interviews.

There are a half dozen sites on the web with in-depth PMA reports (729 new pocket digicams so far and counting) so go surfing and see what's new. All the really interesting stuff (what there was of it) has already been announced in any event.

I'll have some commentary here on the state of the industry over this weekend, along with a review of the Epson 11880 printer.

I recently purchased the "From Camera To Print" video tutorial and just wanted

to say how completely, utterly and absolutely satisfied I am with the video.

to iStockPhoto has gone from 50% to 100% after applying the techniques

of sharpening, noise reduction and image punch.

Thanks for an outstanding product at a very affordable price.

...

31 January, 2008 - Bruce Fraser Tribute

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 07:58:33 CST

The tribute site to our friend, guide and mentor is now live. www.brucefrasertribute.com

The site provides the opportunity for Bruce's friends and fans to request a commemorative DVD of the Macworld 2007 Tribute in which industry leaders gathered to celebrate his life and achievements. The DVD is free -- with a nominal amount requested to cover shipping expenses.

Donations are also being accepted via a PayPal link on the site to help retire lingering medical bills that continue to affect Bruce's widow, Angela. As a special bonus, donors making contributions of $100 or more may request either a set of programs and etched shot glasses from the Macworld celebration or a print of the iconic image of Bruce signed by Jeff Schewe. Supplies are limited for both premium gifts. ...

30 January, 2008 � New Full Frame Sony Sensor. New Essay by Alain Briot

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 06:47:58 CST

To the surprise of almost no one who follows the industry, Sony today announced a 25 Megapixel full frame sensor.

Undoubtedly this will show up sooner rather than later in a new flagship DSLR from Sony, and since Sony is an OEM supplier of sensors to a number of companies in the industry, other maker's cameras eventually as well. Canon's five-year-long dominance of both full-frame and very high resolution sensor cameras has now truly come to an end. And, the implications for medium format back makers is a fascinating question as well.

Of course trade sources have been saying that Nikon will have a 24MP camera this year to follow up on their recently released D3 camera. Since Sony is almost certainly their fabricator (if not co-designer) this is all starting to make perfect sense.

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Alain Briot's latest essay titled Introduction to Composition begins a new eight-part series which will run throughout 2008. If photography means more than gear to you, don't miss this.

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29 January, 2008 - New Nikon Camera and Lenses Announced

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 20:26:33 CST

Apparently there was a press preview of Nikon's new products in London on Monday evening. These will be shown publicly for the first time at PMA later this week.

A site called dPHOTOxpert now has fairly comprehensive details and pics available on their site, so I won't bother to do more than mention a couple of highlights, which include a D60 entry-level DSLR and several lenses.

The most interesting of these for pros and advanced amateurs, at least in my view, were a brand new line of tilt/shifts, including a 24mm, 45mm, and 90mm. The 24mm will become the first available, with the other two to follow at some future date. Canon's decade-long virtual exclusivity with T/S lenses has now come to an end.

I'll be in Las Vegas at the end of this week and hope to have some initial impressions of these and other new products from several companies with whom I have appointments scheduled. ...

28 January, 2008 - A Few Quick Takes

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 15:20:10 CST

Regular readers will recall George Barr's excellent series here last year titled Take Your Photography to the Next Level.

Rocky Nook has now published a much-expended version of this series as a book, and my review is now online.

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Interest in high quality pocket cameras remains as high as ever, but manufacturers continue mostly not to get it, with Canon and Ricoh among the few companies producing such cameras with raw capability.

Nick Devlin recently wrote a compelling article here on the Canon G9, and now Sean Reid has an in-depth report on the Ricoh Digital II on his subscription-only web site.

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One of the world's leading fashion photographers is Melvin Sokolsky. This is not hyperbole. He is recognized as such by much of the industry and many of his peers.

I mention this because Melvin has A Three Day Workshop - February 29th, March 1st, and 2nd 2008 at Smashbox Studio in Los Angeles. This is definitly worth your while if you have the time and are in the LA area.

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In this Sunday's New York Times (or subscribe online) you'll find a fascinating article in the Arts and Design section titled The Capa Cache. It chronicles the discovery of thousands of negatives by Robert Capa, taken during the Spanish Civil War, which were previously believed to be lost. This is a significant find, and an important addition to the legacy of documentary photography in the first half of the 20th Century.

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A warm thank you to everyone that took the time to visit The Luminous Landscape Gallery for my Madagascar show opening this past weekend. More than 200 people came though over three days. It was a real pleasure to meet and have a chance to chat with so many people, many of them regular site visitors.

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25 January, 2008 � Gallery Reception � Open House

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 08:18:29 CST

Opening Reception, Jan 24

– Madagascar Show Opening This Weekend –

I am extending an invitation to everyone in the Toronto area to visit The Luminous Landscape Gallery today, Friday, and this weekend. We'll be having an open-house, and the opening of my latest show – Madagascar.

Hours are 11am till 5pm on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, January 25, 26, 27. Refreshments will be served. I hope to see you there.

UPDATE: For the 99.99% of readers who will not be able to visit the gallery this weekend, I have create a Flash slide show of the 25 images which are contained in the show.

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