Around the Web – March 28, 2012

Posted on March 28, 2012 by Kevin L. Kitchens

News and Articles from around the web.

Have an article or review you want shared? Email to news@photographyvoice.com.

Posted in Books, Camera Announcements, News, Product Announcements | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Around the Web – March 27, 2012

Posted on March 27, 2012 by Kevin L. Kitchens

News and Articles from around the web.

Updates

Webinars

Offers

Events

Have an article or review you want shared? Email to news@photographyvoice.com.

Posted in News | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Win a Verbatim USB 3.0 Store n’ Go Portable Harddrive

Posted on March 27, 2012 by Kevin L. Kitchens

There is still time to enter our contest from Verbatim! (we’ve moved this to Rafflecopter, so if you already liked both pages, just press both the buttons below to confirm you entry!)


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Are you running out of space for all your photos? Do you need a rock-solid but portable drive to give your laptop more space? Do you want to win one for FREE?

Our friends at Verbatim have given us a very cool, new 500GB Store ‘n’ Go® Portable Hard Drive to give away to one of our fortunate Facebook fans.

The Store ‘n’ Go features a 500GB hard drive and USB 3.0 connectivity for both Mac and Windows (will work with USB 2.0).

Continue reading →

Posted in Contest | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Custom SLR releases M-Plate Universal Quick-Release Plate

Posted on March 27, 2012 by Kevin L. Kitchens

One thing I hate about having different quick release tripods is having different quick release plates for each. Custom SLR has solved that problem with the release of the M-Plate Universal Plate.

M-Plate attaches to your camera's tripod mount.

The M-Plate will allow you to connect to a wide range of tripods and includes a place to connect their C-Loop strap mount. It retails for $74.95 ($84.95 with a hand strap attachment) and is available for order now via CustomSLR.com or other online retailers.

Continue reading →

Posted in Product Announcements | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Review: The Digital Photography Book – Part 4 by Scott Kelby

Posted on March 26, 2012 by Kevin L. Kitchens

The Digital Photography Book – Part 4
Scott Kelby
Peachpit Press

Scott Kelby ruined my photos.

His latest book was just released and within the first few pages I found a tip that would have saved a shoot from a couple of months ago. If he’d been faster and gotten his book out sooner, my photos would have turned out much better.

Curse you, Scott Kelby. Curse you!

I refer of course to “The Digital Photography Book – Part 4” the, well, 4th volume in his series. Written as a continuation of parts 1-3 (previously called “volumes”, which I think people confused with “editions”), the book like Alpo offers pure meat with no cereal fillers. It’s simply short quick tips, not overladen with technical hows or whys and with absolutely no humor (well, because it’s Kelby you know there is going to be humor). As the author puts it, he wrote it like he’s talking to you right there, on a shoot.

And it works.

Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Reviews | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

A Clean Lensbaby is a Happy Lensbaby

Posted on March 23, 2012 by Kevin L. Kitchens

Lensbaby today shared with us their release of two new cleaning products designed especially for their Lensbaby optic system. The Lensbaby Lens Cloth and the Lensbaby Lenspen Pro can be ordered online for $15 and $10 respectively or picked up at your authorized Lensbaby vendor.

Lensbaby Lens Cloth and Lensbaby Lenspen Pro

Continue reading →

Posted in Product Announcements | Tagged | Leave a comment

Adobe Unleashes beta of Photoshop CS6

Posted on March 22, 2012 by Kevin L. Kitchens

Cue the fanfare! Let the excitement begin! Today Adobe announced the release of the public beta of Photoshop CS6, the 13th edition of their industry standard graphics, photo, and yes, now video editing software tool.

Slated for full release sometime in the first half of 2012, the public beta will give nearly everyone using a Mac or Windows PC the chance to try out the new version and its raft of new features including:

  • Content aware patch
  • Adobe Mercury Graphics Engine
  • New and re-engineered design tools
  • New blur gallery
  • Improved Crop tool
  • and a lot more…

The release also comes with Adobe Camera Raw 7, Adobe’s direct RAW processing utility.

The beta includes all the features found in the Photoshop CS6 Extended version, so be careful what features you fall in love with, they might not be available in the base version.

You can download the beta from the Adobe Labs Photoshop CS6 Beta Site. There you will find instructions, FAQs, forums and even more information on the features of the beta.

Continue reading →

Posted in Product Announcements | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Review: 6GV2 Keyboard by SteelSeries

Posted on March 21, 2012 by Kevin L. Kitchens

6GV2 Keyboard
SteelSeries

Last summer I got a great new laptop that unfortunately had a lousy keyboard, so I began a search for an external full size keyboard that I could carry with me in my laptop bag. As most of the keyboards made today are the lighter, soft-touch model, I really wanted a classic mechanical keyboard from the 90s. My search took me to the 6GV2 keyboard by SteelSeries.

SteelSeries 6GV2

A mechanical keyboard is one where the key is depressed on a spring and contact is made sending the signal to the computer. In a soft-touch keyboard, the key rests on a rubbery membrane which can wear out over time. A mechanical keyboard gives you a better tactile sensation when typing as well as a very satisfying click-click-click. It takes a little more pressure to press the keys, but any of you who have been computing for more than the last few years will welcome the familiarity a mechanical keyboard provides.

Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Announced: Sony Alpha A57 Camera

Posted on March 13, 2012 by Kevin L. Kitchens

Sony has announced today the successor to their A55 camera, the new Alpha A57. This interchangeable lens model features up to professional grade DSLR performance, but is also suitable for entry level hobbyists.

Sony Alpha A57

The A57 includes Sony’s “Translucent Mirror Technology” (SLT) which is a step between full DSLR and mirrorless in that the mirror “is semi-transparent, allowing the majority of the light to pass through to the sensor whilst reflecting a portion of it onto a phase-detection autofocus sensor” (Wikipedia).

In addition to the SLT, the camera will shoot up to 12 frames per second, captures full HD video at 60p, 60i and 24p frame rates, features 2x digital “Clear Image Zoom” (but still digital zoom) and 11 different in-camera effects (including Pop Color, HDR Painting, Miniature Mode and Auto Portrait Framing).

The Alpha A57 will be available in April with a 18-55 mm kit zoom lens for $800 and body only for around $700.

Posted in Camera Announcements | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Pentax K-01 Mirrorless Camera Shipping

Posted on March 13, 2012 by Kevin L. Kitchens

This happened yesterday, but better late than never… As a Pentax shooter myself, I am very interested in this new mirrorless model. While other companies are coming out with their mirrorless line, Pentax is the first to release a DSLR that uses the existing catalog of Pentax K-Mount lenses. There are over 100 currently available lens models from Pentax and other vendors as well as countless historical glass that is out there.

The K-01 is shipping to retailers already and retails from $750 for the body only or $900 for the body with a new DA 40mm XS lens). Up to four colors are available depending on your region.

Pentax K-01 Models

Denver, CO (March 12, 2012) – PENTAX RICOH IMAGING AMERICAS CORPORATION announces the availability of the Marc Newson-designed PENTAX K-01 interchangeable lens camera (ILC). The new mirrorless PENTAX K-01 is now shipping to retailers in the U.S. The K-01, first announced last month, continues the tradition from a camera manufacturer that is known for pushing camera size, color, durability, and now, design, to the limit.

Featuring a contemporary yet classic style, the K-01 provides discriminating photographers with a full array of advanced functions and user-friendly features in a camera body with remarkable form and function. Available in black, white and Newson’s signature yellow colors, the new K-01 features the designer’s autograph logo stamp on the bottom of each camera.

“It’s a great honor to have worked with world-renowned designer Marc Newson to bring the PENTAX K-01 to market,” said John Carlson, Sr. Manager of Sales and Marketing, PENTAX. “The new K-01 is not only technically superb, it is a design object.”

Continue reading →

Posted in Camera Announcements | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment