Adobe Photoshop CS4 is on its way
Adobe has announced Creative Suite CS4, which means there’s a new version of Photoshop on its way. It’s not out yet but Adobe generally starts shipping within a month of their announcement.
September 24th, 2008Lightroom 2.1 is available
As reported on Scott Kelby’s blog, Lightroom 2.1 Release Candidate is available for download from Adobe Labs. This newest release addresses a number of bugs and performance issues some users were experiencing. It also has the latest version of Adobe Camera Raw.
”The ‘release candidate’ label indicates that this update is well tested but would benefit from additional community testing before it is distributed automatically to all of our customers. The Lightroom team would like the community to help verify the quality of this update through normal usage as this will ensure that the application is tested on a diversity of hardware and software configurations not available internally at Adobe.
You can download the 2.1 release candidate right here.
September 20th, 2008Canon Announces New EOS 5D Mark II
Canon U.S.A., Inc. today introduced the EOS 5D Mark II Digital SLR camera. Canon has coupled the creative power of a full-frame CMOS sensor in a relatively compact and affordable camera body, together with HD video capture that opens the door to a much wider range of imaging possibilities for photographers.
Along with the ability to capture full HD video clips at 1920 x 1080 resolution, Canon’s EOS 5D Mark II Digital SLR camera features a 21.1 megapixel full frame 24 x 36mm CMOS sensor, DIGIC 4 imaging processor and significantly lower noise, with an expanded sensitivity range from ISO 50 to ISO 25,600.
Some real competition for Nikon here.
September 17th, 2008
Sony Alpha DSLR-A900 preview
Saw this at Camera Labs:
The Sony A900 digital SLR was announced early in September 2008. It’s the first model from Sony to feature a full-frame sensor, and the first full-frame DSLR in the world to boast built-in image stabilization. The Alpha A900 also becomes the highest resolution DSLR at the time of writing, featuring 24.6 Megapixels thanks to its new Sony Exmoor CMOS sensor.
See the full preview here.
September 11th, 2008Canada Goose
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) flyover.
Nikon D300 DSLR
Nikkor AF-S Nikkor 300mm f/4 IF-ED (Tamron SP AF 2x teleconverter), ISO 200
1/1000 sec at f/5.6 – handheld
Canada Geese
A common sight at Burlington, Ontario, Canada: a Canada Geese (Branta Canadensis) flyover. These are nice big birds so make good subjects for sub-500mm telephotos.
Nikon D300 DSLR
Nikkor AF-S Nikkor 300mm f/4 IF-ED (Tamron SP AF 2x teleconverter), ISO 200
1/1000 sec at f/5.6 – handheld
Rumour: Nikon medium format (MX) on the way?
This is for those who had or coveted a medium format film camera and have dreamed of the equivalent using digital technology. Can you just imagine what you could do with a “…medium-format sized sensor using pixels the size of the D3. Now add in pixel-binning and you could see ISO’s in the stratosphere!”? And how about a backwards compatible 48 megapixels with a 48×48mm sensor? Neat stuff.
Read more about this at Nikon Watch.
September 5th, 2008Birding in Burlington: Great Blue Heron
The Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) is one of the most patient birds I see regularly. They will stand very still staring at one spot for several minutes. I kept an eye on this fellow for over an hour before he finally decided to stretch his wings and try another spot to continue his morning of fishing. They are quite shy birds so patience is also called for on the part of the photographer.
This is far from the best photo of its kind that I’ve seen, but it’s not bad for a morning’s work.
Nikon D300 DSLR
Nikkor AF-S Nikkor 300mm f/4 IF-ED (Kenko N-AF 1.4x teleconverter), ISO 200
1/500 sec at f/9.5 – handheld
Black-capped Chickadee
These bold little birds—Black-capped Chickadee (Parus atricapillus)—are fun to watch. I saw this one on the boardwalk while wandering through Hendrie Valley, Burlington, Ontario, Canada.
Nikon D300 DSLR
Nikkor AF-S Nikkor 300mm f/4 IF-ED (Kenko N-AF 1.4x teleconverter), ISO 280
1/750 sec at f/5.6 – handheld
Great Egret
I don’t see a lot of Great Egrets (Ardea alba) and never close enough to get a really clear shot. Too bad, because these are spectacular birds. This one was taken this morning while wandering through Hendrie Valley, Burlington, Ontario, Canada.
Nikon D300 DSLR
Nikkor AF-S Nikkor 300mm f/4 IF-ED (Kenko N-AF 1.4x teleconverter), ISO 220
1/750 sec at f/5.6 – handheld
Nikon D300 DSLR
Nikkor AF-S Nikkor 300mm f/4 IF-ED (Kenko N-AF 1.4x teleconverter), ISO 200
1/750 sec at f/11 – handheld
Barn at Lowville
Another farm image, this time from Lowville, which is in northern Burlington, Ontario, Canada.
Barn at Bronte Creek Provincial Park
Farm images are among my favourite. Wish I’d taken more of them over the years. Here’s one from Bronte Creek Provincial Park on the border between Burlington and Oakville.
Caspian Tern
Caspian Tern (Sterna caspia) taken at Burlington, Ontario, Canada. These birds are fast flyers and provide good practice for in-flight photography.
Nikon D300 DSLR
Nikkor AF-S Nikkor 300mm f/4 IF-ED (Kenko N-AF 1.4x teleconverter), ISO 220
1/1500 sec at f/5.6 – handheld
Nikon D300 DSLR
Nikkor AF-S Nikkor 300mm f/4 IF-ED (Kenko N-AF 1.4x teleconverter), ISO 200
1/1500 sec at f/6.7 – handheld
Ring-billed Gull
The Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) proves that one man’s pest can be another’s entertainment. These fellows are excellent flyers and can provide hours of birds-in-flight practice.
Nikon D300 DSLR
Nikkor AF-S Nikkor 300mm f/4 IF-ED (Kenko N-AF 1.4x teleconverter), ISO 400
1/1500 sec at f/9.5 – handheld
Nikon D90 and Canon 50D announced
I see at Nikonians.org that Nikon has made its new digital SLR official with the announcement of its D90, which is loaded with D300-like features. According to Nikon’s news release:
"…the D90 is a digital single lens reflex (SLR) camera that redefines the creative boundaries of digital photography allowing photographers to easily create stunning still images and High Definition (HD) movie clips with sound—with the same camera. A host of Nikon core technologies were leveraged to develop the D90’s scope of versatility, calling on years of photographic and optical expertise. Whether consumers are graduating from an advanced compact digital camera or are a seasoned D-SLR enthusiast, the Nikon D90 emphasizes brilliant image quality and versatility with its exclusive advanced Scene Recognition System, intuitive creative controls, blazing fast performance and the industry-first ability to create HD movie clips at 720p in the new D-Movie mode.
Inspired by Nikon’s acclaimed flagship DX-format digital SLR camera, the D300, and building on the success of the wildly popular D80, the D90 delivers stunning image quality. The CMOS image sensor and 12.3 effective megapixels combined with Nikon’s exclusive EXPEED™ image processing system deliver outstanding images with fine details, smooth tones, brilliant colors and low noise across a broad ISO range."
According to another post at Nikonians.org, Canon has unveiled its answer to Nikon D300: Cannon 50D. In the United States, the Canon EOS 50D digital SLR camera is scheduled for October delivery and will be sold in a body-only configuration at an estimated selling price of $1,399 USD.
You can read all about this at LetsGoDigital.org.
August 27th, 2008Birding in Burlington
I spent the morning looking for Osprey, herons and whatever else to photograph. I got three shots I thought were worth publishing here.
Water skiing Canada Geese (Branta Canadensis).
Nikon D300 DSLR
Nikkor AF-S Nikkor 300mm f/4 IF-ED (Kenko N-AF 1.4x teleconverter), ISO 320
1/1500 sec at f/5.6 – handheld
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)
Nikon D300 DSLR
Nikkor AF-S Nikkor 300mm f/4 IF-ED (Kenko N-AF 1.4x teleconverter), ISO 200
1/1500 sec at f/8 – handheld
Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)
There seems to be something attached to this fellow’s leg, so he may not always have been a wild bird.
Nikon D300 DSLR
Nikkor AF-S Nikkor 300mm f/4 IF-ED (Kenko N-AF 1.4x teleconverter), ISO 220
1/1500 sec at f/5.6 – handheld
Lightroom® 2: Graduated Filter
Adobe® Photoshop® Lightroom® 2 has become an indispensable part of my workflow. One new feature in this latest version of Adobe’s software is a digital graduated filter, which virtually eliminates the need for carrying around an optical filter—in my case it eliminates the need to buy one.
Today, I saw an article at dolcepics.com covering the use of this handy tool. Pretty good stuff.
August 25th, 2008Osprey flyby
Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) taken in Burlington, Ontario, Canada on August 25, 2008.
One of about four individuals that have been hunting along the lower portion of Grindstone Creek in the past two or three weeks.
Nikon D300 DSLR
Nikkor AF-S Nikkor 300mm f/4 IF-ED (Kenko N-AF 1.4x teleconverter), ISO 200
1/1500 sec at f/5.6 – handheld
Great Blue Heron
Great Blue on a misty morning at Grindstone March.
Nikon D300 DSLR
Nikkor AF-S Nikkor 300mm f/4 IF-ED (Tamron SP AF 2x teleconverter), ISO 1000
1/1000 sec at f/8 – handheld
