Wednesday, December 31, 2008

As the end of 2008 quickly approaches, we thought it would be a great idea to round-up all of our software reviews from the past year. There are 16 in-depth reviews, covering everything from the big daddy of digital imaging (Adobe Photoshop CS4) to specialized black and white conversion software (Nik Silver Efex Pro). You should be able to find the right software for you from this round-up.

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Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Our fifth Christmas guest writer, long-time professional photographer Philip Dunn from PhotoActive, shares his top tips for taking great photos of mixed light.

Ever wondered how to create those wonderful atmospheric exterior photographs where golden light from a house window streams into the cold, blue light of the street? You must have seen them – National Geographic photographers use this technique all the time when taking pictures of villages or towns. Advertising photographers use it when photographing hotels and guest houses. It’s a really old trick to make the place look cosy and inviting – the front door is often left open so that yellow light spills out onto the doorstep.

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Monday, December 29, 2008

With a massive 3.5 inch touch-screen LCD and 5x optical zoom lens, the slim-line and stylish Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T300 certainly stands out from the crowd. With virtually no external controls to clutter the interface, the Sony T300 is instead operated almost entirely by touching the LCD screen. In addition the 10 megapixel T300‘s 5x internal zoom lens covers a versatile focal range of 33-165mm, the new intelligent scene recognition (iSCN) automatically selects the best settings for you, and you can connect it directly to a High Definition TV. Available in red, black and silver for less than £250 / $400, Gavin Stoker finds out if the Sony Cybershot T300 is the perfect fusion of style and substance.

Website: Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T300 Review

Saturday, December 27, 2008

As the end of 2008 quickly approaches, we thought it would be a great idea to round-up all of our point and shoot compact camera reviews from the past year. There are 16 in-depth reviews in total of cameras that are great for beginners looking to get into photography, or just something easy-to-use for family snaps. You should be able to find the right point and shoot compact camera for you from this round-up.

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Friday, December 26, 2008

Serif PhotoPlus X2 is a full-featured image editing application at an entry-level price. Taking on the likes of Adobe Photoshop Elements and Corel Paint Shop Pro, PhotoPlus X2 allows you to organise and open RAW files, correct common camera flaws and photo problems, makeover portrait photos, apply powerful artistic effects, print a range of layouts, create web graphics, and share photos digitally. Serif PhotoPlus X2 Digital Studio retails for £59.99 / $79.99. Jon Canfield discovers if PhotoPlus X2 is a realistic alternative to the market leaders.

Website: Serif PhotoPlus X2 Review

Thursday, December 25, 2008

Our fourth Christmas guest writer, one of Britain’s most accomplished large format photographers, David Ward from Light & Land, shares his top tips for taking great photos of winter landscapes.

Many people dream of the long, languorous days of summer, with its gentle, warm zephyrs. But, as a landscape photographer I dream of the short days of winter, preferably with snow and ice. Despite what you may think this isn’t simply a case of me being contrary. No, honestly, it isn’t! For me there are many compelling reasons why landscape photography is a more worthwhile experience in winter.

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Wednesday, December 24, 2008

As the end of 2008 quickly approaches, we thought it would be a great idea to round-up all of our ultrazoom compact camera reviews from the past year. There are 12 in-depth reviews in total of cameras that offer at least a 10x optical zoom lens, allowing you to get much closer to the action without having to change lenses. You should be able to find the right ultrazoom compact camera for you from this round-up.

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Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Our third Christmas guest writer, photography website editor Ian Burley from DPNow, considers if the days of the SLR camera are numbered.

SLR cameras are special, aren’t they? The first time you pick up an SLR, peer through the viewfinder and release the shutter, if was the same for you as it was for me (all those years ago!) , it was a watershed experience;  rather like driving a car for the first time. The viewfinder, the mechanical whirr, clunk and click of the mirror and shutter operating in tandem, and the reassuring interchangeability of the lens, they all add up to a feeling that never goes away. An SLR has purpose, a mechanical assuredness, almost infinite potential. It’s exhilarating and satisfying in use and makes one look down upon compact cameras with a sense of diluted respect.

But is the SLR camera era under threat? Will many of us never fulfil long-cherished ambitions to own an SLR? Might existing SLR users abandon their old reflex passion… for something new?

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Monday, December 22, 2008

The Sony A300 is an entry-level 10 megapixel DSLR camera with some key beginner-friendly features. Replicating the handling of a compact digicam, the A300 features a Live View system with fast auto-focus, allowing you to frame your subject on either the LCD monitor or through the optical viewfinder. The A300‘s LCD screen can be tilted both upwards and downwards, useful for taking ground-level shots or shooting over the heads of a crowd. Other key features include an anti-dust system, ISO range of 100-3200, anti-shake system that’s built into the body, eye-start auto-focus system and Dynamic Range Optimiser. Retailing for less than £350 / $550 with a kit lens, Zoltan Arva-Toth finds out if the Sony A300 is the right DSLR for beginners in our latest in-depth review.

Website: Sony A300 Review

Saturday, December 20, 2008

As the end of 2008 quickly approaches, we thought it would be a great idea to round-up all of our advanced compact camera reviews from the past year. There are 26 in-depth reviews in total of cameras that offer at least aperture/shutter-priority modes, which is surprising given the recent trend to de-feature compacts in order to sell more entry-level DSLRs. You should be able to find the right advanced compact camera for you from this round-up.

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