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The Content Management System that PhotographyBLOG uses has just been upgraded to a more advanced version.
What does this mean for you?
Well, you should definitely notice a significant increase in the loading speed of the site.
Most of the other changes are internal, but there are some new features like Smilies and a more secure commenting system.
We have also removed some of the less used features (the Blabber Board, Calendar). The redesign isn’t quite finished, so expect a few more cosmetic changes in the next week or so.
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Give Us Your Feedback!
As with all website redesigns, there are guaranteed to be a few things that don’t quite work as intended. Please email any feedback, good or bad, to [email protected], or leave a comment below (and help test the site!).
The Content Management System that PhotographyBLOG uses has just been upgraded to a more advanced version. What does this mean for you? Well, you should definitely notice a significant increase in the loading speed of the site. Most of the other changes are internal, but there are some new features…
Pretec Electronics Corp. Press Release 07/12/04
PRETEC i-Disk II 8GB, The Highest Capacity USB Flash Drive in the World
FREMONT, Calif.—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Dec. 7, 2004—Pretec Electronics Corp., the 2nd company in the world offering CompactFlash (CF) memory card since 1995, announced the world’s highest capacity and high speed USB flash drive supporting dual channel data transmission, which can reach the highest average transfer rate up to 120X.
Equipped with hi-speed transmission of dual channel technology, PRETEC i-Disk II 8GB can process files transfer concurrently and bring you the extremely high speed in read & write up to 16MB/sec and 12MB/sec. With its design-in functions of data encryption, compression and write protection, users can fully leverage the largest memory space of PRETEC i-Disk II 8GB under a data secured environment. Light weight, compact, and bundled with the FlashMail, MobileLock, SecretZip software, PRETEC i-Disk II 8GB is a perfect storage solution for active mobile users traveling around the world.
Pretec Electronics Corp. Press Release 07/12/04 PRETEC i-Disk II 8GB, The Highest Capacity USB Flash Drive in the World FREMONT, Calif.—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Dec. 7, 2004—Pretec Electronics Corp., the 2nd company in the world offering CompactFlash (CF) memory card since 1995, announced the world’s highest capacity and high speed USB flash drive…
The 53rd Photo of the Week contest is now closed.
I have choosen what I think are the best photographs in my opinion. Now it’s your turn to vote for the overall winner of the contest. A Public Poll has been setup on the PhotographyBLOG Forums and you have 7 days during which you can vote for your favourite photo from the ones that I have chosen. Voting will end on Monday 13th December. The Poll will then be closed and the overall winner announced.
The 53rd Photo of the Week contest is now closed. I have choosen what I think are the best photographs in my opinion. Now it’s your turn to vote for the overall winner of the contest. A Public Poll has been setup on the PhotographyBLOG Forums and you have …
Ilford appear to be alive and well, judging by the fact that they are giving away a free 2005 calendar featuring iconic shots of Marilyn Monroe. The only small catch is that you have to print it yourself…
Website: Free Ilford 2005 Calendar
Ilford appear to be alive and well, judging by the fact that they are giving away a free 2005 calendar featuring iconic shots of Marilyn Monroe. The only small catch is that you have to print it yourself… Website: Free Ilford 2005 Calendar
Steves Digicams have posted their review of the new 8 megapixel Nikon Coolpix 8800.
“The substantial handgrip and well-placed controls make the 8800 comfortable to use, and the vari-angle LCD viewfinder makes it easy to get shots that would be impossible to compose using an optical or fixed EVF type viewfinder. The EVF (Electronic ViewFinder) has a dioptric adjustment and a deep eyecup offset far enough from the camera body for comfortable viewing. Both viewfinders are effective in conditions ranging from bright Florida sun to dimly lit interiors, where the live image will “gain-up” so you can properly compose the shot.”
Steves Digicams have posted their review of the new 8 megapixel Nikon Coolpix 8800. “The substantial handgrip and well-placed controls make the 8800 comfortable to use, and the vari-angle LCD viewfinder makes it easy to get shots that would be impossible to compose using an optical or fixed EVF type…
Steves Digicams have published their review of the 4 megapixel Sony Cyber-shot DSC-L1.
“I was pleased with the ergonomics of this camera. Even though it is about the size of a Snickers candy bar, its controls are well placed and functional, which makes one handed shooting a snap. The menu system is logically organized and when using Program mode it allows you to quickly change settings. There is one feature however that I feel could be improved; the size of its LCD. This is the only viewfinder and at 1.5-inches it’s quite small when you compare it to other cameras in this class.”
Steves Digicams have published their review of the 4 megapixel Sony Cyber-shot DSC-L1. “I was pleased with the ergonomics of this camera. Even though it is about the size of a Snickers candy bar, its controls are well placed and functional, which makes one handed shooting a snap. The menu…
Steves Digicams have just reviewed the 5 megapixel, twistable Pentax Optio X.
“The most noticeable feature on this camera is its swiveling body. You can rotate the LCD 270. We found this to be a handy feature, especially when you are trying to capture a picture in a crowd; simply rotate the LCD and hold it over your head. This 2.0-inch monitor is the only viewfinder and we found it works good outdoors, although because it has a reflective coating there are still some angles that reflect the sun and make it difficult to use; this is when it would be nice to have an optical viewfinder. However, the LCD does “gain up” when shooting in low-ambient lighting, which is a plus.”
Steves Digicams have just reviewed the 5 megapixel, twistable Pentax Optio X. “The most noticeable feature on this camera is its swiveling body. You can rotate the LCD 270. We found this to be a handy feature, especially when you are trying to capture a picture in a crowd; simply…
The Hungarian website Index Digicam have reviewed the Pentax OptioMX4, which is a cross between a digital camera and a camcorder.
The Hungarian website Index Digicam have reviewed the Pentax OptioMX4, which is a cross between a digital camera and a camcorder. Website: Index Digicam - Pentax OptioMX4 Review Check the Latest Prices for the Pentax OptioMX4
ePhotoZine have posted a review of the cost-effective (i.e. extremely cheap) Cosina 100mm f/3.5 Macro Lens. Is a £130 macro lens really any good?
“This lens is good and sharp stopped down and still quite respectable wide open, on the coin shot above it has picked out every last detail in my grubby fingerprint. A problem I foresee with this lens is that many people also use their macro lenses for portraits. If your subject isn’t moving then this lens is fine, producing decent results at normal distances. If however you wish to capture a more informal shot, the autofocus is just too slow. As a rule of thumb, macro lenses are always slow to autofocus, just not this slow.”
ePhotoZine have posted a review of the cost-effective (i.e. extremely cheap) Cosina 100mm f/3.5 Macro Lens. Is a £130 macro lens really any good? “This lens is good and sharp stopped down and still quite respectable wide open, on the coin shot above it has picked out every last detail…
Forbes.com have briefly reviewed the Sandisk Photo Album:
“Insert a memory card into the unit and power it up, and the Photo Album displays the contents of that card. Poke around the card’s contents with the arrow keys on the remote control, and selected pictures are shown full frame. Videos are displayed in a smaller frame in the center of the screen.”
Forbes.com have briefly reviewed the Sandisk Photo Album: “Insert a memory card into the unit and power it up, and the Photo Album displays the contents of that card. Poke around the card’s contents with the arrow keys on the remote control, and selected pictures are shown full frame. Videos…
Digital Outback Photo have just reviewed Extensis Portfolio 7:
“Extensis Portfolio 7 is a very capable program for cataloguing your images and subsequently finding them again, even if the media where they are stored is offline. The free add-on browser program is a very cool feature that in itself might be worth the cost of the software. At $199, it’s not inexpensive, but the ease of use to build and search catalogues, the browser add on and the portability of all catalogues make it definitely worth the money. I can highly recommend it.”
Website: Digital Outback Photo - Extensis Portfolio 7 Review
Digital Outback Photo have just reviewed Extensis Portfolio 7: “Extensis Portfolio 7 is a very capable program for cataloguing your images and subsequently finding them again, even if the media where they are stored is offline. The free add-on browser program is a very cool feature that in itself might…
The German website digitalkamera.de have posted their review of the new Panasonic DMC-FZ20 digital camera, which has a 12x optical zoom lens from Leica.
The German website digitalkamera.de have posted their review of the new Panasonic DMC-FZ20 digital camera, which has a 12x optical zoom lens from Leica. Website: digitalkamera.de - Panasonic DMC-FZ20 Review Check the Latest Prices for the Panasonic DMC-FZ20
Shuttertalk have taken a look at Focal Blade, a PC-only sharpening plugin for Photoshop:
“FocalBlade has been around since 2003, and met with favorable reviews early on. As I was quite satisfied with my sharpening workflow at the time, I was hesitant to pay for yet another program claiming to be the holy grail of digital image sharpening. Having already tried Nik Sharpener, modifications of Fred Miranda?s old EdgeSharpen action, and numerous other techniques, I wasn?t fully satisfied with any of them and expected FocalBlade to also disappoint. Now that I?ve gotten my hands on a review copy, I?ve decided to put it to the test.”
Website: Shuttertalk - FocalBlade Review
Shuttertalk have taken a look at Focal Blade, a PC-only sharpening plugin for Photoshop: “FocalBlade has been around since 2003, and met with favorable reviews early on. As I was quite satisfied with my sharpening workflow at the time, I was hesitant to pay for yet another program claiming to…
Another new firmware update has just been released for the Canon EOS 20D DSLR.
This firmware update (version 1.1.0) incorporates the following additions and improvements:
Three new languages (Russian, Korean, and Traditional Chinese) have been added to the camera menus.
The phenomenon of horizontal line noise appearing in images taken at high ISO settings while using the internal flash has been fixed.
Website: Canon EOS 20D Firmware Version 1.1.0
Another new firmware update has just been released for the Canon EOS 20D DSLR. This firmware update (version 1.1.0) incorporates the following additions and improvements: Three new languages (Russian, Korean, and Traditional Chinese) have been added to the camera menus. The phenomenon of horizontal line noise appearing in images taken…
Umax America Press Release 06/12/04
PowerLook 270(2) is latest UMAX product to offer advanced features including auto-loading, auto-focusing technologies and USB 2.0 connectivity
DALLAS, TX., December 6, 2004—UMAX Technologies, Inc. today announced availability of its new PowerLook 270(2) film scanner. The PowerLook 270(2) is targeted towards the professional and everyday film photographers, offering an impressive optical resolution of 2700 dpi with a maximum optical density of 3.4 Dmax. The scanner is the first to feature UMAX’s unique zero-reflection optical design to preserve image definition and allow light to pass straight through the tri-liner color CCD without reflection. The PowerLook 270(2) is available today with an MSRP of $299.
Umax America Press Release 06/12/04 PowerLook 270(2) is latest UMAX product to offer advanced features including auto-loading, auto-focusing technologies and USB 2.0 connectivity DALLAS, TX., December 6, 2004—UMAX Technologies, Inc. today announced availability of its new PowerLook 270(2) film scanner. The PowerLook 270(2) is targeted towards the professional and everyday…
Pocket-Lint have published their review of the Ricoh Caplio R1 digital camera.
“The camera’s wide-angle zoom lens is extremely versatile, allowing you to cram in plenty of the scene you wish to shoot. On close inspection though, particularly of wider images, the periphery of the lens is not sharp, loosing critical bite at the edges. The lens also exhibits alarming barrel distortion, although to be fair, most wide lenses exhibit this problem to some degree.”
Website: Pocket-Lint - Ricoh Caplio R1 Review
Pocket-Lint have published their review of the Ricoh Caplio R1 digital camera. “The camera’s wide-angle zoom lens is extremely versatile, allowing you to cram in plenty of the scene you wish to shoot. On close inspection though, particularly of wider images, the periphery of the lens is not sharp, loosing…
The Norwegiann website http://akam.no/art.php?artikkelid=12150 have just published their review of the Epson PictureMate inkjet printer.
The Norwegiann website http://akam.no/art.php?artikkelid=12150 have just published their review of the Epson PictureMate inkjet printer. Website: Akamera.no - Epson PictureMate Review Check the Latest Prices for the Epson PictureMate
Looking for something that little bit different this Christmas? How about an inexpensive Lalaland desk calendar, featuring photos taken with a Holga camera (the famous Russian medium format camera, known for it’s soft focus, vignetting and unpredictable light leaks).
“Just printed and still toasty, the 2005 Calendar is not only the perfect accessory for any work desk, but the perfect gift for the love-you-forever photoblogger in your life. Sized to fit in a Christmas stocking (9.8 cm x 9.7 cm), this fifteen page full-colour calendar, featuring original Holga photography, is packaged in a mini jewel case shell and will rotate over 270 degrees to stand upright on its own.
This limited edition Calendar can be yours for only $10.00 USD, including shipping.”
Website: Lalaland - 2005 Desk Calendar
Looking for something that little bit different this Christmas? How about an inexpensive Lalaland desk calendar, featuring photos taken with a Holga camera (the famous Russian medium format camera, known for it’s soft focus, vignetting and unpredictable light leaks). “Just printed and still toasty, the 2005 Calendar is not only…
Corel Press Release
Corel Spreads Good Cheer with New Holiday Promotions-Seasonal Bundles Combine Industry’s Best Software, Hardware and Training Resources
OTTAWA—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Dec. 6, 2004—Just in time for the holidays, Corel today announced a series of exciting new promotions giving customers access to some of the industry’s best software, hardware and training resources, free of charge(i). Working closely with its partners, Corel has assembled a collection of special offers that provide exceptional variety, value and choice to holiday shoppers:
Print Holiday Photos Instantly with Free Lexmark Color Jetprinter(TM)
Beginning today and for a limited time this holiday season, customers who purchase either CorelDRAW(R) Graphics Suite 12 or WordPerfect(R) Office 12 will be eligible to receive a free Lexmark Z715 Color Jetprinter, the ideal companion for fast, easy, and professional quality printing of business reports, school projects or favorite holiday photos. To receive their free Lexmark Color Jetprinter, customers must complete and submit the mail-in rebate available at participating Corel retailers. Some participating retailers include CompUSA, PC Mall, Office Depot and Future Shop. This offer runs until January 31, 2005 or while quantities last.
Corel Press Release Corel Spreads Good Cheer with New Holiday Promotions-Seasonal Bundles Combine Industry’s Best Software, Hardware and Training Resources OTTAWA—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Dec. 6, 2004—Just in time for the holidays, Corel today announced a series of exciting new promotions giving customers access to some of the industry’s best software, hardware and…
DigiCamReview have just reviewed the Kodak Easyshare CX7330.
“When outside image quality is good sometimes very good - the images have rich saturated colour, and good detail although images could do with a slight sharpen, and edges can look a bit like pastel colours. Images have fairly low noise. There is little purple fringing. Image compression doesn’t seem to cause jpeg artifacts, although there is a fairly poor range of image sizes and no compression options. The macro mode is average. The flash didn’t cause problems when the subject was close. Auto white balance and metering seemed to be good. The movie mode is about average, at 15fps with sound. When inside, the camera does an fairly good job of focusing, the flash is fairly decent, colours are very good, although edges can be a bit pastel looking.”
DigiCamReview have just reviewed the Kodak Easyshare CX7330. “When outside image quality is good sometimes very good - the images have rich saturated colour, and good detail although images could do with a slight sharpen, and edges can look a bit like pastel colours. Images have fairly low noise. There…