ePhotoZine have reviewed the Apacer Disc Steno CP100, a CD-R/RW storage device and also an external CD writer, which retails for around ?200. Simply insert your memory card and press Record to copy the contents onto a blank CD.

“The Apacer Disc Steno CP100 provides a very attractive storage solution, not only when out traveling but also at home. The fact that you can use it as a fast external CD-Writer with USB 2.0 is an added bonus. “

Website: ePhotoZine - Apacer Disc Steno CP100 Review

FastTrak Software have announced the release of Photos on CD and DVD 2.0 DeLuxe by MAGIX, a software package that enables you to create slide shows and burn them onto CD or DVD. Here’s some details from the press release:

“Photos on CD & DVD 2.0 DeLuxe, priced ?39.99 and available from PC World from July 11th it is the ideal software package to create professionally produced slide shows with ease.  Packed with a number of new features it is the perfect partner to your digital camera. Just read in your photos, add 3D crossfades, music, commentary and text and burn slide shows onto all leading disk formats (VCD, SVCD, DVD, Mini-DVD, CD-ROM) to watch them comfortably on your TV or PC).

Gather the family around the television or the PC to once again re-live photo memories. It only takes 3 steps: Use images imported from a scanner, the PC and the Internet. Play and create masterpieces for home entertainment.  Or play with the numerous features to make the experience even more gratifying and lively by utilising 3D effects, speech, music, text, menus, dynamic zooms, video clips etc. and burn your masterpiece for home entertainment to view on your own PC on CD & DVD. 

It also incorporates a new feature called Media Manager Gold enabling you the user to organise, manage, archive and experience photos, videos and music on your PC. Users of the software will enjoy the benefits of MAGIX advanced audio technology with Audio dubbing CD. (MAGIX is renowned throughout Europe and the USA for its excellent audio, a reputation built over many years producing award winning music software products).  It provides more than 400 exciting background melodies, jingles and dubbing sounds to add further highlights to your slide show.”

Michael Reichmann from Luminous Landscape has posted some pretty amazing photographs from his recent trip to Iceland. Definitely find a few minutes to see what the combination of a digital camera, a professional photographer and a naturally beautiful landscape can create.

Website: Luminous Landscape - Iceland 2003

Website: Luminous Landscape - Iceland in Black

Digital Camera Resource Page have also posted 2 new reviews in the last week. The HP Photosmart 935 is an easy-to-use digital camera aimed at the beginner, whilst the Pentax Option 550 is “a nice compromise between an ultra-compact and an ultra-zoom camera”.

“I must say that I was pleasantly surprised by the Pentax Optio 550. I really enjoyed using it. It’s pretty much the ultra-compact camera out there with a “big zoom” lens on it (though it’s only 5X). The photo quality was impressive, as were the performance, full manual controls, build quality, and battery life.”

Website: DCRP - HP Photosmart 935 Review

Website: DCRP - Pentax Optio 550 Review

Steve has posted a couple of new reviews in the last week. The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LC33 is a “compact and robust 3-megapixel camera that features a Leica 3x zoom lens”, whilst the Polaroid PDC-2150 is “an entry-level 2-megapixel camera with a fixed-focus non-zoom lens”.

Website: Steve’s Digicams - Panasonic’s Lumix DMC-LC33 Review

Website: Steve’s Digicams - Polaroid PhotoMax PDC 2150

CNET have just reviewed the newest addition to Canon’s digital camera line-up, the Powershot G5.

“Although the G5’s black finish makes it look different from the silver G3, the two digicams offer nearly identical features and specs, including the same 4X zoom lens. Throw in the G5’s improved performance and generally great image quality, and you have a hard camera for photo enthusiasts to resist. Only a severe problem with purple fringing gives us pause.”

Website: CNET - Canon Powershot G5 Review

Batu Men #1	Batu Men #2	Batu Men #3

I should have arrived back from holiday today (charter flights permitting…) so normal PhotographyBLOG service will resume shortly :-)




Here are a few photographs from the Batu Caves, a famous temple located on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpa. These two men caught my attention before we climbed the 272 steps and went into the caves themselves.




You can view some more Batu Caves photographs here: Batu Caves Album

Melaka #1	Melaka #2	Melaka #3

We were only able to make a flying visit to the Southern Malaysia town of Melaka, with its distinctive town square of red buildings and fascinating Chinese quarter. Everybody seemed to ride around on bikes, and you could hire one these bike and trailer contraptions, complete with driver, to save yourself from having to walk around in the searing heat. They were a bit similar to the motorised tuk-tuks of Bangkok, albeit without the engine, noxious fumes or breakneck speeds.




You can view some more Melaka photographs here: Melaka Album

Cameron Highlands #1	Cameron Highlands #2	Cameron Highlands #3

The Cameron Highlands is a forested area in the north of Malaysia, famous for it’s tea plantations and walking country. The road journey up to and back down from the Highlands is not for the travel-sick; there must be over 50 switchback degree turns in the road, not helped by the seat-of-the-pants way in which many Malaysians tend to drive, including our bus driver. The temperature is about 10 degrees cooler than in the lowlands, more like England than the Far East, and it rained for most of our 3-day stay there. We did manage to visit this tea plantation though; the huts that you can see in the distance are where the plantation workers live.




You can view some more Cameron Highlands photographs here: Cameron Highlands Album

Kho Pha Ngan #1	Kho Pha Ngan #2	Kho Pha Ngan #3

A complete change of pace today, as we leave London and pay a visit to the Far East :-)




Kho Pha Ngan is one of those small, secluded islands off the coast of Thailand, less well known than it’s neighbours but still very beautiful. I visited the island last year as part of a 3 week tour of Thailand and Malaysia.




We’d been told that the sunrise was well worth getting up for, so despite being something of a late starter in the mornings, I set the alarm for 5.00am and dragged my girlfriend down to the beach. We had the sunrise and the beach to ourselves, apart from the pack of slightly unkempt looking dogs, who simultaneously howled at the sun as it rose out of the ocean. This is the only sunrise that I’ve ever got up to photograph; what a way to start :-)




You can view some more Kho Pha Ngan photographs here: Kho Pha Ngan Album

Westminster #4	Westminster #5	Westminster #6

Portcullis House is one of the newest additions to the London list of interesting buildings, sitting in the shadow of Parliament and Big Ben. It’s a very bold, brash, modern structure that has a lot of photographic potential for isolating patterns and symmetry. The first shot above is the side of one of the Parliament buildings; completely different but with a similar potential as Portcullis house for isolating specific details.




You can view some more Westminster photographs here: Westminster Album

Westminster #1	Westminster #2	Westminster #3

London is full of statues of famous figures from the past, which go largely unnoticed by the public. Most of them are soot-black or bright-white in colour, which provides a good test for the Canon 10Ds metering system. Focusing on the statue’s head and using multi-segment metering didn’t fool the camera and produced a perfect exposure each time.




You can view some more Westminster photographs here: Westminster Album

Westminster Abbey #4	Westminster Abbey #5	Westminster Abbey #6

A few close-up shots of Westminster Abbey, all taken hand-held with the Canon 10D and Canon 70-200mm f/4 lens.




You can view some more Westminster Abbey photographs here: Westminster Abbey Album

Westminster Abbey #1	Westminster Abbey #2	Westminster Abbey #3

This was my first visit to Westminster Abbey with a camera; for some reason I’ve always preferred the other side of London near the City and St Pauls. There’s a lot of potential for candid photography of people, as you can freely walk past one side of the Abbey. Failing that, there’s always the statues to keep you interested…




You can view some more Westminster Abbey photographs here: Westminster Abbey Album

Royal Guards #1	Royal Guards #2	Royal Guards #3

As you walk from Trafalgar Square to Westminster, the parade ground where the “Changing of the Guard” takes place is on the right-hand side of the road. There are always some royal guards on duty, up to 7pm when the gates are closed. Tourists, including what I think are US Naval Officers in the first picture above, gather to stand, stare and have their photograph taken. The Royal Guards are trained not to care; they just go about their business as if nobody else is there.




You can view some more Royal Guard photographs here: Royal Guards Album

From tomorrow (2nd July), I will be happily ensconced on a remote Greek island, sipping cocktails and eating moussaka. There’s nothing quite like booking your summer holiday 2 days before actually leaving! The only downside is that our flight leaves at the shockingly early time of 5.30 in the morning… :-(

Using the magical powers of pMachine, I’ve set up a photographic entry to appear at 9am each day until the 10th July , so you should at least have some nice photos to look at until I get back :-)

NOTE: I will not be responding to or even checking my email until the 10th July. Anybody who signs up as a new member will receive their free screensaver/wallpaper when I’ve got back and unpacked. Also there will be no newsletter this week.

There are a lot of new July updates out today! The latest issue of Nature Photograpers Online Magazine includes the articles “Same Old, Same Old?Why does all Nature Photography Look the Same?”, “Introduction to Large Format” and “Focal Length Multiplier”. Well worth a read even if you don’t consider yourself to be a nature/wildlife photographer.

Website: Nature Photograpers Online Magazine

28mm, the online photography magazine, has updated for July with the work of 12 new photographers.

Website: 28mm

Stuck in a photograhic cul-de-sac? Tired of shooting the same old same old? Searching for some much-needed inspiration? Then “26 Things: the international photographic scavenger hunt” might be just what you’re looking for…

“print this page out and take one creative photo for each theme over the month of july 2003.

the aim of this photographic project is to make us open our eyes and get creative with the things and people around us, to see how we each interpret themes.”

Website: 26 Things

The new July 2003 issue of megapixel.net, the “Monthly Digital Still Camera Web Magazine”, features new reviews of these cameras:

- Canon PowerShot S50
- Canon S400/IXUS 400
- Fuji FinePix F410
- Olympus Stylus 400
- Sony DSC-V1

and this printer:

- Canon i850 Bubble Jet Printer

and a look at the Four Thirds standard for digital cameras.

Website: megapixel.net