Version 2 of the excellent Archive Creator from PictureFlow has just been released. I reviewed version 1 of this indispensable archiving software back in February. You can download a trial version via the following link:

Website: Download Archive Creator 2

Digital Outback Photo have posted their own enthusiastic review of Archive Creator 2 here:

Website: Archive Creator 2 Review

DCResource have reviewed the Minolta Dimage S414, comparing it with the leader in this market segment, the Canon PowerShot G3:

“The Minolta DiMAGE S404 was a popular camera that most people never knew about. But word began to spread about the S404, and the camera became harder and harder to find. The S404 is gone now, but thankfully, it’s been replaced by the even better DiMAGE S414 model. With a 4 Megapixel CCD, 4X optical zoom lens, and full suite of manual controls, the S414 is an excellent value at just $399.”

Website: DCResource - Minolta Dimage S414 Review

Everyone seems to be on holiday at the moment (well, I know I am..) as photography news is a bit thin on the ground. However, you can always rely on Steve’s Digicams to post another new review; this time he takes a look at the Pentax Optio S, a digital camera that is “smaller than the size of an average credit card and just over 3/4-inch thick. The OptioS fits neatly into an empty tin of Altoids?.” Steve says:

“The small size makes this camera great for “on the go” people who need pictures for business. Realtors and insurance adjusters or anybody that dislikes toting a larger camera around can just stick the OptioS in their pocket and forget about it.”

Website: Steve’s Digicams - Pentax Optio S Review

This week’s Sunday Photographer article sees Kent Phelan take a look at the plus and minus (yes, minus!) points of the current flavour of the month, the Canon EOS 10D digital SLR.

“Good morning! This week I’ve asked my friend Kent Phelan, a longtime photo junkie and all-around good guy, to write down some of his comments about his new 10D. The 10D, as everybody in the photography Universe knows by now, is the present “state of the affordable art” ? a camera that simultaneously pushes previous performance and price limits. How many moments it will remain the camera of the moment is anybody’s guess….”

Website: Luminous Landscape - Sunday Morning Photographer

Michael Reichmann from Luminous Landscape.com has at last reviewed the Canon EOS 10D.

“In the end the 10D will be bought by a broad range of purchasers. Entry level digital buyers will find that it meets their needs and gives them lots of room to grow and learn. Advanced amateurs and pros will find it to be a tool that effectively delivers high quality images, and does so at an attractive price. Many owners of 1D and 1Ds models will buy one as a back up body. In fact, a few weeks after returning my test camera to Canon I bought a 10D for myself as backup to my 1Ds. The D60, which had previously served that purpose, was sold to a friend as backup for his 1Ds. So to answer the question of those that will ask ? is it worth upgrading from the D60 to the 10D?, my answer is ? I did. “

Website: Luminous Landscape - Canon EOS 10D Review

I had the privilege of going to the Sebastiao Salgado “Exodus” exhibition at the Barbican Gallery in central London today. Focusing on Salgado’s Migration series of photographs, taken between 1993 and 1998, the exhibition is breath-taking, extremely saddening and, for me, ultimately overwhelming. Until I walked into that gallery I had no idea just how many different conflicts there are in the World, and how many victims. For Salgado to see so many in such a short space of time is an amazing achievement; the fact that hundreds of his photographs are so revelatory is even more amazing.

Website: Barbican Gallery

Phase One have released Capture One DSLR (Limited Edition). Download the 15-day trial version (15.5Mb) at this address:

Website: http://www.phaseone.com

CNET have reviewed the Canon EOS 10D DSLR, giving it 8.9 out of 10 and their Editor’s Choice award.

“If you’re looking for a first digital SLR, they don’t get much more appealing than the 6.3-megapixel Canon EOS 10D. Replacing the popular D60, the 10D provides improved image quality and a slightly more streamlined design without sacrificing the broad accessory and lens compatibility of the EOS line. Though professionals will still sigh longingly for the finer controls and the better performance and image quality of the far more expensive EOS 1Ds, the 10D makes a great choice for those seeking the flexibility and quality of an SLR without the sticker shock.”

Website: CNET - Canon EOS 10D Review

Stephen over at DP-Now recommended this website to me, and I’m recommending it to you in turn. If you’re looking for a completely-free, 200Mb online photo album, then look no further. Point your browser at Instantlogic.com and signup a.s.a.p…

Another day, another positive review of Capture One DSLR, which I think is going to be released and available for purchase today. Luminous Landscape is the latest website to give this new RAW convertor program a glowing review:

“OK. Let’s start with my conclusions first. Capture One is as close to magic as I’ve yet seen in imaging software. Since I started using DSLR in November of 2002 I regarded it as an almost indispensable tool for working with Canon 1D or 1Ds files, and now C1-LE plays the same roll for use with my Canon 10D. I wish I could scientifically quantify what I’m seeing ? but I can’t. I do know though that this software is able to produce tonalities from my cameras that are a significant step above those from Canon’s own software, and better than I can get from Photoshop alone.”

Website: Luminous Landscape - Capture One DSLR Review

Now this looks intriguing. Imaging Resource have just reviewed the HiTi 630PS Printer, a standalone dye-sub 6x4inch printer that retails for under ?200 (at http://www.photomart.co.uk).

“But with the 630PS around, we found ourselves coming home with some pictures in our camera, copying them to a laptop (just to be safe) and dropping the card into the 630PS for instant prints. We passed the 4x6 prints around to anyone who would take them and got them shuffled into random order just like real drugstore prints. It was just too easy not to bang out a batch of 4x6 prints. This is, simply, the best solution we’ve found for computerless digital photography that gives you everything you could get from your drugstore.”

Website: Imaging Resource - HiTi 630PS Printer Review

Rob Galbraith has reviewed the Kodak DCS Pro 14n; once again the camera gets a lukewarm reception…

“This is a camera we would like to work with again in 6 months, to see what Kodak has been able to achieve. But until the 14n can produce vibrant, pleasing, printable colour in a variety of shooting situations, and until noise processing is less harmful to detail in low contrast areas, this is not a camera we would be prepared to shoot with to get our work done. Even at the low ISO settings this camera will be best used at.”

Website: Rob Galbraith - Kodak DCS Pro 14n Review

Following on from Outback Photo’s recent review, DP Review have also taken a look at Capture One DSLR (Limited Edition), a soon-to-be released RAW file converter from Phase One. DPReview only have positive things to say:

“It’s fair to say that Capture One DSLR Limited Edition delivers the best combination of workflow management and high quality RAW conversion. Final image output is sharper, has a better tonal balance, more detail and less artifacts than the standard manufacturer’s RAW conversion application. Real time adjustment of exposure, white balance, sharpening, levels and curves is superb. Capture One DSLR Limited Edition will be priced at US$99 (online purchase) which I think is a bargain if you take your Digital SLR photography seriously (and regularly shoot RAW).”

Website: DPReview - Capture One DSLR Review

Imaging Resource have reviewed the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-P8, which at $399 sits near the bottom of Sony’ digital camera range:

“The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-P8 is a nice point-and-shoot camera, and is worth your consideration. It offers a small, metal body, good photo quality, robust performance, and it’s easy to use. The two new autofocus modes are a nice addition, and the movie mode is top-notch. Downsides include redeye, the poorly placed macro button, and the proprietary battery.”

Website: Imaging Resource - Sony Cyber-shot DSC-P8 Review

CNET Electronics have reviewed the Canon S400 digital ultracompact camera, awarding it 7.8 out of 10:

“Canon’s PowerShot S400 melds the ultracompact, cigarette-pack-sized design of the PowerShot S230 with the higher-power 3X optical zoom—36mm to 108mm, in 35mm-camera terms—found on the S400’s bulkier predecessor, the S330. Toss in an increase to 4-megapixel resolution, Canon’s DIGIC image processor, an extended movie mode with sound, and the best red-eye reduction we’ve seen on a compact model, and you have an appealing camera in an equally attractive package”

Website: CNET - Canon S400 Review

Imaging Resource have also reviewed the Canon S400 digital ultracompact camera, and they seem to like it a lot as well:

“Representing the fourth generation in the ELPH series, the S400 maintains Canon’s reputation for great quality in a very portable digicam. My earlier characterization probably sums it up best: An excellent “all around” digicam, that just happens to live inside a super-compact case. Highly recommended.”

Website: Imaging Resource - Canon S400 Review

I’d almost forgotten that I’d entered the Better Photo monthly competition, but it seems that I’m one of the Finalists for April :-)

“Hi Mark

Congratulations… you have placed as a Finalist in this month’s BetterPhoto Contest! 6397 photos were entered into the competition; it is an honor to have your image selected among the top 301 Finalist photos.

Your Finalist photo: Notting Hill Carnival Dancer (#90070)

This image can be viewed - along with all of the Finalist images - at:
April Finalists - Page 6

During the next few days, the judges select the top winning photos. If
your image is selected as a winner, you will be emailed again.

Again, congratulations on placing as a Finalist - keep up the great work!

Jim Miotke
[email protected]”

Outback Photo have reviewed Capture One DSLR (Limited Edition), a RAW file converter from Phase One that competes with the likes of third-partly applications Adobe Raw and BreezeBrowser. Capture One DSLR (Limited Edition) is a $99 cut-down version of the $500 full program, with support for the Canon D30/D60/10D and the Nikon D100.

“We find this is the best solution for the Canon 10D right now on the market (keep in mind that Adobe’s Camera Raw has no official support for the 10D yet).”

I’m still learning to use Canon’s File Viewer Utility, which according to popular opinion is not very good, but as I’ve already paid for it, I’ll give it a fair crack of the whip…

Website: Outback Photo - Capture One (Limited Edition) Review

I spent most of the morning and early afternoon at the London Marathon, just down the road from Tower Bridge. Here is a selection from the 100 or so frames that I took with the Canon 10D, mainly using Al Servo mode and a large aperture of around F/4-5.6. Hopefully there will also be some good shots from the 6 rolls of film that I put through my film camera. My not so funny story of the day was managing to grab 4 shots of Paula Radcliffe on her way to breaking the World Record yet again, only to realize afterwards that the aperture was inadvertently set at F/22, resulting in slight, let’s say, “creative” blur…

London Marathon #1	London Marathon #2	London Marathon #3
London Marathon #4	London Marathon #5	London Marathon #6
London Marathon #7	London Marathon #8	London Marathon #9
London Marathon #10	London Marathon #11	London Marathon #12
London Marathon #13	London Marathon #14	London Marathon #15
London Marathon #16	London Marathon #17	London Marathon #18

It’s not often that a photo makes you say “WOW” out loud in a very uncool 80’s kind of way, and especially not a photo that you took yourself. This is one of the very few photos that I’ve taken recently that has had that effect on me.

And, as with a lot of pleasing images, it nearly didn’t happen at all. I had a spare hour after work to drive to Ashridge Country Park, near Hemel Hempstead, to try and catch the sunset. I’ve been there a few times before, but I’m still not certin where the best vantage point is. I was literally running around, tripod and camera over one shoulder, trying to find a good view as the sun slipped ever closer to the horizon.

In the end I plonked down the tripod and used my 75-200mm zoom lens to isolate the sun and the dead tree, cutting out a lot of irritating foreground clutter. At the time I didn’t think the photo would be anything special. Now I don’t think it’s such a bad effort after all :-)

Ashridge Sunset

Imaging Resource have just reviewed the Nikon Coolpix SQ and the Canon Powershot A70 digital cameras.

“Entering the scene with a completely new design, the Coolpix SQ continues the excellent quality associated with the Coolpix name. Its compact, square shape doesn’t skimp on features, offering a 3x Nikkor lens (with great macro capabilities), 3.1-megapixel CCD, and wide range of preset shooting modes. Its image quality is deserving of the Coolpix emblem, and it sports what’s easily the best LCD I’ve yet seen on a digicam, making it truly usable even in full sunlight. Suitable for most average exposure conditions, and even some not-so-average, the SQ ought to be a hit with amateurs and more experienced photographers alike.”

Website: Imaging Resource - Nikon SQ Review

Website: Imaging Resource - Canon A70 Review