ColoRotate is a 3D colour picker and editor plug-in for Adobe Photoshop CS4, which aligns with the way our minds process colour. “Some of the features that make ColoRotate especially appealing are new ways to view and edit foreground and background colors in 3D, fine-tuning with joysticks and sliders, and saving and sharing palettes,” says ColoRotate developer Michael Douma. If interested, check out his quick tutorial of ColoRotate at the colorotate.org website.

The Flex from Switronix is a patent-pending, handle mounted DSLR remote unit that triggers HD video start and stop recording for the Canon EOS 5D Mark II and Canon EOS 7D digital SLR cameras. Its unique gooseneck arm houses an optic to be positioned within line of sight to the remote sensor on the Canon cameras. Once positioned, the remote transmits a signal through the optic when the button is depressed. Powered by two AAA batteries (included), the Flex DSLR remote will ship from the second week of February, for about $150.

Source: Switronix via the Imaging Resource

Sales of interchangeable-lens system cameras has grown by 2.3% last year, according to the Camera & Imaging Products Association (CIPA). Lens shipments also increased, by 2.8%. Compact cameras, on the other hand, have experienced a drop of 12.8% in sales. Nevertheless, at 96 million units shipped, compacts still make up almost 91% of the total digital camera market. In 2010, compacts are forecast to grow by 3%, while shipments of system cameras - including DSLRs, Micro Four Thirds et al - are expected to increase by 11.1%.

Canon has issued a firmware update for the Canon EOS-1D Mark IV digital SLR camera. Version 1.0.6 improves autofocus tracking performance with receding subjects and subjects that are approaching at a low speed.

Website: Canon EOS-1D Mark IV Firmware Upgrades

Today’s second story related to underwater photography is about a site created by photographer Scott Gietler. UWPhotographyGuide.com has been in beta for several months already, with articles on theory, technique and equipment being added every week, but now it’s been opened to the general public. Many award-winning amateur and professional underwater photographers worldwide have contributed to the Underwater Photography Guide. Reaction to this resource by industry professionals has been overwhelmingly positive, Mr Gietler says. In addition to photography theory and technique, the Underwater Photography Guide also has articles on the natural history and behavior of marine life, and unbiased, informative articles about dive destinations around the world that offer underwater photography opportunities.

Website: UWPhotographyGuide.com

Adobe has just released an update to Lightroom. Version 2.6.1 includes one important correction that is only relevant for Leica M9 users. This release of Lightroom fixes a bug that caused Lightroom 2.6 to crash when processing certain M9 images. The bug was introduced in the final version of Lightroom 2.6 in the course of making image quality improvements to Leica M9 processing based on customer feedback. There is no need to update to 2.6.1 if you aren’t a Leica M9 user.

Website: Adobe Photoshop Lightroom for Mac OS
Website: Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2.6.1 for Windows

Celebrity photographer Richard Corman has just launched a new e-commcere store. Richard Corman has been one of the top celebrity photographers of the past three decades, photographing celebrities and icons such as Madonna, Brad Pitt, Nelson Mandela, Lance Armstrong and more. Prints of some of his most famous photographs are now available exclusively on this online store in framed/matted prints and basic prints.

Website: http://richardcormanstore.com

The new Lastolite sync block is ideal for photographers who want the benefits of using a radio trigger but do not have a sync connection socket on their flashgun. The Lastolite sync block costs £15.00 and is compatible with any radio trigger featuring a PC sync/X sync socket.

What Digital Camera have just launched a charity auction to raise money for the DEC Haiti Earthquake Appeal. There are ten lots in the sale, including a Nikon D3000, several compacts and various accessories, all of which have been generously donated by the distributors. The items are being auctioned on eBay, with 100% of the proceeds going directly to the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) Appeal. Donations will be boosted further by the Gift Aid tax relief bonus.

To see what’s in the sale, and make a bid, go to:
http://www.whatdigitalcamera.com/news/439685/wdc-charity-auction-in-aid-of-the-dec-haiti-earthquake-appeal.html

DivePhotoGuide.com has launched a free series of comprehensive underwater photography tutorials and guides to help the world learn underwater photography. Underwater photography can be incredibly rewarding, but it does pose unique challenges and requires an understanding of basic principles and techniques. The underwater photography guides from DivePhotoGuide offer easy-to-read tutorials for photographers all levels to learn how to take great underwater photos. Beginners will find the Getting Started Guide very intuitive, including the top ten basic principles of underwater photography and how to select your first underwater camera system. Other tutorials include macro, wide angle, super-macro, composition, lighting, surf photography and a number of creative techniques. New and advanced techniques and tutorials will be added on a regular basis.

Website: DivePhotoGuide.com

Picmeta Systems have released a new version of Picture Information Extractor (PIE), as well as a new, free application called PhotoTracker, which allows track-based geotagging. Version 5.5 of PIE adds geotagging with an interactive map and full batch capabilities. Reading and writing of EXIF and IPTC metadata is faster, a search function has been added and the import feature includes a browsable summary of created folders and transferred files. The makernote database has been updated to support the current line of digital cameras. And while Picture Information Extractor 5.5 allows viewing and manually setting the photo coordinates in a map, the new Picmeta PhotoTracker automatically geotags photos based on track data from GPS exchange files. PIE 5.5 and PhotoTracker can be downloaded from the Picmeta website. Both run on Windows 95, 98, ME, 2000, XP, Vista and Windows 7. The update to PIE 5.5 is free for all registered users. The full version of PIE costs US$ 35, Picmeta PhotoTracker is free.

Website: Picmeta

WestLicht Photographica is to auction off one of the first commercially produced cameras, a Giroux Daguerréotype, which is expected to fetch at least half a million euros. The Giroux Daguerréotype was made in Paris from 1839 in limited numbers from original plans drawn up by its inventor, Louis Jacques Mandé Daguerre, by his brother-in-law, Alphones Giroux. The camera being auctioned on 29 May by WestLicht Auctions in Vienna was completely unknown and has never before been documented. It has been in private ownership in northern Germany for generations. The outstanding original condition of the 170 year-old apparatus is remarkable. Every detail including the lens, the plaque signed by Daguerre himself, the black velvet interior and the ground-glass screen are in their original state. WestLicht Photographica estimates that it will be sold for 500,000 to 700,000 euros at the 17th WestLicht Photographica Auction held in Vienna on 29 May 2009.

Sanyo has announced a new Dual Camera, the Xacti DMX-CG110, which is a Full HD camcorder and a 14-megapixel digital still camera in one. The video format used for this model is “MPEG-4 AVC / H.264”, which is fully supported by Windows 7. Consequently, video files are displayed in the same thumbnail format as still picture files, and they can also be played back directly with Windows Media Player, are editable with Windows Live Movie Maker, and are Device Stage compatible. The DMX-GG110 has a newly developed 12x “Double-Range Zoom” function that can be used when capturing video. This feature enables a wider range of video capture by allowing users to switch between different zoom ranges with the touch of a button, just like alternating between two lenses with different zoom ratios. When converted to a 35-mm film basis, this equals a capture range from wide-angle 40 mm up to a 12x zoom of 480 mm. Compatible with SDXC and Eye-Fi cards, the Sanyo Xacti DMX-CG110 will be available from the end of February. Pricing is to be determined, and there is no word on international availability at the moment.

Nikon has just announced the winners of its Nikon Festival, launched in November to celebrate, inspire and harness the current popularity of D-SLR video creation and social media. The Nikon Festival Judges’ Award Winner is Marko Slavnic, a 2006 graduate of the University of Texas Austin, and he will receive $100,000 and Nikon equipment to further his film career. “So many people see filmmaking as this elite thing and that you need a big crew to produce a quality film,” said Marko Slavnic. “I was excited when a friend told me about the Festival, and Nikon has shown people that you don’t have to be a professional to create a film and be seen by a huge audience.” Drawing from his own experiences as a shy teenager, Marko Slavnic’s video submission entitled “Chicken vs. Penguin” is a unique short film that shows a funny, physical story of unexpected love brought to life through a fast food mascot rivalry between a boy and girl. It was shot over two days on Congress Street in Austin, Texas.

Uzair Kharawala has announced the release of Foto SF Lite, as well as that of a new version of Foto SF Pro. The new version comes with a brand new sleek interface and with new features such as SMS messaging, improved mail merge, email management, better workflow module, sales lead generation tracking and conversion reports. As far as Foto SF Lite is concerned, it is aimed at the single-user business without any need of hosting over a network. This stand-alone software has all the features of the Pro version and is priced at £125 + VAT. For a free trial and full features list, visti the website below.

Website: Foto SF

PhotographyBB announced today the release of the 24th edition of the PhotographyBB Online Magazine. The January 2010 edition examines the merits of keeping a strong and tidy photo portfolio, be it physical or an online gallery. Additionally, this issue explores composition techniques, and how negative space can strengthen a photo while drawing the viewer deeper into the image. This month also looks at the Lightroom 3 Beta release in-depth, featuring the new Publish Services and Watermarking tools. In their Photography Around the World feature, they take you to India for a colorful look at Pushkar’s annual fair. PhotographyBB Online Magazine is available for free download through the PhotographyBB website

Website: PhotographyBB

DxO Labs today released DxO Optics Pro v6.1.2 for Windows that adds raw support for the Pentax K-7 and the Sony A500 & A550 DSLRs as well as the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3 and GH1 cameras. This release also improves stability and removes a colour cast at very high ISO for Nikon and Pentax cameras. Furthermore, 81 new DxO Optics Modules are now available to DxO Optics Pro users, covering the Canon 7D, 20D, 30D, 40D, 50D, REBEL XTi/400D, DIGITAL REBEL XSi/450D and REBEL T1i/500D; Fuji S5; Nikon D200, D300, D300s, D50, D3000, D5000 and D80; Panasonic LX3 and GH1; Pentax K-7; and Sony A230, A330, A500 and A550. DxO Optics Pro v6.1.2 for Windows, both Standard ($169/€149/£99) and Elite ($299/€299/£199) editions, is immediately available from both DxO Labs’ e-store and selected resellers. DxO Optics Pro 6 for Mac is scheduled for release during the first quarter of 2010 and will be available as a free upgrade to customers who have purchased version 5 or higher after June 1, 2009.

Website: DxO Labs

Portrait photographer and Flickr megastar Natalie Dybisz (read interview) - the brain and body behind the Miss Aniela brand - has just launched a new liveBooks-powered website. “I was in search of a new platform and I liked the simplistic, slick and lightweight feel of liveBooks’ sites,” said Dybisz. “They satisfied my identity graphically and, probably most importantly, their editSuite allows me to easily update my site whenever I want. I also like how the company is so tapped into the photo community – I really get the sense that they know what photographers need and want.” To view her new website, visit www.missaniela.com.

Corel has launched a new and enhanced version of its consumer video editing software, Corel VideoStudio Pro X3. Priced at £79, Corel VideoStudio Pro X3 combines video editing, media authoring, real-time effects and DVD and Blu-ray burning, enabling video enthusiasts to create professional-looking productions in a simplified and streamlined environment. Optimised for new, high-powered chipsets including the Intel Core i7, the new version performs many common tasks more than twice as fast as its forebear, and also offers multi-core and GPU parallel processing with support for new technology including NVIDIA CUDA. “Today, video is everywhere. The NVIDIA CUDA architecture is a critical technology in helping vendors like Corel unlock video for the masses,” said Michael Steele, General Manager of Visual Consumer Solutions at NVIDIA, “The dramatic speed increases in Corel VideoStudio Pro X3 show how CUDA helps developers give their users record-setting performance, even during the most processor-intensive activities like video editing.” Corel VideoStudio Pro X3, which includes Corel DVD Factory Pro, is now available at a suggested retail price of just £79 for the full version or £59 for the upgrade.

Website: Corel Videostudio Pro X3