Adobe Announces New Camera Raw, Lightroom and DNG Converter Release Candidates

Press Release

Adobe today announced the Photoshop Camera Raw 5.6, Lightroom 2.6 and DNG Converter 5.6 Release Candidates, available for immediate download on Adobe Labs. The term 'release candidate' means this update is well tested but would benefit from additional community testing to provide the highest quality experience for customers working on a variety of hardware and software configurations.
The updates add raw file support for 19 new popular camera models, including the Canon EOS 7D and Nikon D3s, with additional DNG support added for the Leica M9 camera model. A full list of the newly supported cameras is below. The Release Candidates also provide a fix for an issue affecting PowerPC customers using the final Lightroom 2.5 and Camera Raw 5.5 updates on the Mac. The issue, introduced in the demosaic change to address sensors with unequal green response, has the potential to create artifacts in the highlight area while using the Highlight Recovery tool in raw files from Sony, Olympus, Panasonic and various medium format digital camera backs.
Photoshop Lightroom 2 software is today's digital photography workflow solution, allowing photographers to quickly import, process, manage and showcase images. The Photoshop Camera Raw plug-in provides fast and easy access within Photoshop to the raw image formats produced by many leading digital cameras, and Adobe's Digital Negative (DNG) format is a publicly available archival format for the raw files generated by digital cameras. 
Pricing and Availability
The Lightroom 2.6 Release Candidate is available as a free download for existing Lightroom 2 customers, and the Photoshop Camera Raw 5.6 Release Candidate is available as a free download for existing customers of Photoshop CS4. The DNG Converter 5.6 Release Candidate is also available as a free download for all customers. Click here for more information and to test out the updates: http://labs.adobe.com/. Feedback can be provided on the Adobe User to User forum (http://forums.adobe.com).

Lightroom 2.6 download

Camera Raw 5.6 download

Newly Supported Camera Models
Canon EOS 7D
Canon PowerShot G11
Canon PowerShot S90
Leaf Aptus II 5
Mamiya DM22, DM28, DM33, DM56, M18, M22, M31
Nikon D3s
Olympus E-P2
Pentax K-x
Panasonic FZ38
Sigma DP1s
Sony A500
Sony A550
Sony A850

Technorati Tags: Adobe,Lightroom,Camera Raw

 

The Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2 Book for Digital Photographers

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New Lowepro Camera Bags

Inspired by the classic Magnum AW camera bag, Lowepro unveils its new pro video series, designed for the videographer who needs to work right out of the bag: the Magnum DV AW series.

 

(Sebastopol, CA, November 4, 2009) – Lowepro, a product design company that builds protective gear for photography equipment and portable electronics, announces the launch of the Magnum DV AW series. Designed for video, super-accessible, ultra-portable and protective, the Magnum DV AW series offers the videographer a practical, hardworking solution.

"This series is designed to address the tasks and needs of today's videographers," said Tim Grimmer, Lowepro product manager. "Inside and out you'll find design elements that speed their work, fit the unique shapes of their gear, make traveling hassle free and provide security for their equipment investments," he added.

The Magnum DV AW bag is quick and easy to work out of. The wide, dual-winged lid opens from the center, providing fast access to gear plus extra security with double zippers, a quick-release buckle and a hook/loop closure. Two roomy side pockets and a fast-access front pocket provide plenty of space for accessories, props and personal items.

The internal dividing system of Magnum DV AW is designed to accommodate different sizes and shapes of gear. Adjustable padded dividers and spacers allow the videographer to easily arrange spaces to fit a variety of video kits. An extra-thick interior base offers protection from the sharp metal baseplate found on most video cameras. And the Magnum DV 6500 AW includes side cut-out padding to cradle and protect an eyepiece.

Magnum DV AW is purpose-built for hassle-free portability. A wrapped and padded center grab handle, trolley sleeve and handcart straps offer multiple ways to transport a heavy load. Each bag comes with Lowepro's patent-pending Vertebral Tech™ Shoulder Strap. This inventive design features a spine-like structure imbedded in a double layer of EVA foam padding. The strap bends to conform to the shape of a shoulder, and no matter how it's worn—left, right, facing up or down—provides long-lasting support and comfort.

The sturdy, premium-quality molded base of a Magnum DV AW bag is stackable and water resistant. Lowepro's patented All Weather AW Cover™ serves as a raincoat for the entire bag, then zips away when not in use.

The Magnum DV 6500 AW offers a padded laptop compartment with adjustable dividers, allowing the professional to download video and edit on the spot.

Additional features include: 8 SlipLock™ attachment loops on the exterior; durable metal hardware and YKK zippers for strong and secure connections; and sturdy side grab handles (Magnum DV 6500 AW only).

The Magnum DV AW series includes the Magnum DV 4000 AW and the Magnum DV 6500 AW, both in Black.

All colors & sizes may not be available in all countries. Check with your local distributor for availability.

Design Highlights

• Internal dividing system features a long main compartment with a flexible structure to fit a variety of uniquely shaped video gear.
• Interior base crafted of durable, extra-thick padding to support and protect the metal baseplate of a video camera.
• Trolley sleeves and straps attach to luggage and most handcart systems for easy and secure transport.
• Includes Lowepro's patent-pending Vertebral Tech™ Shoulder Strap, providing comfort and support no matter which way it's worn.
• Magnum DV 4000 AW and Magnum DV 6500 AW bags meet most airline carry-on size requirements.

Dimensions

MAGNUM DV 4000 AW
INTERIOR:
15.9W x 11.8D x 11H in.
40.5 x 30 x 28 cm
EXTERIOR:
18.1W x 13.6D x 12.6H in.
46 x 34.5 x 32 cm
FITS:
Semi-professional, compact pro, hand-held HD camcorder (such as Sony EX-1 or Canon XH G1S); microphones; batteries; additional memory; external storage drives; lighting devices; charging devices; personal items.
Note: This bag meets most airline carry-on size requirements.
MAGNUM DV 6500 AW
INTERIOR:
20.1W x 9.8D x 10.6H in.
51 x 25 x 27 cm
EXTERIOR:
22.8W x 15D x 12H in.
58 x 38 x 30.5 cm
FITS:
Professional HD camcorders (such as Sony EX-3 or Canon XL H1); microphones; batteries; additional memory; external storage drives; lighting devices; charging devices; personal items; up to a 15.4" laptop in a padded laptop compartment with adjustable dividers
Note: This bag meets most airline carry-on size requirements.

View more information about the Magnum DV AW series

About Lowepro
It started with inventive spirit in a small Colorado garage over 40 years ago. Since then, Lowepro's camera bags have been traveling the world, earning the loyalty and admiration of the best photographers, and setting the industry standard for inventive, purpose-built products. Our collections include professional-grade designs for cameras, notebooks, imaging accessories and portable consumer electronics. It is our passion and privilege to provide accessible, comfortable and protective designs for our customers. Lowepro products are available around the globe, for every climate, for every condition. Wherever you go, chances are you'll find us there. To learn more about our inventive spirit, please visit www.lowepro.com.

 

Technorati Tags: Lowepro,Camera Bag,Accessories

The Complete Minolta SLR Camera & Accessory Guide

Adobe Debuts Photoshop.com Mobile for Android

Press Release

On-the-go photo editing and management made effortless with new Photoshop.com mobile application

 

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Nov. 6, 2009 — Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) today introduced the Photoshop.com Mobile for Android™ software, extending Adobe® industry-leading digital imaging technology to users of the Google Mobile™ operating system. The release comes less than a month after the launch of Photoshop.com Mobile for iPhone, which quickly established itself as one of the “Top Free” applications on the Apple mobile platform. The Android application equips consumers with quick and easy image-editing tools, color adjustments and instant photo-sharing capabilities. Photoshop.com Mobile optimizes the camera-phone experience by allowing users to browse for their photos online and on their phone, directly from the application. The application is free and available today at the Android Market.

“Adobe is excited to extend its digital imaging capabilities to Android phone users so they can take control of their growing collections of mobile photos,” said Doug Mack, vice president and general manager of Consumer and Hosted Solutions at Adobe. “Photoshop.com Mobile is a great resource to edit, upload and share photos in a few short moments. It’s the perfect complement to the mobile phone cameras found on Android devices.”

Mobile Photo Sharing and Editing Features
Photoshop.com Mobile for Android offers essential, user-friendly photo-editing tools like crop, rotate and flip. The Soft Focus filter can be used to create a subtle blur effect, and for performing color adjustments such as exposure, saturation, tint changes and classic black-and-white. Since all edits and changes can be undone, users can be confident that their original photo will be safe. After making edits on their Android device, users can upload photos from their phone to their Photoshop.com account to view and retrieve their images at a later time from any Internet-connected computer.

In addition, Photoshop.com Mobile for Android offers features only available on Android phones. Users can automatically upload pictures to Photoshop.com albums in the background, even when the Photshop.com Mobile application is not running. Photoshop.com accounts provide 2GB of free online photo storage, which equates to over 1,500 photos. Made possible by the Android API, the new tab-based user interface enables users to view local and online content. Also, the Android Photo Browser makes maneuvering through photos fast and convenient, bringing users’ complete photo collections right to their pockets.

Adobe Photoshop Family
Adobe Photoshop® CS4 and Photoshop CS4 Extended are at the heart of the Photoshop family, joined by solutions for users at every level who want to bring out the best in their digital images. Photoshop Lightroom® addresses the workflow needs of professional and serious amateur photographers. Photoshop Elements provides exciting tools and sharing options for photo enthusiasts. Lastly, snap shooters can access Photoshop.com for free online photo editing to simply fix and enhance photos and quickly share those images on social-networking sites or through Photoshop.com online galleries.

Pricing and Availability
The Adobe Photoshop.com Mobile for Android application is available as a free download from the Android Market. More information on Photoshop.com Mobile for Android can be found at http://mobile.photoshop.com/android. The application is currently available in the U.S. and Canada only.

After the release, the Photoshop.com Mobile team will be available online for feedback, questions and the latest news via Facebook (www.facebook.com/photoshopdotcom) or Twitter (www.twitter.com/photoshopdotcom). To join the conversation, follow @photoshopdotcom on Twitter and use the hashtag #PSdroid.

About Adobe Systems Incorporated
Adobe revolutionizes how the world engages with ideas and information – anytime, anywhere and through any medium. For more information, visit www.adobe.com.

Technorati Tags: Photoshop,Android,Adobe

Adobe Photoshop CS4 for Photographers: A Professional Image Editor's Guide to the Creative use of Photoshop for the Macintosh and PC

Android Application Development: Programming with the Google SDK

Think Tank Photo Releases the Cavernous Urban Disguise ® 70 Pro Shoulder Bag

For the photographer carrying two regular or pro size DSLRs with lenses attached to each camera body - or even a 70-200 f2.8 lens attached to any camera body - Think Tank Photo announces the release of the cavernous Urban Disguise ® 70 Pro.

Press Release

Santa Rosa, CA (PRWEB) November 3, 2009 -- For the photographer carrying two regular or pro size DSLRs with lenses attached to each camera body - or even a 70-200 f2.8 lens attached to any camera body - Think Tank Photo announces the release of the cavernous Urban Disguise ® 70 Pro. This is a briefcase style gear bag for traveling in style and protecting camera equipment without attracting attention as an obvious camera bag. The interior accommodates a host of camera configurations that enable photographers to keep all their gear secure in one bag.

The new Urban Disguise 70 holds even a 70-200 f2.8 lens attached to any camera body

This design concept is the culmination of years of observation of photojournalists and other photographers

It features:

• Secret pocket -- On the inside of the front pocket is a "secret" zipped pocket. It is designed to hold airline tickets, passports, and other irreplaceable items.
• Attaches to Rolling Bags -- The Urban Disguise 70 features a slot that allows it to be secured to a roller. A tab on the bottom prevents it from accidentally unzipping.
• Stretch pockets -- The pockets on either side of the bag stretch to hold items like cell phones, strobes, and even smaller water bottles.
• Business card slot -- The back of the bag has a slot big enough to hold many business cards so you can give them away to clients and friends.
• Rear zippered pocket - Ready access to magazines, notebooks, plane tickets, and other essential items.
• Shoulder Harness -- With Think Tank's Shoulder Harness (sold separately) the shoulder bag converts into a backpack.

Like all of the Urban Disguise shoulder bags, this new model is designed to allow photographers to travel in style while protecting their valuable equipment from prying eyes. They are intentionally designed not to look like camera bags, thus allowing photographers to carry even their larger lenses into potentially perilous settings.

"This design concept is the culmination of years of observation of photojournalists and other photographers who have jury-rigged their bags to decrease their public exposure," said Think Tank Photo founder and lead designer Doug Murdoch. "Whether it is a professional who wishes to maintain a subtle presence in potentially dangerous situations or a serious amateur who wishes to lessen the risk of having their gear ripped off, the Urban Disguise's design allows the right gear to be carried with less fear."

Specifications:
Internal Dimensions: 14.5" W x 12.25" H x 6.5" D (37 x 31 x 16.5 cm)
External Dimensions: 15" W x 12.5" H x 7.5" D (38 x 32 x 19 cm)
Weight: 2.2 - 3.8 lbs (1.0 - 1.7 kg) depending on accessories used
MSRP: $189.00

About Think Tank Photo

Think Tank Photo is a group of designers and professional photographers focused on studying how photographers work, and developing inventive new carrying solutions to meet their needs. By focusing on "speed" and "accessibility," we prepare photographers to Be Ready "Before The Moment," allowing them to document those historic moments that reflect their personal visions and artistic talents. We design products that help photographers travel easier, take pictures faster, and organize their gear more efficiently.

 

Technorati Tags: ThinkTank,Camera Bag

Digital SLR Cameras and Photography For Dummies (For Dummies (Computer/Tech))

Norman Rockwell: Behind the Camera

New DxO Optics Pro 6 pushes the limits of your camera

Press Release

New features include an improved user interface to increase accessibility and productivity.

33% introductory discount through December 31^st

November 3, 2009 - DxO Labs is pleased to announce the immediate availability of DxO Optics Pro version 6, its award-winning software solution for demanding photographers. This new version provides the best-ever images from extreme ISO shots and further extends optical fault correction, while increasing both accessibility and productivity.

DxO Optics Pro 6 will be offered with an exceptional 33% introductory discount through December 31, 2009.

A New Bar for High ISO RAW Conversion
While camera manufacturers keep competing for high ISO performance, DxO Labs now offers the image processing technologies which are critical to delivering top-notch image quality from such extreme ISO shots.

In low-light conditions, photographers must choose between using low ISO and risking unnatural flash lighting or camera shake, or using high ISO settings with its typical image noise and loss of colors and details. But now, thanks to a new technological approach, DxO Optics Pro 6 sets a new bar for RAW conversion: photographers can push their cameras to the ISO limits and even beyond - as much as one to two stops above their usual ISO settings! - and still get great photos without any noticeable loss in image quality.

"Advances in DxO Optics Pro 6 are able to significantly reduce the noisy color cast and the low spatial frequency color blotches that typically ruin very high ISO shots and more generally any photo with deep shadows," explains Frédéric Guichard, DxO Labs’ Chief Imaging Scientist. "Removing strong low frequency noise involves processing pixels over a very large neighborhood while preserving fine details. To achieve natural-looking and sharp images, we leave some purely colorless noise in the image, producing a grain that looks strikingly similar to the finest grain from silver halide times."

DxO Labs' new de-noising technology significantly extends the effective dynamic range and best leverages the higher bit-depth that modern sensors provide. Cleaning noise out of dark regions of the images allows photographers to digitally relight them (e.g. using DxO Lighting tool). Overall, with DxO Optics Pro 6 photographers end up with many benefits:

• Great photos when shooting at their camera's highest ISO and beyond;
• Extended dynamic range thanks to the ability to slightly under-expose their shots (with negative EV bias), thus avoiding clipping highlights and still minimizing noise in the lowlights;
• Digital relighting of shadows or dark areas of their images without adding noise.

Extended Optical Fault Correction
DxO Optics Pro has long been recognized for its unrivalled automatic optical fault correction based on DxO Optics Modules - laboratory-grade mathematical models characterizing the optical faults of each particular camera & lens combination which are computed for each focal length, each aperture, each focusing distance, etc. More than 1600 DxO Optics Modules are available today and can now be automatically detected and downloaded to the application - and this number is growing at an accelerated pace.

Also, for photographers who desire to adjust optical correction for a creative purpose, or to handle lenses that are not calibrated yet, DxO Optics Pro 6 now provides controls to manually adjust distortion, vignetting, chromatic aberrations, and sharpness (USM) for any lens.

As DxO Optics Pro expert users always look for more precise controls, DxO Optics Pro 6 features an additional fine detail adjustment which specifically deals with the preservation of high spatial frequency texture and details of the images - another demonstration of DxO Labs' consistent effort to bring the best to the optical faults correction so photographers can obtain the most perfect images.

Improved User Interface
DxO Optics Pro 6's user interface has been revamped to ease the first hands-on experience for beginners, providing them with the easiest RAW Conversion tool delivering best quality without the pain. For experts and professional photographers, productivity and control levels have also been improved.

New features include, among others:

• Workspace customization for easier access to the photographer's preferred tools;
• Detachable and multi-line "Project" window for multi-monitor display and full-screen image preview;
• Correction comparison between several candidates (for selecting preferred photo rendering);
• Streamlined access to DxO Presets for increased productivity;
• Automatic detection and download of missing DxO Optics Modules;
• More ergonomic user interface for better accessibility.

Additional Camera Support
Both the Standard and Elite editions of DxO Optics Pro 6 add support to the Olympus D-SLR family, along with latest Sony and Nikon cameras:

• Olympus E3, E30, E410, E420, E450, E510, E520, E620,
• Sony A230, A330, A380,
• Nikon D300s.

Availability and exceptional introductory price

For Windows :
DxO Optics Pro 6 for Windows Standard and Elite editions are scheduled for release in early November 2009 from both DxO Labs' e-store and selected resellers, and will be available at an exceptional 33 % discount until December 31, 2009:

• Standard edition: $ 109 instead of $ 169 (or a savings of $ 60)
• Elite edition: $ 199 instead of $ 299 (or a savings of $ 100)

All customers who purchased DxO Optics Pro 5 after June 1^st, 2009 are entitled to a free upgrade to version 6. All other users benefit from the following 40% discounts until December 31, 2009:

• DxO Optics Pro Standard (any version) to DxO Optics Pro 6 Standard: $ 44 instead of $ 79.
• DxO Optics Pro Elite (any version) to DxO Optics Pro 6 Elite: $ 69 instead of $ 119.

Prices exclude sales taxes and VAT.
For Macintosh :
DxO Optics Pro 6 for Macintosh is scheduled for release in early 2010. A Macintosh intermediate release, DxO Optics Pro 5.3.6, fully compatible with Snow Leopard, is scheduled for end of November. It will also include support for additional camera bodies.

System Requirements

• 2 GB RAM minimum
• 400 MB available disk space
• To process RAW images larger than 20 MPixels, a 64-bit operating system with 4 GB RAM is strongly recommended

Windows :

• Intel Pentium 4 processor or AMD equivalent (Pentium Dual Core or higher or equivalent recommended)
• Microsoft Windows XP, Windows Vista 32 or 64 bits, Windows 7

Macintosh :

• Universal Binary (G4, G5 or Intel-Mac)
• Mac OS X.4 ou X.5 or X.6

About DxO Optics Pro
DxO Optics Pro is an award-winning automatic image enhancement software for enthusiastic amateur and professional photographers shooting in JPEG or RAW format. World renowned for its unique automated optical corrections (distortion, vignetting, chromatic aberrations, lens softness), and its state-of-the-art RAW conversion, it addresses the entire spectrum of image quality issues, including noise removal, exposure optimization, keystoning correction, color control and dust removal. Its fully-customizable and easy-to-use interface makes it an unrivalled productivity tool, able to process hundreds of images in just a few clicks of a mouse.

For more information, visit DxO Labs' website at www.dxo.com

About DxO Labs
DxO Labs offers products and solutions that provide excellence in digital imaging. In addition to its DxO Optics Pro and DxO FilmPack products for Mac and Windows, aimed at serious and demanding photographers, the company also licenses patented intellectual property serving the entire digital imaging chain:

• Embedded software and silicon architectures for real-time still and video image processing, for consumer electronics OEM/ODM (such as digital camera and camera phone vendors);
• Image quality evaluation and measurement tools, for imaging component suppliers (camera module manufacturers, sensor vendors, and processor vendors) as well as photography journalists and imaging experts.

For more information, visit DxO Labs' website at www.dxo.com

 

Technorati Tags: DxO,Camera Raw,Raw Conversion,Optics

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The Complete Raw Workflow Guide: How to get the most from your raw images in Adobe Camera Raw, Lightroom, Photoshop, and Elements

Free Photoshop Brushes: Sparkes

 

“This is a great set of free Photoshop brushes that let you add a little sparkle to your designs. There is a variety of sparkle effects included in this set. I think you will find this a very useful addition to your Photoshop brush collection.”

25 Brushes

Get it here…

Technorati Tags: Photoshop,Brushes

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Service Notice: EOS 7D: Residual Image in Picture

Press Release From Canon

Thank you for using Canon products.

We have confirmed that in certain camera settings and shooting conditions, the phenomenon described below may occur in images captured by the EOS 7D Digital SLR camera.

Canon is currently investigating and analyzing the cause of this phenomenon, and we are planning to release a firmware update to address this issue.
Once the support measures have been established, we will post the relevant information on our Web site.

We offer our most sincere apologies to customers using this product who have been inconvenienced by this issue. Going forward, we will spare no effort in our quality management to make sure our customers can use our products with confidence. We hope our efforts will earn your understanding.

Phenomenon
In images captured by continuous shooting, and under certain conditions, barely noticeable traces of the immediately preceding frame may be visible. This phenomenon is not noticeable in an image with optimal exposure. The phenomenon may become more noticeable if a retouching process such as level compensation is applied to emphasize the image.

Affected Product
EOS 7D Digital SLR
Support
This contact information is for residents of the United States and Puerto Rico only. If you do not reside in the USA or Puerto Rico, please contact the Canon Customer Support Center in your region.

Thank you,
Customer Support Operations
Canon U.S.A., Inc.

Contact Information for Inquiries

Canon Customer Support Center

Hours:
Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 midnight. ET,

Saturday 10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m., excluding holidays

Phone:
1-800-OK-CANON (toll free)

1-800-652-2666

TTD:
1-866-251-3752 (toll free)

Email:
carecenter@cits.canon.com

For additional support options: www.usa.canon.com/support

 

Technorati Tags: Canon

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Plug-in Suite 5 for Adobe Photoshop

Onone Press Release

onOne Software Announces Plug-in Suite 5 for Adobe Photoshop

New Version of Award-Winning Software Suite Offers Six Essential Tools That Help Photographers Achieve Better Results

PORTLAND, Ore.—(BUSINESS WIRE)—onOne Software, Inc., a leading developer of innovative, timesaving solutions for professional and advanced amateur photographers, today announced Plug-in Suite 5 for Adobe Photoshop. Designed to solve the most common problems facing photographers in the areas of color correction, enlarging, masking and professional photographic effects, the Plug-in Suite 5 combines full versions of six essential software tools in one affordable package: FocalPoint 2, PhotoTune 3, PhotoFrame 4.5 Professional Edition, PhotoTools 2.5 Professional Edition, Genuine Fractals 6 Professional Edition and MaskPro 4.

With support for Photoshop CS2, CS3 and CS4 the onOne Software Plug-in Suite 5 now includes the new onOne Panel which provides quick access to all products, Windows 64 bit support and the ability to access select plug-ins from within Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2 and Apple Aperture 2.1. Plug-in Suite 5 will be available in November.

“This is our biggest product update and release in over 4 years,” said Craig Keudell, president of onOne Software. “Since the release of Plug-In Suite 4, we have been working closer than ever with both professional and enthusiast photographers to make sure that Plug-In Suite 5 continues to solve the most common problems they face as photographers. We are confident that Plug-In Suite 5 continues in the onOne tradition of providing photographers with software that sets the standard for value, quality and ease-of-use.”

Plug-in Suite 5 includes full versions of the following onOne Software products:

FocalPoint 2 – Like bringing the camera lens inside Photoshop, this new version of FocalPoint 2 gives photographers the best way to add the most realistic depth of field and selective focus control to any image after it is photographed. Photographers now have an incredible amount of flexibility and control over the look of the blur with FocalPoint 2’s new blur algorithm, FocusBrush, Lens Presets and multiple FocusBug features.

PhotoTune 3 – Getting great color doesn’t have to be so hard. This new version of PhotoTune 3 uses patented eye-fidelityTM technology, originally developed by and licensed from imsense to optimize the dynamic range, color and sharpness of images so that they look more true-to-life. The improved Wizard offers fast color and tone correction in as little as two steps while giving pro users direct access to advanced and innovative controls. SkinTune, which represents two years of research and analysis of thousands of skin tones, now offers one-click color correction of portraits and the option to correct just the skin in an image.

PhotoFrame 4.5 Professional Edition – With PhotoFrame 4.5, you can add the perfect finishing touch to your images with over 100 exciting new professionally designed frames, backgrounds, textures and layouts including over a dozen from professional photographer Kersti Malvre. With one thousand design elements like film edges, borders, textures, backgrounds and adornments, PhotoFrame 4.5 Professional Edition even has complete layouts where users can simply drop an image in and they are done. It is the easiest and fastest way to add an authentic darkroom touch with a film edge or to create beautiful albums or scrapbook pages

PhotoTools 2.5 Professional Edition – PhotoTools 2.5 is the highly acclaimed Photoshop plug-in that allows photographers of all skill levels to maximize the full power of Photoshop with it’s ability to preview and combine Photoshop Actions in a single, intuitive interface. Designed by photographers for photographers, PhotoTools 2.5 Professional now includes a new MaskingBug control based on the FocusBug control from the award-winning FocalPoint plug-in. The new MaskingBug allows photographers to create high-quality masks to selectively apply effects to images. With over 30 new creative effects, for a total effect library of 280, photographers can easily find, combine and save the results to create images that truly stand out.

Genuine Fractals 6 Professional Edition - The industry standard for enlarging photos, Genuine Fractals 6 enlarges images up to 1,000% while maintaining sharp edges and important image details. Genuine Fractals 6 now includes an automated gallery wrap feature and output options for tiling an enlarged photo. No other resizing plug-in is as widely used by more professionals than Genuine Fractals.

MaskPro 4 – For those times when you need to extract a subject from a photo, Mask Pro 4 uses a color-based method that allows users to easily remove unwanted backgrounds from your photos. Mask Pro’s unique Color Decontamination technology allows users to get realistic results by maintaining transparency in hard to mask objects like hair, smoke and glass in a fraction of the time using traditional tools.

Availability

The new Plug-in Suite 5 will be available in November to new users for $599.95; purchased separately the products would normally cost $1,300. Existing users of Plug-in Suite version 1, 2, 3 or 4 can upgrade to the Plug-in Suite 5 for $199.95. Customers who own any one or more of the products in Plug-in 5 will be able to upgrade as well by visiting http://www.ononesoftware.com/upgrade/. For more information on the Plug-in Suite 5, please visit http://www.ononesoftware.com/.

About onOne Software

onOne Software, Inc. a leading developer of innovative software tools for photographers, develops time-saving software solutions for professional and advanced amateur photographers. onOne Software solutions have been created to help photographers spend more of their time behind the camera taking pictures instead of the computer workstation. Such solutions include a wide range of easy-to-use plug-in enhancements for Adobe® Photoshop®, Photoshop Elements, Photoshop Lightroom, Apple Aperture, Apple iPhoto and iPhone applications. Founded in 2005, onOne Software is a privately held company located in Portland, Oregon. For additional information, visit http://www.ononesoftware.com/ or call 1-888-968-1468.

© 2009 onOne Software. All rights reserved. onOne Software and the onOne Software logo are registered trademarks in the United States, and all are the property of onOne Software. Adobe and Photoshop are registered trademarks of Adobe Systems, Inc. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.

 

Technorati Tags: onOne,Photoshop,Lightroom

Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2 Classroom in a Book

Black and White in Photoshop CS3 and Photoshop Lightroom: Create stunning monochromatic images in Photoshop CS3, Photoshop Lightroom, and beyond

PhotographyBB Online Magazine – 21st Edition

Press Release

Oct 23rd, 2009 – VANCOUVER, CANADA – PhotographyBB announced today, the release of the 21st edition of the PhotographyBB Online Magazine. The PhotographyBB Online Magazine is a leading resource in the future of free information distribution, offering readers: Digital Photography tips and techniques, DSLR camera function training, and image post processing tutorials in Adobe® Photoshop™, and RAW processing in Photoshop Lightroom™.

The October 2009 edition oppropriately features Halloween themed tutorials such as “How to Photograph Ghosts” and “Digital Pumpkin Carving in Photoshop.” Additionally this issue explores a sneak peak at the new Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3 Beta release, and some of the exciting new features that Adobe has to offer.

Editor in Chief, Dave Seeram had these comments regarding this recent release:

“I’m really proud of the work that our team has done with this issue. In addition to our regular photography and tutorial columns, this month we have a special feature – a sneak peak at the new features in the Lightroom 3 (Beta) release. Readers can check out these new features, then download their own beta copy from Adobe Labs and try it out for themselves. Additionally, since this month typically lends itself to gorgeous outdoor fall photography, we are also looking at outdoor portrait shooting techniques. For Halloween, we’ve even got some themed tutorials to really get out readers into the Halloween spirit. Couple that with the FAQ series where we answer questions from our readers, and the continuation in our popular HDR series, and I feel we have a special issue this month.

 Read it all…

Technorati Tags: Adobe,Photoshop

Photoshop CS4: The Missing Manual

Layers: The Complete Guide to Photoshop's Most Powerful Feature

Secret Italy – The Photography Workshop with Kevin Kubota

Press Release

Tuscany, Italy workshop to take place May 2-8, 2010

New York, NY, PhotoPlus Expo Booth #854 – (October 22, 2009) – Kubota Image Tools announces Kevin Kubota’s 5th creative Italy professional photography workshop. This inspiring 7-day photography workshop (May 2-8, 2010) includes several exciting photo excursions, classroom instruction, photography critiquing and more.

The 2010 Secret Italy professional photography workshop attendees will tour Tuscany, Italy. The trip will begin with everyone meeting at the airport in Florence, Italy where attendees will then head west to Lucca. Highlights include excursions through Tuscany and then North along the Mediterranean Sea to visit Liguria and five coastal villages known as Cinque Terre, then Portofino and Genoa.

“My wife Clare and I are so thrilled to return for our fifth creative photography workshop in Italy – one of the most beautiful countries on Earth,” said Kevin Kubota, Idea Man of Kubota Image Tools. “This is sure to be a truly authentic Italian experience for everyone. There's nothing like a trip to Italy to enhance your creative photography techniques. It is an inspirational country with limitless photographic opportunities that never fails to give me a creative boost.”

For photographers who have never had the opportunity to travel to Italy, this is the perfect way to experience it and photograph it. For those photographers that have been to Italy before, then they already know why they want to go back. This time husband and wife team Kevin and Clare Kubota will share some of the undiscovered gems of this beautiful country that they know so well.

There will be brief daily classroom time (1-2 hours) to discuss photo projects that will be assigned, talks about creativity followed by creative exercises, and the opportunity for participants to apply fine art Photoshop skills on their images. Class size is limited to 20 participants.

The cost of the 7-day trip is $2,995 for class attendees and $2,550 for non-class participants. Single participants will be partnered in gender specific rooms unless requesting a private room for an additional $400. Attendees paying in full at time of sign up will receive a $100 discount. (Actual costs are based on currency exchange rates and are subject to change.)

Partners will be able to join attendees for all of the group outings except the classroom time. The price includes lodging, all ground transportation (attendees are responsible for airfare to and from Florence, Italy), most meals with wine, guided tours, classroom instruction, photography review and a DVD of the class images and experience. The tour is organized and guided by native Italians, Max and Cristiana, who live in Umbria and have an incredible zest for sharing their culture and a unique insight into what the essence of Italy really is. This is not a typical tourist trip. It’s a photographic and cultural adventure!

See the Kubota Image Tools Web site for up-to-the-minute details: www.kubotaimagetools.com or call 877-330-4330.

About Kevin Kubota

Kevin Kubota, of Kubota PhotoDesign Inc. (www.KubotaPhotoDesign.com), has been photographing since 1980, and doing it professionally since 1990. He is a wedding and portrait photographer with images that speak to the heart-filled with emotion, joy, intimacy, and impact. His studio photographs high-end clients in his home base in Central Oregon, as well as worldwide. Kevin Kubota created the popular Digital Photography Bootcamp®, which currently runs twice a year in Oregon, and authored two books under the same name – Digital Photography Boot Camp: A Step-by-Step Guide for Professional Wedding and Portrait Photographers, now in its second edition. Kevin was named one of the "Top 10 Wedding Photographers in the World" by American Photo Magazine.

Through his Web site, www.KubotaImageTools.com, Kevin sells workflow training products and image enhancing tools for Photoshop^®. His innovative DASHBOARD^™ has made image enhancement faster and easier than ever. Through his ever evolving blog, Kevin provides tips and tricks on all things digital.

 

Technorati Tags: Kevin Kubota,Workshop,Photography

The Most Beautiful Country Towns of Tuscany (Most Beautiful Villages Series)

Scott Kelby's Digital Photography Boxed Set, Volumes 1 and 2 (Includes The Digital Photography Book Volume 1 and The Digital Photography Book Volume 2)

Kubota Image Tools Announces Kubota RPG SpeedKeys 2.0 for Adobe® Photoshop® Lightroom® 2

Press Release

Designed to optimize a photographer’s workflow and enhance creativity,this updated wireless USB device allows for complete user customization

New York, NY, PhotoPlus Expo Booth #854 – (October 22, 2009) – Kubota Image Tools is pleased to announce the newest addition to the Kubota Lightspeed Workflow family – new Kubota RPG SpeedKeys 2.0 for Lightroom 2. Kubota RPG SpeedKeys 2.0 for Lightroom 2 is a customizable wireless USB keypad with preset 1-button access to: essential adjustments such as brightness, exposure, fill light and more; the most popular Kubota Lightroom presets; and advanced tools such as paint with light, burn, soften skin, and hand-color.

In addition, the Kubota RPG SpeedKeys 2.0 now offers 48 new key options for completely customizable functionality. This gives users the ability to create hundreds of settings and preset combinations. The innovative Kubota RPG SpeedKeys software allows photographers to use pre-programmed workflow key combinations or they can use their own presets settings.

Kubota RPG SpeedKeys 2.0 comes loaded with 29 Kubota Lightroom Presets. As a bonus, the SpeedKeys comes with the entire collection of Kubota Lightroom Presets v3, which includes develop, export, print, filter, and more. All of the presets included in Kubota Lightroom Presets v1 and v2 are also included in the set, plus brand new presets never before available. There are over 100 presets in all.

“One of the things I’ve really wanted in order to improve my Lightroom workflow was a way to apply my most common adjustments and develop presets with a simple key press,” said Kevin Kubota, Idea Man of Kubota Image Tools. “Photographers will be surprised at how much time and energy they can save by not having to click little buttons with a mouse all the time. It doesn’t sound like a big difference, but over the course of editing thousands of images, photographers will really notice how this little tool can greatly improve their workflow. RPG Keys was able to create a custom keypad for us that integrated customizable functionality, my most used adjustments, develop presets, and local adjustment brushes, all on one small device. RPG Keys is a great company to work with and it’s a perfect pairing of our workflow tools and their hardware solution.”

“We at RPG Keys are excited about partnering with Kubota Image Tools to offer the new SpeedKeys line of products,” said Timothy Riley, wedding photographer and

founder of RPG Keys. “The Kubota RPG SpeedKeys 2.0 is the perfect marriage of art and technology allowing photographers the ability to create amazing images, in a fraction of the time. As always, happy editing!”

The Kubota RPG SpeedKeys 2.0 for Lightroom is available for purchase at: http://www.kubotaimagetools.com/ . Price is $349.00. It is available as a free upgrade to customers who purchased the first version of the Kubota RPG SpeedKeys. Also available is the Kubota RPG SpeedKeys 2.0 with Kubota RAW Workflow for Lightroom 2. This video tutorial helps photographers learn how to efficiently use Adobe Lightroom 2. This combination pack is available now for $399 (a savings of $50 if purchased separately).

System Requirements: PC or Mac running Adobe^® Lightroom^® 2 or higher
Available USB 2.0 Port

About Kubota Image Tools

Kubota Image Tools (www.kubotaimagetools.com) grew from the digital experience of Kevin Kubota who began pioneering the field of completely digital wedding photography in the 1990s. As one of the first photographers to master digital imaging, Kevin became inspired to share his experience and natural teaching ability with other photographers by founding the original Digital Photography Bootcamp® which consistently fills to capacity. He has successfully trained thousands of photographers to make the digital transition and continuously empowers existing digital photographers with new, effective workflow ideas and outstanding Photoshop techniques.

Through his Web site, www.KubotaImageTools.com, Kevin sells workflow training products and image enhancing tools for Photoshop^®. His innovative DASHBOARD^™ has made image enhancement faster and easier than ever. Through his ever evolving blog, Kevin provides tips and tricks on all things digital.

Kevin Kubota’s wedding, portrait and commercial photography Web site is www.KubotaPhotoDesign.com.

 

Technorati Tags: Kubota Image Tools,Kevin Kubota,Photoshop,Lightroom

 

 

Digital Photography Boot Camp: A Step-by-Step Guide for Professionals

Digital Photography Boot Camp: A Step-by-Step Guide for Professional Wedding and Portrait Photographers

Nik Software Announces Viveza® 2 for Adobe® Photoshop®, Lightroom® & Apple® Aperture™

Press Release

Now offers a complete range of new and powerful selective and global adjustments for fast and efficient photo editing

New York, NY (PhotoPlus Expo Booth #766) – October 22, 2009 – Nik Software announces today Viveza 2, an upgrade to its award winning and revolutionary plug-in for selective color and light control. Available in December, Viveza 2 now offers users robust global adjustments and precise selective controls that utilize Nik Software’s award-winning U Point^® technology. Viveza 2 eliminates the need to create complicated selections or layer masks and provides a powerful solution for users looking to save time and effort when editing images.

“New global image controls added to Viveza’s powerful selective editing capabilities now enable users to quickly and easily perform virtually all of their color and light adjustments within a single step,” said Michael J. Slater president and CEO of Nik Software. “New features such as shadow recovery, structure control, increased precision of selections, and user interface improvements together give users ultimate control, enabling truly spectacular results.”

Viveza 2, powered by Nik Software’s patented U Point technology, is the most powerful and precise tool available to globally and selectively control light and color in photographs. With

U Point technology, users can quickly select areas of an image to adjust by pointing and clicking and then using simple to use sliders to adjust brightness, contrast, saturation, structure, red, green, blue, hue, and warmth in a fraction of the time needed by other tools.

Key features of Viveza 2 include:

• Powerful Color Control Points, enabling precise selective control of color and light
• New global image adjustments
• New and powerful levels and curves adjustments
• New shadow recovery—global or selective
• New fine detail structure enhancements
• Improved color rendering and increased precision of selections
• Improved timesaving user interface, including improved slider controls, slider favorites, multiple zoom states, keyboard nudging, grouped Color Control Points, and multiple undo levels
• Smart Filter support (Photoshop only)
• Selective Brush tool (Photoshop only)
• Multi-image support (Lightroom and Aperture only)
• New 64-bit support on Microsoft Windows

Pricing and Availability

Nik Software’s Viveza 2, offering support for Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom, and Apple Aperture, will be available via electronic and boxed delivery directly from Nik Software (www.niksoftware.com) or through specialty camera retailers. A complete list of resellers may be found at www.niksoftware.com/resellers.

Viveza 2 retails for $199.95. Customers that already own Viveza can upgrade for $99.95. Customers who have purchased Viveza after September 22, 2009 will be eligible for a free upgrade to Viveza 2.

To watch a video introduction of Viveza 2 and to sign up to be notified when the software is available, please visit www.niksoftware.com/viveza2.

About Nik Software

Nik Software, Inc. is a privately held company that develops software solutions for the growing digital imaging and photography markets. Established in 1995, Nik Software has become the recognized leader in digital photographic filter development and produces award-winning technology and software products for digital photography and imaging professionals including U Point^® technology (www.upoint.com), Dfine^®, Viveza^®, Color Efex Pro™, Silver Efex Pro™, and Sharpener Pro™ software.

 

Technorati Tags: Photoshop,Nik,Viveza,Aperture,Lightroom

 

Photoshop CS4 Down & Dirty Tricks

The Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2 Book for Digital Photographers

Apple Pro Training Series: Aperture 2

Nik Software Adds Comprehensive Online Webinar Schedule to its Free Educational Offerings

Press Release

Free webinars offer information, insights and tips on using Nik Software products

New York, NY, PhotoPlus Expo Booth #766 (October 22, 2009) — Nik Software announces today its Fall 2009 Webinar schedule. These seven hour-long educational webinars, which continue through mid-December, cover a range of photography topics including portrait, sports/action, wildlife, landscapes, weddings, commercial and Capture NX2 while offering basic information, insights and tips on using all Nik Software’s award-winning image enhancing plug-in products. Additionally, the webinars enable attendees to pose questions to the live educators.

“These free online webinars are designed to show how each Nik Software plug-in product can be used to enhance any photographer’s work within all types of photography while dramatically reducing editing time and complexity,” said Tony Corbell, Nik Software’s senior manager for product education and planning. “Education is so important to today’s busy digital photographer and Nik Software is committed to empowering everyone to get the most out of their photographs with our products.”

The Nik Software webinars have been developed to address specific types of photographic styles and are designed to appeal to everyone. Both current Nik Software customers and those who have not yet purchased a Nik Software product will learn more about how these tools can simplify their digital photography workflow and create extraordinary images. Participants only need to log in from their computer to access these free educational events. By the end of each webinar, attendees learn quick, easy and powerful ways to enhance their photographs.

To register for any of the webinars listed below, please visit: http://www.niksoftware.com/webinar.

In addition to these webinars, Nik Software currently offers over 70 brief online learning videos for the entire line of Nik Software products including Dfine^® 2.0, Viveza^®, Color Efex Pro™ 3.0, Silver Efex Pro™, and Sharpener Pro™ 3.0 software. For a free download, streaming access or iPod versions, please visit: http://www.niksoftware.com/lessons.

October 27, 2009 — 10:00am PST

Enhancing the Portrait image

This Nik Software training webinar is dedicated to the features and functionality specially designed in its product line to take portrait photography to a new level. From showcasing techniques for color correction and retouching to traditional filters and a touch of creativity, this webinar will show photographers how Nik Software products can help them make gorgeous memorable portraits.

October 29, 2009 — 10:00am PST

Improving on Sports and Action Images

Working with sports and action photography often requires precision timing and optimum camera technique to be successful. On occasion there is the need for optimizing an image after the shoot. This webinar will show photographers how Nik Software can enhance photographic depth of field, introduce how to imply motion and the freezing of action to images, how to correct for changing color temperature and more.

November 12, 2009 — 10:00am PST
Critters and Creatures

Nik Software’s own Laurie Shupp, an accomplished wildlife and nature photographer, teaches techniques specific to photographing wildlife. Attendees will see her beautiful wildlife work as she leads them through a series of enhancements including optimizing skies and backgrounds, highlighting animal fur, and minimizing distractions while maximizing primary subjects.

November 19, 2009 — 10:00am PST

Enhancing the Landscape Image

Photographers can follow along during the webinar as techniques designed to improve outdoor landscape images are illustrated in detail using numerous Nik Software products. Though particular styles and techniques differ from photographer to photographer, Nik Software products work together to capably handle all corrections and enhancements that combine to improve the overall photograph.

December 1, 2009 — 10:00am PST

Wedding Photography Techniques featuring Lightroom

Working specifically inside the host application of Adobe Lightroom^®, this webinar focuses on how Nik Software products can enhance wedding photography by optimizing colors, creatively converting images to black-and-white and more. Attendees will learn tricks for batch processing and editing hundreds or even thousands of images.

December 10, 2009 — 10:00am PST

The Power of Capture NX2

Working primarily with RAW Nikon NEF files, the Nik Software team will again showcase the incredible power and ease of use of Capture NX2. This software features innovative U Point^® technology for precise selective editing along with numerous other editing capabilities simply not found in other software. The intuitive nature of Capture NX2 helps photographers of all levels master editing techniques in days, not weeks, months or even years.

December 15, 2009 — 10:00am PST

Editing the Commercial Image

This webinar is devoted to commercial photography and the special needs this style of photography requires to satisfy demanding clients. Color correction, retouching and other techniques will be showcased on beautiful photography examples from some of the industry’s leading photographers.

About Nik Software

Nik Software, Inc. is a privately held company that develops software solutions for the growing digital imaging and photography markets. Established in 1995, Nik Software has become the recognized leader in digital photographic filter development and produces award-winning technology and software products for digital photography and imaging professionals including U Point^® technology (www.upoint.com), Dfine^® 2.0, Viveza^®, Color Efex Pro™ 3.0, Silver Efex Pro™, and Sharpener Pro™ 3.0 software.

 

Technorati Tags: Nik Software,Webinar,Photoshop

 

Adobe Photoshop CS4 for Photographers: A Professional Image Editor's Guide to the Creative use of Photoshop for the Macintosh and PC

Adobe Photoshop CS4 One-on-One

Corel Showcases New Windows 7 Capabilities with Corel® Paint it!(TM) touch

Press Release

New Painting Software Joins Corel® Digital Studio(TM) 2010 in Corel's Windows Touch Product Lineup

OTTAWA, Oct 22, 2009 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- CREL | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating -- Corel Corporation (NASDAQ: CREL; TSX: CRE | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating) today introduced Corel(R) Paint it!(TM) touch, a new digital art studio built explicitly for the Windows 7 platform. Corel Paint it! touch is the latest addition to Corel's new portfolio of creative consumer products that are designed to give users an all-new, hands-on experience built on the power of Windows Touch technology.

Built specifically for use on Windows 7 and optimized for use on touch-screen computers, Paint it! touch provides budding artists of any age with a unique artistic experience. Using the program, consumers can create original artwork with the touch of their fingertips. The program's touch-enabled capabilities let consumers add artistic touches to photos or create art from scratch using a number of realistic brushes and effects.

"With Paint it! touch, it is now possible to bypass mouse clicks and interact directly with your digital canvas, all with the touch of your fingertips," said David Toeg, Paint it! touch Product Manager for Corel. "Windows 7 and Windows Touch have enabled Corel to create new possibilities for our users by removing barriers and helping them to connect with their digital content in more personal ways. Whether they are creating painted masterpieces, photo projects, or home videos, it can now be an even more spontaneous and interactive experience."

"Corel has supported Windows 7 throughout the development process," said Mark Relph, senior director for Windows Product Management at Microsoft Corp. "As a result of the collaborative effort, we are bringing more benefits to customers."

Windows 7 reflects Microsoft's commitment to focus on customers' top priorities and emerging interests. Built to make everyday tasks faster and easier, the new OS is the result of years of in-depth listening to the needs and desires of customers. As a result, Windows 7 works the way customers want it to work -- faster boot up, longer battery life and fewer alerts.

Corel has worked closely with Microsoft to ensure that its customers enjoy the full benefits of the Windows 7 experience. In June, Corel was selected by Microsoft as its Global ISV Consumer Partner of the Year. In September, Corel introduced Corel Digital Studio 2010, a simple, fast and fun way for friends and families to organize, edit, create and share their favorite photos, videos and projects within one integrated, easy-to-use and engaging environment. Built on Microsoft's new Windows Presentation Foundation platform, Corel Digital Studio 2010 has been designed to take advantage of the latest Windows 7 features including Windows Touch, Jump Lists and Libraries.

Pricing and Availability

Corel Paint it! touch is exclusively available in North America as an electronic software download for users who own Windows 7 touch-enabled computers, and via selected OEM partners. For more information or to purchase the download, please visit www.corel.com/paintittouch.

For more information about Corel Digital Studio 2010, please visit www.corel.com/digitalstudio.To learn more about Corel and Windows 7, please visit www.corel.com/windows7.

About Corel

Corel is one of the world's top software companies with more than 100 million active users in over 75 countries. We develop software that helps people express their ideas and share their stories in more exciting, creative and persuasive ways. Through the years, we've built a reputation for delivering innovative, trusted products that are easy to learn and use, helping people achieve new levels of productivity. The industry has responded with hundreds of awards for software innovation, design and value.

Our award-winning product portfolio includes some of the world's most widely recognized and popular software brands, including CorelDRAW(R) Graphics Suite, Corel(R) Painter(TM), Corel DESIGNER(R) Technical Suite, Corel(R) Paint Shop Pro(R) Photo, Corel(R) VideoStudio(R), Corel(R) WinDVD(R), Corel(R) WordPerfect(R) Office, WinZip(R) and the recently released Corel(R) Digital Studio(TM) 2010. Our global headquarters are in Ottawa, Canada, with major offices in the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, China, Taiwan and Japan.

(C) 2009 Corel Corporation. All rights reserved. Corel, CorelDRAW, Paint Shop Pro, Painter, Corel DESIGNER, VideoStudio, WordPerfect, WinDVD, WinZip, Digital Studio and the Corel logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Corel Corporation and/or its subsidiaries. All other product names and any registered and unregistered trademarks mentioned are used for identification purposes only and remain the exclusive property of their respective owners.

 

Technorati Tags: Corel,Paint it! Touch

Digitial Painting Fundamentals with Corel Painter 11

Advanced Painter Techniques

Lensbaby® Announces Two New Optics

Press Release

New additions to the Lensbaby Optic Swap System expand a photographer's creative possibilities.

New York, NY, PhotoPlus Expo Booth #1218 (PRWEB) October 22, 2009 -- Lensbaby announces today the addition of the new Fisheye Optic and Soft Focus Optic to the Lensbaby Optic Swap System. Each new optic is available for use with the Lensbaby Composer® and Muse®*. In addition, the Soft Focus Optic is compatible with the Lensbaby Control Freak™.

New Lensbaby Fisheye Optic

"With the introduction of these new optics, Lensbaby is moving beyond the realm of selective focus to offer photographers a Creative Effects SLR lens system, with 6 different optic options. The Fisheye and Soft Focus Optics, unlike earlier Lensbaby optics, do not feature a sweet spot of focus," said Craig Strong, Lensbaby President and Co-Founder. "The new Fisheye Optic transforms a Lensbaby Composer into a fun fisheye lens and the new Soft Focus Optic creates images that are overall soft and diffused, much like a classic Imagon portrait lens. The Lensbaby Optic Swap System now offers three selective focus optics, and three optics that provide even more options for creative photography."

About the Lensbaby Fisheye Optic
The new Lensbaby Fisheye Optic allows photographers to turn their Lensbaby Composer or Muse into a fisheye lens by swapping out the installed optic and dropping the new Fisheye Optic into the lens. This optic's six element multi-coated optical design features an ultra-wide 12mm focal length capable of capturing a 160 degree fisheye angle of view from infinity all the way down to one-inch from the front of the lens.

The Lensbaby Fisheye Optic features a system of interchangeable aperture disks, with possible aperture settings ranging from f/4 to f/22. To change the aperture, users unscrew the top element of the Fisheye Optic and replace the aperture disk using the included Aperture Tool.

Due to the extremely wide angle field of view, photographers who use a full-frame camera will generally see a black circle around almost the entire image, and smaller APS-sized sensor shooters will see black at the corners of their images. This black edge is typical for standard fisheye lenses. However, the Lensbaby Fisheye Optic features a creative lens flare effect that causes the edge areas that would ordinarily be black to glow with color whenever there are bright light sources in the image. The Fisheye Optic lens flare effect is particularly apparent when shooting with a full frame camera.

The Fisheye Optic is different than previous Lensbaby optics, with a much flatter field of focus than the Double Glass, Single Glass, and Plastic Optics. The images created by the Fisheye Optic are sharp throughout the image at darker apertures. While the Fisheye Optic creates some edge blur at brighter apertures, it does not feature the Sweet Spot of sharp focus and dramatic blur that are trademarks of the Double Glass, Single Glass, and Plastic Optics. Instead of bending the lens, photographers typically will point their Lensbaby straight ahead to achieve a classic fisheye look.

The Lensbaby Fisheye Optic is available immediately for $149.95 (MSRP).

*A special adapter is required to use the Fisheye Optic with the Lensbaby Muse. The Fisheye Optic is not recommended for use with the Lensbaby Control Freak.

Fisheye Optic Product Specs:

• Focal Length: 12mm
• Six element multi-coated optical design
• f/4 optic with aperture disks that range from f/5.6 to f/22
• Focuses from one inch to infinity
• Removable disk aperture system
• To change aperture, unscrew top element of Fisheye Optic and remove with Aperture Tool. The aperture disk sits atop the bottom element
• Special adapter must be purchased for use with Muse. The Fisheye Optic is not recommended for use with the Control Freak

About the Lensbaby Soft Focus Optic
The Lensbaby Soft Focus Optic works with Lensbaby's Creative Effects SLR camera lenses, the Composer, Muse and Control Freak. Images created with the 50mm focal length Soft Focus Optic feature a soft and diffused appearance. The Soft Focus Optic's multi-coated optical glass doublet creates a much flatter field of focus than previous Lensbaby optics, making this optic well-suited for a variety of soft focus applications. This new optic does not have the Sweet Spot of sharp focus and dramatic blur outside of that spot created by the Double Glass, Single Glass, and Plastic Optics. The Soft Focus Optic features Lensbaby's magnetic disk aperture system. In addition to the standard round aperture disks for f/2 to f/22, the Soft Focus Optic also comes with three special soft focus multi-hole apertures that combine one large opening over the optic's sharp center with small openings over the optic's soft edges. This hole pattern creates a sharp underlying image with a soft overlay. Users can stack the soft focus apertures together or with standard Lensbaby apertures to vary the amount and appearance of the softness. In addition, the multi-hole apertures have the ability to create out-of-focus highlights that take on the shape of the aperture holes, further enhancing creativity. When using the Soft Focus Optic, photographers typically point the lens straight ahead to achieve a classic soft focus look.

The Lensbaby Soft Focus Optic is available immediately for $89.95 (MSRP).

Soft Focus Optic Product Specs:

• Focal Length: 50mm
• Multi-coated optical glass doublet
• f/2 optic with aperture disks that range from f/2.8 to f/22
• Creates images that are overall soft and diffuse
• Much flatter field of focus than other Lensbaby optics. Suited for variety of soft focus applications such as portrait, landscape, urban, and botanical photography
• Magnetic disk aperture system
• Degree of softness can be controlled by changing the special apertures, or stacking them with regular Lensbaby aperture disks
• With the soft focus multi-hole apertures, bright, out-of-focus points of light take on the hole pattern's shape. Photographers can control this creative effect by using standard Lensbaby apertures or choosing a low contrast background.

About the Lensbaby Optic Swap System
The Lensbaby Optic Swap System now features six interchangeable optics that can be swapped in and out of Lensbaby's Creative Effects SLR Camera lenses, the Muse, the Composer, and the Control Freak. Each optic creates a different type of creative image, giving photographers unlimited freedom to achieve their unique artistic vision. The Double Glass, Single Glass, and Plastic Optics have a curved field of focus that allows the photographer to control depth of field in a unique way by creating a Sweet Spot of sharp focus that is surrounded by beautiful blur. The other 3 optic options, Fisheye, Soft Focus, and Pinhole/Zone plate all feature a flat field of focus and create distinctive looks.

For more information about the new Lensbaby optics and the Lensbaby Optic Swap system, please visit www.lensbaby.com.

About Lensbaby
Lensbaby is a Portland, Oregon based manufacturer of award-winning Creative Effects SLR camera lenses. Lensbaby was launched in February 2004 by Craig Strong, a professional photographer and the inventor of the patented Lensbaby Creative Effects SLR lens system. Lensbaby sells to photographers all over the world through its website, www.lensbaby.com, by calling 877-536-7222 / 971-223-5662, at tradeshows, in leading photo retailers and through a growing global network of international distributors. The new Fisheye and Soft Focus Optics are available for immediate purchase from Lensbaby.com or from select retailers.

 

Technorati Tags: Lenses,Lensbaby

 

Light and Lens: Photography in the Digital Age

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Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3 Beta Now Available!

Press Release

New Lightroom beta delivers faster performance, refined image processing and streamlined publishing.

SAN JOSE, Calif. - Oct. 22, 2009 - Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) today introduced Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3 beta software for Macintosh and Windows, a public preview of new and improved functionality to be delivered in the next major release. Lightroom is the essential digital photography workflow solution, helping serious amateur and professional photographers quickly import, manage, enhance and showcase all their images from one application. Available as a free download on Adobe Labs, Lightroom 3 beta delivers a preview of new tools that will be in Lightroom 3, including more intuitive importing, unparalleled noise reduction and sharpening tools, enhanced slideshow capabilities and direct publishing to online photo sharing sites like Flickr. Adobe encourages photographers to test this early selection of new features and provide the product team with their feedback.

"We are extremely fortunate that a strong community of photographers have rallied around Lightroom, helping to evolve the application and making it a meaningful part of their photographic workflows," said Kevin Connor, vice president of product management for Professional Digital Imaging at Adobe. "While we're still hard at work on Lightroom 3, we recognize the value our customers bring to the development process and want their input so we can deliver the best final product possible."
New in Lightroom 3 Beta

Lightroom 3 beta has been completely redesigned with under-the-hood efficiencies to better handle growing image libraries and improve responsiveness with a higher-quality processing engine. In the Library module, a rebuilt import system makes bringing photos into the software more intuitive. Users can easily specify the source and destination of their images, and save common processing, metadata or destination settings as easy-to-reuse presets.

The Library module also includes new capabilities to publish collections on popular photo-sharing sites. Flickr users now have direct access to their accounts from within Lightroom and can drag and drop images directly into their Photostreams. Flickr Pro account users can automatically synch their images and even view comments made on Flickr directly within the Library. This functionality can be extended to additional sites by adding them as new plug-ins once they become available.

In the Develop module, an overhauled processing engine allows users to create the highest quality images. Improved Capture Sharpening and Color Noise Reduction tools provide superior results while still preserving an image's edge detail and contrast. A new Grain tool adds a film-style grain to images, and two new Vignette modes help photographers get a more natural look.

Lightroom 3 beta also offers advanced output options, including the ability to export slideshows as videos with audio and title screens that can be posted to video-sharing sites or optimized for mobile media. New watermarking capabilities enable photographers to embed text or graphic information directly on an image and then adjust the size, position and opacity. In addition, photographers can customize print layouts and save settings for future use, giving them refined control over their images.
Adobe Photoshop Family

Adobe Photoshop CS4 and Photoshop CS4 Extended software are at the heart of the Photoshop family, joined by solutions for users at every level who want to bring out the best in their digital images. Photoshop Lightroom addresses the workflow needs of serious amateur and professional photographers, helping them manage, find, enhance and showcase images in impactful ways. Adobe Photoshop Elements software provides exciting tools and sharing options for photo enthusiasts. Lastly, snap shooters can access Photoshop.com for free to simply fix and enhance photos, and quickly share those images on Photoshop.com or on social-networking sites.
Pricing and Availability

Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3 beta is available as a free download to anyone on both Macintosh and Windows platforms. Visit http://labs.adobe.com/downloads to learn more and download the beta.

Feedback can be submitted on the Lightroom forums: http://forums.adobe.com/community/lightroom. Users also can connect with Adobe at www.facebook.com/lightroom or www.twitter.com/AdobeLR, and can add the tag #AdobeLR3beta to tweets about the Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3 beta.

About Adobe Systems Incorporated
Adobe revolutionizes how the world engages with ideas and information - anytime, anywhere and through any medium. For more information, visit www.adobe.com.

Technorati Tags: Lightroom,Adobe

 

The Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2 Book for Digital Photographers

The Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2 Book: The Complete Guide for Photographers

Photoshop Lightroom 2 Adventure

Lightroom 2 Power Session DVD