Move over Bacon........

D3 & D300

Nikon Swings for the Bleachers

with a new Sensor FX-CMOS & EXPEED digital image processor
and 2 new Uber-Cameras

The wait is over and Nikon has not disappointed with its entry into the full frame SLR market.

Expected to be available by Fall 2007 here are the key features:

Nikon's original FX-format CMOS image sensor with 36.0 (H) x 23.9 (V) mm image size; 12.1 effective megapixels.
Compatible with three image-sensor formats – FX format (36 x 24), 5:4 (30 x 24) and DX format (24 x 16).

Sensitivity range ISO 200 to 6400
at normal setting for exceptionally high quality images; can be set to ISO-equivalent 25,600.

Incorporates Nikon's original EXPEED
digital image processing concept.

Nikon's original Scene Recognition System, utilizing the 1,005-pixel RGB sensor, greatly improves autofocus, auto exposure and auto white balance performance.

New 51-point autofocus system features 15 cross-type sensors that maximize the potential of lenses with apertures as small as f/5.6.

High-speed continuous shooting at approx. 9 frames per second [FX format (36 x 24)/5:4 (30 x 24)]/approx. 11 fps [DX format (24 x 16)] *1.

Newly employed Picture Control System enables creation of desired picture with preferred tones.

Accurate focal-plane contrast AF*2 available with built-in Liveview mode.

Wireless Transmitter WT-4*3 (optional) realizes wireless connection of cameras with a PC, enabling thumbnail display of images taken with up to five of them, and downloading of images selected.

CF card double slot accepts two CF cards.

Quick response with approx. 0.12 sec. startup time and 37 ms shutter release time lag.

Viewfinder with approx. 100% frame coverage and approx. 0.7x magnification in FX format.

High-definition (920,000 dots), 170° viewing angle, 3-inch VGA LCD monitor with tempered glass.

Active D-Lighting optimizes tone reproduction in both shadows and highlights.

WOW!!!!!

Bottom Line: Nikon has raised the bar quite high with the announcement of these new models. These features will please just about everyone in the Nikon community for now. Now that Nikon has thrown down the gauntlet we wait to see if they can put their money where their mouth is. Nikon's previous trouble with its distribution times and even Canon's latest woes with original firmware issues are still looming challenges for Nikon. If they can pull this one off they will have once again not just hit a home run, but hit it far outside the park.

Photoshop Must Haves...

Photoshop CS2 Quick Reference Guides

Here are a couple of FREE PDF guides you should have handy when you Photoshop

Adobe's Photoshop is a very advanced program. Very advanced. Even with formal schooling most of us are just scratching the surface. luckily Adobe and the internet are replete with tutorials, guides and reference materials.

Here are two references you should have handy any time you venture into the realm of Photoshop:

Photoshop Power Shortcuts is concise 20 page guide with reference to all the tools! With tips and shortcuts for using them and other Photoshop features. You can thank Daniel Brown, Julieanne Kost, & Tim Cole from the website adobeevangelists.com for putting this together for us. You can also find more great reference material on their Tips & Tricks page.

Photoshop Keyboard Shortcuts is a simple 4 page matrix of all the various keyboard shortcuts available in Photoshop CS2. A valuable reference that will save untold amounts of time. The PDF file was created by the helpfull folks over at creativetechs.com. Visit their Quick Tips page for tons of Photoshop guides, ideas, and advice.

Best deal on an EOS 5D..... NOT!!!

$1600
EOS 5D's
Vanish
from Amazon.com

They say all good things must come to an end. That must go double for unbelievable deals like the one Amazon.com was offering on the EOS 5D cameras. Although all day yesterday Amazon listed them for $1600 (about $800 cheaper than competitors), today they have sadly returned to $2585.

The worst part about this is I was not quick enough to order one at the $1600 price. Would they have honored it? (at least if they didn't I would get an explanation). If anyone was able to snatch up some $1600 EOS 5D's please let us hear about it! Leave some comments at the bottom of this post...

It leaves one wondering what happened at Amazon? Was it a glitch? Did they sell out? Drop a deadbeat vendor? Whatever happened it leaves a bit of a bad taste in our mouths about the trustworthiness of Amazon.com

This is too bad since Photography Resource Weblog uses Amazon.com as an advertiser on our site. We will put them on probation for now. We will keep an eye on them and of course if we find any more 5D's for $1600 we will let you know.

We also have to wonder in light of any 5D price drop, if rumors of an imminent replacement to the EOS 5D might carry some weight.

Currently the best deals we are aware of for the EOS 5D came from Dell.com last December. Dell lets you sign up for a monthly online newsletter, this newsletter has special pricing and coupons. Last December with the newsletter only pricing, and the coupon, on top of Dell's Christmas 20% off electronics, lucky customers were coming away with $1899 EOS 5D's

More info and product details on the Canon EOS 5D


Again if anyone ordered one, or has had trouble with Amazon.com please leave comments below.

Best Deal on a EOS 5D

$1600

At Amazon.com

This is a smoking deal on a fantastic camera. Normally this would seem too good to be true but since it is through Amazon.com I would not hesitate to pick one of these baby's up.

Other trustworthy sites that also offer good pricing (though not the $1600 Amazon is offering)

Costco

KEH Camera

B&H Photo

Dell

Fry's

More info and product details on the Canon EOS 5D

Will Sony turn Pro?

Sony set to announce expansion of Alpha DSLR Line

Full Frame Professional and Midrange model expected

Will a Sony Alpha line be able to rise like a phoenix from the ashes of Konica-Minolta...
When Konica Minolta corporation sold off its camera division to Sony last year it was a bittersweet announcement. The loss of both Minolta and Konica was a bit of a blow to long time camera buffs. Both companies had a rich history of innovative cameras and world class in-house optics. Both companies had also struggled to keep pace with innovations and marketing since the beginning of the autofocus era in late 1980's.

Konica
1873-2003
Konica dropped out of the SLR business with the advent of autofocus and focused on a fantastic selection of rangefinder cameras, finishing up with the Hexar RF, an innovative rangefinder that put Leica's flagship M system on notice. The Konica RF took Leica M lenses (as well as its own excellent Hexanon lenses) and had features Leica had neglected to give the M for 20 years. Dante Stella tells the Konica RF story on his website "Hexar RF: The final Frontier?". Sadly it looks like the Hexar RF died with Konica, but who knows, Sony is a chip & sensor powerhouse who supplies all the major digital camera makers, if the new Leica M8 Digital is a success who knows what we may see from Sony.

Minolta
1928-2003
Minolta was a autofocus innovator and brought to market the first autofocus SLR beating competitors Nikon and Canon by several months. Although Minolta had quite a bit of success with its Maxxum AF line it choose never to develop a professional model, however it did create one for Leica, the R system, modeled after a pre-af Minolta camera chassis. With the advent of digital Minolta made a conscious decision to make the transition and to develop a semi-professional digital SLR. The Minolta 5D & 7D was the result, innovative cameras to bring Minolta strongly into the new century. Unfortunately after releasing the 7D it did not look like Minolta would follow soon with a Pro model capable of the robustness and features found in the models from Canon and Nikon. It looked like Minolta was going to repeat the same path it had with autofocus relegating it to a bottom feeder in the SLR world.

Hello Sony....
Est. 1958
In march 2006 Sony Inc. purchased the camera division of the floundering Konica-Minolta Corp. Sony had never made an SLR camera but they had power and money, not to mention momentum that Konica-Minolta sorely lacked. Sony quickly announced they would re-design the Minolta 7D and rename it the Sony Alpha. The same name Minolta used in Japan for its Maxxum cameras.

The Sony Alpha A100 is an updated Minolta MaxxumD with full use of all previous Minolta Maxxum and Rokkor lenses. It is still not robust or feature laden enough to be considered a Professional camera but it is superior to most entry level DSLR's and has a foundation of lenses that are certainly professional quality.

The big question for the moment is where will Sony take things from here?
2 new Alpha models are expected to be released within the next 12 months. As well as several new pro lenses. Speculation has been that Sony will be releasing a full frame sensor Professional Alpha camera. This is big news if it turns out to be true. Hopefully Sony will be able to accomplish what has eluded Konica, Minolta, and many others for a long time....

Free Pop-Photo Subscription

Freebizmag.com currently offering FREE
Popular Photography Subscriptions

Here is the link: www.freebizmag.com/brpopphoto01welcome.htm

This is not a scam (no money is involved) but you do need to provide freebizmag.com some personal information, which they will no doubt share with marketers likely resulting in increased spam and junk mail. I use a yahoo e-mail account I set up just to give out to potential sources of spam and have not noticed a significant increase.

The Photography Resource Weblog has no affiliation with freebizmag.com, other than following the procedures to get a free subscription ourselves. We started getting our subscription shortly after filling out our forms. As always when providing personal information over the internet it may be wise to avoid specifics and complete accuracy.

After creating an account and filling out the marketing information forms you will be issued a 1 year subscription to Popular Photography. Other free magazines will be offered to you as well depending upon your answers provided th the survey forms. We choose to receive Flying and Sound & Vision magazine for free as well.

Several on-line magazines were also offered, but although they look interesting we choose to decline all e-mail subscriptions.

If anyone feels like freebizmag.com is not what they seem or have difficulty redeeming the free subscription offer please leave some feedback on this post.

P.S. If you share this link please let everyone know you found it here at: webphotoresource.blogspot.com

Thanks.

Canon's DPP Updated to 3.0.2

Canon's

Digital Photo Professional (DPP)

Free Software to unleash
the RAW power of the EOS Digital SLR

Canon Inc. has just released the latest update to their free RAW processing and workflow software DPP. Version 3.0.2 replaces 3.0.1.5 and includes a major update for Windows Vista and a couple of minor fixes for Mac and non-Vista users.

I generally shoot in RAW format, and I rely heavily on the DPP program. With the release of Version 3 Canon has given its customers a fantastic tool for free. I can often achieve fantastic results processing my RAW images in DPP and never have to adjust them in PhotoShop.

The ability to shoot RAW images is a feature of higher end cameras and allows for you to have all the raw sensor data from the digital camera without the camera making any automated image enhancements like it would to make a .Jpg image.

This RAW file really is raw data, think of it like a film negative, and must be processed in conversion software and made into a .Jpg or .tiff file.

This conversion software allows me to make decisions on brightness, tone, contrast, color temperature, color saturation, and grain sharpness. By allowing me to make these decisions I can fine tune my pictures, often far better than the logic built into the camera.

Canon in addition to providing the RAW software DPP provides a detailed 106 page user manual, and goes one better providing intensive online tutorials that are easy to understand with video examples by world class photographers and Canon reps.

Unfortunately Canon's Digital Photo Professional will only work with RAW files generated by its EOS line of Digital SLR's. For those with RAW files generated by Canon p&s cameras like the G6 or other manufactures RAW files they will sadly not work with DPP.

Canon's DPP software can be downloaded here:
Digital Photo Professional 3.0.2

The DPP manual (106 pages) is here:
support page

Visit the Online learning center for DPP tutorials and video lessons:
DPP Canon's Digital Photo Professional