Fun with Photography

Melville, NY—Nikon announced its highly anticipated D800 DSLR, engineered to provide “extreme resolution, astounding image quality and valuable video features optimized for professional still and multimedia photographers and videographers.” The D800 boasts a high-resolution 36.3 megapixel FX-format CMOS sensor, a 91,000-pixel RGB matrix metering system, an advanced scene recognition system and other intuitive features.

Nikon’s highest resolution sensor to date, the 7,360x4,912-resolution FX-format CMOS sensor is complemented by the latest 91,000-pixel 3D color matrix metering III and advanced scene recognition systems, as well as an improved 51-point AF system. Compact and lightweight, the highlight of the new DSLR is its extensive video feature set that enables photographers to transition to multimedia to create an immersive story. Pro videographers will appreciate practical features that go beyond Nikkor lens compatibility and Full HD 1080p video recording, such as full manual control, uncompressed HDMI output and low-light video capability. All of this is driven by Nikon’s latest Expeed 3 image-processing engine, which provides the necessary processing power to fuel images with true-to-life color, a wide dynamic range and extreme resolution...

Read the full review of the new Nikon D800 DLSR >>>

Orlando, FL—Jill-e Designs went to Vegas with something entirely new for the company: the Everywear gadget bag. The latest addition to its Classic collection, the bag blends purse-like features and camera bag capabilities.

The Everywear gadget bag has the dimensions of a typical purse (12.0x7.0x10.0 inches) and is equipped with dual 9.5-inch drop leather carrying handles. But inside it features padding and dividers, with room for a DSLR body, two lenses and a flash unit, plus photo accessories and personal items. There’s also a protective sleeve pocket to secure a tablet, e-reader or similar device...


Get all the details on the new Jill-e Everywear Gadget Bag here >>>

Tamron has introduced an exciting new lens, the 18-200mm F/3.5-6.3 Di III VC (Model B011). The 18-200mm is a high-power all-in-one zoom lens designed for the Sony mirrorless interchangeable-lens camera series. Tamron brings 19 years of high-power zoom lens development technologies to the lens.

With the 18-200mm Di III VC, Tamron has created a high-power all-in-one zoom lens that is compact and lightweight, featuring a 62mm filter and weighing only 16.2 oz., while at the same time delivering superlative image quality. This compact size lets you shoot across an extended range - from wide-angle to full telephoto - with just one lens. The focal length coverage is 18-200mm. Converted to the coverage of the 35mm format, this is equivalent to a range of 27mm wide-angle up to 300mm full telephoto. This allows the you to easily take wide-angle shots of  landscapes and powerful telephoto images that enlarge the details of distant subjects—all with one lens. In addition, by setting the lens at the telephoto end (200mm) and moving in to the minimum focus distance of 19.6", flower petals, jewelry and other small objects can be shot as close-ups.

Get all the details on the Tamron 18-200mm F/3.5-6.3 Di III VC Lens here >>>

This winter it’s my strong hope that everyone who reads this article catches a cold. “That’s not very nice,” I hear you say, but I mean it. I really want it to happen - go out and catch a cold morning, afternoon, or evening of photography. Stop using the cold as an excuse to not go out and make pictures. Stop telling yourself there aren’t good images to be made in the winter. Stop worrying about all the things that make you worry about making images when it’s cold - it’s a great time to make some ice-scape photos.

Summer is over, the occasional warm days of a late fall have passed and you’re sitting on the sofa flicking through reruns of old TV shows On Demand. During a commercial you reflect back to all the photography you did when the weather was nice. You recall the special light that illumined the fall colors on the mountainside as you filled many gigabytes of memory. Rather than reminisce about all the shooting you did over the past few months, get off the sofa and head out into the cold. A world of photography awaits the photographer who snubs the chilly temps, persists, and goes out to shoot regardless of the conditions. 

Lots of great images can be made during the winter months but I want to focus on the topic of ice. The subject is such that great images can be captured under varying types of conditions. If the light for the grand scenic doesn’t play out, move in close for the macro shot. If the macro shot doesn’t work, look for the abstract. If the abstract shot doesn’t come together, incorporate subjects that tell a story. In that ice subjects are numerous and all over, you’ll never get left out in the cold.

The Overarching Scenic: Think about the close to home scenic gem you’ve often photographed in the spring, summer or fall. Revisit it this winter to create an ice-scape.  Watch the news for weather patterns when ice would stand a good chance of forming. A recent snow with daytime temperatures that cause a melt followed by a hard night’s freeze is ideal. Get out early the next morning and you should be treated to lots of icicles. Include them in the composition to show them off...

Get all the winter ice photography tips here >>>

San Diego, CA—Sony launched its new PlayMemories series of post-shooting solutions to enable users to view, edit and share videos and photos on a variety of electronic devices, including LCD TVs, personal computers, tablets and smartphones.

Under the concept “Play More. All Your Memories,” the PlayMemories series will provide an experience where personal content can be easily customized and enjoyed across multiple Sony products after it’s captured. PlayMemories consists of four separate solutions: PlayMemories Online; PlayMemories Home; PlayMemories Studio; and PlayMemories Mobile services.

PlayMemories Online (Available spring 2012, free)
This cloud-based service lets consumers upload photos and videos captured with digital cameras or camcorders and enjoy them anytime, anywhere on multiple devices, including compatible Bravia TVs, PCs, tablets and smartphones. With a single account, users can enjoy this service as well as other music and video services offered on the Sony Entertainment Network platform.

PlayMemories Home (Bundled with Sony digital imaging products starting January 2012)
This PC software allows consumers to easily transfer, organize, view and share photos and videos. It features a calendar and map view for simplifying the task of organizing content according to date or location. Both 2D and 3D content can be edited and copied onto compatible Blu-ray media, and uploading to PlayMemories Online, Facebook, YouTube and other platforms can be done without the need for a web browser...

Get all the details on Sony PlayMemories here >>>

Attention female photographers… tired of all those tough-guy camera bags? Looking for something with a feminine flair? Tamrac’s new Aria camera bag series is designed for female photographers who want to carry their camera equipment stylishly and discreetly. The bags have a timeless look and strike the perfect balance between elegance and functionality. They are made from rich, smooth fabric that you'll find in high-end handbags. The Aria 3, and Aria 6 provide discreet protection for your DSLR and lenses without advertising what’s inside.

The Aria 6 is versatile for the shooting woman. It also holds an iPad, and both models have a pleated, zippered front pocket to hold camera accessories and personal items like a wallet, cosmetics and keys.

Learn more about the Tamrac Aria camera bags here >>>

Las Vegas, NV--Canon designed the G1 X digital camera for photography enthusiasts looking for digital SLR quality in a compact, point-and-shoot form factor. The PowerShot G1 X camera features a brand-new, large 1.5-inch (18.7x14mm), 14.3 megapixel High-Sensitivity Canon CMOS sensor engineered to deliver shallow depth of field, a wide dynamic range and enhanced light-gathering ability, helping ensure “brilliant images in even tough low-light conditions.”

Employing a Canon lens with 4x optical zoom, a versatile aperture of f/2.8 to f/16 for shooting portraits as well as landscapes, and wide-angle capabilities starting at 28mm...

Learn more about the new Canon Powershot G1 X here >>

With the recent passing of Eve Arnold, we thought you would enjoy this article we found that showcases many of Eve Arnold's amazing photographs along with the story behind this incredible photographer.

Eve Arnold might not be as well known as some of her contemporaries, such as Helen Levitt and Inge Morath – but she was a photographer of enormous range, empathy and toughness, as demonstrated in the new volume EVE ARNOLD’S PEOPLE (Thames & Hudson). Starting in the 1950s and continuing to the turn of the century, Arnold photographed both the famous and the obscure – from Malcolm X to a sad prostitute in Havana, from Marilyn Monroe to migrant workers on Long Island.

Despite the female photographers who preceded her, Arnold entered the profession at a time when there weren’t many women in the business. She launched her career by accident in 1943, when, bored of domestic life, she responded to a job ad for “an amateur photographer” to work at a printing plant in New Jersey. By 1950, she was shooting photo essays on a fashion show in Harlem and the opening night of the Metropolitan Opera in Manhattan, which gained her entry – the same year as Inge Morath – to the pretigious Magnum photographers’ collective. They were the first women to be admitted...

Be inspired by these Eve Arnold photographs >>>

Snow photography can be beautiful and magical if you keep a few things in mind when you go out on that cold winter day.

Whether you find the snow in your own backyard, or need to vacation to a distant place to see the white blanket cover the landscape, keep these snow photography tips in mind.

Get Your Camera Ready
Make sure your camera batteries are fully charged so you can keeping shooting as the light and the moment create the perfect combination. When you get back home, try to keep your camera in the coolest part of your house for a while to gradually warm it back up. This will help you avoid condensation. If you do get condensation, remember to let it try on it's own. Be patient and never try to wipe it off. It will only come back and could damage your lens.

Time of Day
If photography is your hobby than you probably have heard before that time of day can make or break a photo. While it's not always possible to choose the time of day you go out to shoot, when you can, take advantage of the golden light at dawn or dusk. Add the cooler blue tones of snow to this warm light and your photographs will be breathtaking. If you had an overnight snow, the early morning is best since the snow will be untouched by footprints or melted snow that drops from trees.

Setting Your Camera
If you have a snow or winter scene mode on your camera, turn it on....

Get all of the snow photography tips here >>>

Melville, NY—The Nikon D4 digital SLR builds upon the legacy of the Nikon flagship DSLRs before it, engineered to give professional multimedia photographers “speed and accuracy with unparalleled image quality, low-light capability and Full HD video,” the company announced. With a host of new functions, it’s designed to emphasize rapid response.

Nikon’s 51-point AF system was enhanced for maximum speed in a variety of challenging shooting situations, even at 10 frames per second (fps). Considered the new Nikon flagship, the D4 employs a 3.2-inch, 921K-dot LCD screen and a 16.2 megapixel FX-format (36x23.9mm) CMOS sensor coupled with the latest generation of Nikon’s Expeed 3 image-processing engine “to help produce images and videos with stunning clarity and color.” It’s also said to shoot in even the most challenging environments and lighting conditions with the assistance of Nikon’s 91,000-pixel 3D color matrix meter and an ISO range from 100 to 204,800.
 
Specs say the D4 is ready to shoot in 0.012 second and captures full-resolution JPEG or RAW files at 10 fps with full AF/AE or up to 11 fps with AF/AE locked. Its Multi-Cam 3500 AF system, the next generation of Nikon’s 51-point AF system, is a fully customizable system that enables users to capture fast-moving subjects and track focus with precision or select a single AF point. The camera aligns 15 cross-type sensors in the center to detect contrast data in both vertical and horizontal planes. In addition to detecting each AF-Nikkor lens with an aperture of f/5.6 or lower, the camera also utilizes nine cross-type sensors that are fully functional when using compatible Nikkor lenses and the TC14E or TC17E teleconverters, or a single cross-type sensor when using compatible Nikkor lenses and the TC20E teleconverter with an aperture value up to f/8. For maximum versatility in situations such as photographing nature or competition from the sidelines, photographers can select multiple AF modes, including normal, wide area, face tracking and subject tracking, to best suit the scene...


Read the full Nikon D4 Review here >>>