PhotoWalkPro

Hi gang, it’s Tuesday and that must mean it’s time for some news updates.  Here’s what’s happening:

Canon releases Firmware Update -

As promised, Canon has released a new firmware update for the 5D Mark II.  The update is a pretty easy procedure to perform and the benefits should be well worth it.  One big fix is the addition of new video frame rates that will now let you record in 1920×1080: 30fps, 1920×1080: 24fps, and 640×480: 30fps.  Also included in the update is the ability to manually adjust sound recording levels, the ability to display a histogram for shooting movies in manual exposure mode, the addition of Av and Tv modes for shooting movies, and changes to the audio sampling rate.  you can find the update here.

Speaking of video…

There’s a poll over at the Digital Photography School that asked readers if they actually use the video recording feature in their digital cameras.  I wasn’t really too surprised at the results.  I guess that’s because I am still on the fence when it comes to buying a DSLR with video.  Of course the decision will probably be made for me down the road as it seems like every new camera will incorporate this feature in the near future.  Click here to see the results of the poll.

Get Captured by the Light in Kentucky -

Wedding shooter and author of the amazing new book, Captured by the Light, David Ziser, is holding a wedding/lighting webinar this Wednesday.  The actual webinar is already full but if you happen to be in the Park Hills area in Kentucky, you might still be able to snag a seat as part of the live audience.  For more info, check out the registration page.

Orlando Flickr Group is up -

I have created the Flickr Group for my upcoming photowalk in Orlando on March 23rd.  The photowalk will take place in the downtown Orlando area and is open to Photoshop World attendees or anyone that wants just hang out, take some photos, and have a great time.  I will be posting more specific details in the next few days but if you are planning on going, head on over to the group and join.  I am limiting members to just those individuals that are going to participate but the photos will be visible for everyone to enjoy.  You can find the group here.

iPad available for pre-order -

Finally today I ask the age old question, should you pre-order an iPad or just wait a bit.  Pre-orders were opened up by Apple last Friday and people have been jumping at the chance to get theirs right at the opening bell.  The question though is should you take the leap of faith and buy one sight unseen or wait a bit to really find out a bit more.  Of course waiting means that you might have to wait a bit because stocks will probably be depleted in the first month or so after the release.  On the other hand, you will certain get the benefit of hundreds of hands-on reviews as maybe even dodge a few bug bullets by waiting.  So the question is, will you or won’t you take the pre-order plunge.  Cast your vote below.

That’s all for today, have a fantastic day and be sure to rest up for all that Irish stuff tomorrow.

PS – Happy Birthday Alex

Photodoto Calls it Quits -

It’s always a little sad to me when a good photo site goes away and this was the case when Photodoto pulled the plug last week.  The site has been on my Google Reader list for quite some time and I have always enjoyed the articles, tutorials, and news that they dished up.  Unfortunately John Watson, the owner of the site, has a ton of other projects going on that are swallowing up his time.  I for one can really appreciate that and sometimes you just have to let something go.  Usually it’s the thing that isn’t paying the bills, even if it’s the thing you really enjoy doing.  Thanks John for 4 years of quality photo goodness.

LowePro Improves the SlingShot AW -

Working from input from their customers, LowePro has improved the extremely popular SlingShot AW line of bags by adding a Hideaway Tripod Mount™ system, compatibility with the latest popular prosumer and professional grade DSLR cameras, and a more efficient storage and workflow layout. The SlingShot AW was the first sling-style bag introduced to the photographic market setting the tone for an entirely new genre of camera carrying solution.  The sling-style design allows photographers quick access to their camera gear by simply sliding the bag from the carry position on their back to ready position on their chest in seconds.  For more info about the SlingShot AW check out the LowePro site.

Matt’s New Site -

My buddy Matt Kloskowski has launched a new portfolio site and it just flat out kicks butt.  I can see now that I am really going to have to update my portfolio site since Matt’s makes mine look so dated and his is so funky fresh.  You can check it out here.  Nice job Matt.

Olympic Photo Blogs -

I have to admit it, I am a huge Olympics fan.  Winter, Summer, it doesn’t much matter to me.  I’m watching even as I write this post (the South Korean women just got disqualified in team short-track skating).  Anyway, my fascination with the Olympics doesn’t just end with the TV broadcast. I can’t get enough of great Olympic photos (what I wouldn’t give for one day of shooting).  Too feed my appetite I found this list of blogs that are very heavy on the photos thanks to Philly.com’s Tom Gralish.  Tom has assembled a list of blogs that are photo-heavy and Olympic-centric so if you are craving more coverage, check out his great list found here.

That’s it for today.  Have a great Thursday and I’ll see you back here for the weekend wrap-up.

Here’s a quick rundown on some items I found of interest over the past couple of days that you might have missed.

Damn that Joe McNally -

It’s bad enough that Joe is a rockstar with a camera and lens but now he’s taken to waxing philosophic on his blog in such incredibly superb fashion that he looks like he has made his living with the keyboard instead of the camera.  Telling the story only the way he can, Joe talks about a chance encounter that he had coming out of a Starbucks and in doing so, captures the psyche of a photographer.  You rock Joe!  We Just Can’t Help It Read the rest of this entry »

Being out of town for a few days I didn’t really get a chance to do much in the way of news updates so I thought I would bring you a few little nuggets that I heard about lately.  And as you probably know, PMA is just around the corner so some of the camera manufacturers have started releasing new product info to help feed the buzz. Read the rest of this entry »

I know, I just talked about my books yesterday and I certainly don’t want to sound like some shameless self-promotion hound but I saw this after writing yesterday’s post.  A few months back I sent a copy of my 50D book to Jason over at CanonBlogger to get his opinion on the book.  I mean after all, he is the CanonBlogger.  Yesterday evening I got word that Jason had posted a review on his site.  He gives a pretty thorough accounting of the book and even called me out on one item that differs from his processes.  To see the review and to read Jason’s great articles and check out his podcast, head over to CanonBlogger.com

Read the rest of this entry »

Eye-Fi Announces New Card -

My friends at Eye-Fi have announced a new memory card, which includes an entirely new platform and more flexible sharing options.  The 8GB SDHC Eye-Fi Pro X2 is powered by Eye-Fi’s X2 engine which includes an exclusively chip design and an 802.11n radio for greater wi-fi range.  The Eye-Fi Pro X2 also has a new feature called Endless Memory mode, which enables the Eye-Fi card to automatically make space available after photos and videos are uploaded.  The new card is now available from Amazon and retails for about $150.  As a user of the 4GB Eye-Fi Pro model, I can’t wait to get my hands on one of these new cards to speed up my transfers and double my memory capacity.

New iPhone App Makes a Pro Photographer Out Of You –

Or at least that’s the goal of this new app from The Institute of Professional Photography.  The app shares the secrets of becoming a successful professional photographer, including marketing, top income areas, how to earn money as a photographer, and more.  For what it’s worth, the price of the app is right because it’s free.  You can find it at the App section of the iTunes store, just search for ProPhoto.

Nik Software Hosting Daily Webinars -

The folks that brought you such classic plugins as Silver Efex Pro, Dfine 2 Pro, Viveza 2, and more are now hosting free daily webinars.  The webinars are live 3 times a day, 5 days a week and aim to teach you about the various Nik plug-in software.  Each class is centered around a specific product and it doesn’t matter if you already own the software and want to learn more about using it or are just curious about what it can do for you, you are sure to learn something new.  You can find out all about the classes and get the daily schedule here.

New Instructor Added to the Photoshop World Dream Team -

I just got word yesterday that my buddy David Cuerdon has been added to the roster of instructors at the upcoming Photoshop World Conference & Expo coming up in March in Orlando.  Not only is Dave one heck of an instructor, he’s also one of the nicest guys you could ever hope to meet.  I’m not sure what he will be teaching at PSW but I bet it has something to do with portrait retouching.  Dave is a master of the retouch and his class at Kelby Training just kicks butt!  Congrats Dave on making it to The Show!