Back to the Future



by Ron Leach, Publisher

Even though the calendar says it is mid-October, we are currently in production
on the January, 2007 issue of Shutterbug magazine. That means it is once again
time to take stock of where we've been and where we are going. To that
end, we decided to look back at the turn of thisnew...

First Look: Canon Digital Rebel XTi

by George Schaub

The Canon Digital Rebel line accomplished a number of things. It broke the
$1000 DSLR price barrier, with room to spare, and as a result brought DSLR photography
into the mainstream. What followed is history, with other makers bringing forth
their "bargain"...

SanDisk Corporation has introduced the 12- and 16-gigabyte (GB) SanDisk Extreme
III CompactFlash cards to its Extreme III performance line, making these the
highest capacity cards in the world. The new high-performance, large-capacity
cards are ideal for professional photographers who shoot RAW or high-resolution
JPG files and need the performance, reliability and capacity to capture these
large files.



The new cards will have minimum write and read speeds of 20 megabytes per second
(MB/sec.) and will ship to photo retailers by the end of the year. While the
speed of the card is important for in-camera performance, card-to-computer transfer
rates are becoming an increasingly important workflow consideration. The time
it takes to transfer images to a computer can be a bigger bottleneck now that
card capacities have expanded into the multi-gigabyte range. The SanDisk Extreme
USB 2.0 reader is designed to transfer images as quickly as possible.



SanDisk Extreme III cards use SanDisk-developed ESP (Enhanced Super-Parallel
Processing) technology that combines advanced NAND flash memory chips and controller
designs, 32-bit RISC processing and leading edge algorithms for an architecture
that streamlines every aspect of read and write data transfer operations. In
addition, SanDisk works closely with major camera manufacturers to ensure speed
and compatibility. The ESP architecture effectively removes the card as the
bottleneck in data storage applications.



SanDisk Extreme III cards have the industry's widest guaranteed operating
temperature range from a minus 13F (minus 25C) to a 185F (plus 85C). The cards
also include RescuePRO software that allows photographers to easily recover
accidentally deleted images, lost digital images or data.



Pricing and Availability

SanDisk Extreme III cards are available in CompactFlash, Memory Stick PRO Duo
and SD card formats. Suggested retail prices for the two new capacities are:




Capacities US$

SanDisk Extreme III 12GB $779.99

16GB $1,049.99

SanDisk Extreme USB 2.0 Reader $24.99



SanDisk Extreme III cards carry a 10-year limited warranty in Europe, the Middle
East and Africa but will have a lifetime limited warranty in the rest of the
world. Photographers who purchase the cards also will have access to a dedicated
toll-free number for technical support questions. The RescuePRO image recovery
software on the cards is compatible with both Windows and Mac and requires no
driver download or special card reader.



www.sandisk.com

...

The Sekonic L-758DR/L-758D/L-758CINE DIGITALMASTER light meter has been designed
to offer the greatest digital exposure control, accuracy and repeatability.
The L--758 Series are the world's first multi-function light meter
that can be calibrated to match the sensitivity of a digital cameras sensor
at all ISO settings, flash/ambient or file format characteristics. In addition,
the camera sensor's dynamic range can also be set and stored for later
recall and display. Using the USB transfer cable and Sekonic DTS (Digital Transfer
Software), all camera exposure profile data is uploaded from a PC or MAC computer
to the L-758DR. Up to three different camera exposure profiles can be stored
and quickly recalled when switch from one camera to another. With its exposure
latitude warning indicators and adjustable Mid-Tone settings, the L-758 Series
puts the power of optimum image tonality and exposure control in the palm of
your hands.



www.sekonic.com

...

Carl Zeiss has introduced two completely new wide-angle lenses for Nikon F
mount cameras. They cover the full 35mm frame and can be used on both analog
and digital SLR's. The lenses focus manually and can produce sharpness
well beyond the capabilities of the best color films today. Both lenses feature
a long-life all-metal barrel of very high precision.

...

Eastman Kodak Company has introduced an array of new products and services--from
self-serve kiosks and digital capture solutions to professional photo services--at
the photokina show in Germany. Here's a summary of the news, details of
which, on some, will follow later.



New KODAK EASYSHARE Z710 Zoom Digital Camera combines advanced photographic features
with point-and-shoot simplicity. With a 7.1 megapixel image sensor and 10X optical
zoom, the Z710 model makes it simple to zoom and capture crisp shots that can
make high-quality prints up to 30 x 40 inches (76 x 102 cm).



New KODAK EASYSHARE Photo Printer 350 connects to camera phones for high-quality
prints. Using BLUETOOTH wireless technology, the Photo Printer 350 prints 4 x
6 photos directly from BLUETOOTH technology-enabled devices.



Enhanced KODAK PROFESSIONAL PORTRA color negative films underscore Kodak's
ongoing support of the professional photography market. The recently released
160VC, 160NC, 400VC and 400NC films in the PORTRA film family produce finer grain,
spectacular skin tones and improved scanning performance for greater enlargement
capability. (A report on these films will be in the December issue of Shutterbug.)




New KODAK KAF-10500 Image Sensor--developed specifically for the LEICA M8
digital camera--continues Kodak's legacy of offering high performance
imaging devices that result in low noise, high sensitivity and wide dynamic range.




New KODAK batteries for digital cameras maximize speed, performance and battery
life, resulting in an increase in the number of pictures consumers can take between
battery charges.



More information about Kodak (NYSE: EK) is available at www.kodak.com.

Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq: ADBE) has announced the immediate availability
of Adobe Photoshop Elements 5.0 and Adobe Premiere Elements 3.0 software for
Windows. Photoshop Elements offers innovative ways to organize, edit and share
photo creations. For video enthusiasts, Adobe Premiere Elements provides a simplified
user interface that makes turning home video footage into polished home movies
that are fun to watch and share. Also available together in a single retail
package for Windows, Adobe Photoshop Elements plus Adobe Premiere Elements delivers
unique integrated functionality that provides consumers with the ability to
do more with their photos and home videos.

...

Adobe Systems Incorporated today announced an update to the public beta of Adobe
Photoshop Lightroom software at the Photokina tradeshow in Cologne, Germany. Available
immediately for download from Adobe Labs (http://labs.adobe.com/technologies/lightroom),
this update unites the product feature set for Windows and Macintosh platforms,
giving professional photographers a new way to import, manage and showcase large
volumes of digital photographs. More than 325,000 people have opted to try Lightroom
during the beta period and feedback has been fueled by over 3,400 of them sharing
input in Adobe online forums. The final version of Adobe Photoshop Lightroom is
expected to ship in early 2007.



The final branding of the software, Adobe Photoshop Lightroom, confirms its place
within the Photoshop family, a line of products that meet the needs of novice
snapshooters, photo hobbyists and a diverse set of professional customers.



Adobe Photoshop Lightroom beta 4.0 offers improved digital photography workflow
tools, including a precision white balance selection option and a more streamlined
and elegant user interface experience with customizable controls. An intuitive
new tone curve adjustment feature provides powerful image correction capabilities,
allowing users to visually obtain excellent midtone, shadow and highlight adjustments.




New enhancements in the Develop and Library modules include time-saving tools
such as the ability to re-name and convert files to Adobe Digital Negative Format
(DNG) after importing into the Lightroom library. New filters, search presets
and organizing options allow for quick retrieval of images and greater flexibility.




Lightroom supports over 125 native raw file formats, in addition to JPEG and TIFF,
and brings raw conversion into a single workflow experience. The latest camera
models supported by this beta are the Nikon D2Xs, Sony A100, as well as preliminary
support for the Canon Digital Rebel XTi (400D) and Nikon D80. This support means
that photographers can use Lightroom with even the newest cameras on the market,
knowing that the image files will be recognized today and into the future.



Adobe hosts an online community site for Adobe Photoshop Lightroom beta which
features artists in the Lightroom Showcase Gallery (http://labs.adobe.com/technologies/lightroom/gallery)
and provides an arena for photographers to share their portfolios using Lightroom
slideshow functionality. Photographers will find inspiration in the documentaries
of well-known photographers posted in the community and gallery.



Pricing and Availability

Adobe Photoshop Lightroom beta is available for free download from the Adobe Labs
Web site at http://labs.adobe.com/technologies/lightroom.
Recommended system requirements are Macintosh OSX 10.4.3, 1 GHz PowerPC G4 processor
or Windows XP SP2, Intel Pentium 4 Processor, and 768 MB RAM and a 1024x768 resolution
screen. Adobe Photoshop Lightroom beta is a universal binary application that
will run natively on PowerPC and new Intel-based Macintosh systems. The final
version of Adobe Photoshop Lightroom is expected to ship in early 2007. Further
details around pricing, system requirements and availability have yet to be determined.
...

Adobe
Systems Incorporated today announced Adobe Photoshop Elements 5.0 software,
a major upgrade to the No. 1 selling consumer photo editing software.

...

WaterField Designs, a leading maker of custom-fitted cases for digital gear,
has announced a new line of protective cases for compact and ultra-compact cameras.
The Pic Pocket camera cases incorporate the company's signature trademarks
of stylish simplicity and premium craftsmanship, and are small enough to fit
into a pocket, purse or portfolio.

...