Show Reports

There may not have been many new printer announcements at PMA this year, but that certainly didn't affect the paper vendors from going all out with new products. It's clear that old is new again, as many of the surfaces shown mimic those of traditional darkroom days. If you're a lover of fiber-based papers, this is a great year for you with plenty of new options...

The absence of the major camera and digital back manufacturers, including Hasselblad, Mamiya, and Phase One, probably reflects less on the viability of the format than the fact that this show is more oriented toward amateur and advanced amateur photographers. But the lack of those exhibitors didn't dim one of the most interesting announcements at the show--a camera that...

The new models of shoe-mount portable flash units seen at this year's trade show not only offer more powerful light output for more distant subjects, but also frequently include new features that make them easier to use. This report also includes new small camera-mounted LED lights for continuous lighting, intended for camcorders but also useful for still photographers.

It appears someone hit the dimmer switch when it came to lighting this year: the number of entries was sporadic, at best. But the good news is that there were a few shining lights. In strobe lighting the focus was entirely on self-contained monopacs, notably in lighting designed with digital control, smaller and easier-to-use lights, and one super-lightweight battery...

One of the coolest things about wandering the cavernous halls of PMA is having the opportunity to snoop around and discover fascinating items where you'd least expect to find them. Just keep your eyes peeled and you'll be rewarded with fascinating tidbits, ranging from strange photo accessories to clever upgrades of traditional items, to exciting new technologies, some...

The "new" medium format cameras shown at PMA '99 were, by and large, the same ones previewed late last year at photokina and Photo Plus East. The good news is that those early teasers are now beginning to arrive at your local dealers as...

Although not all of the filter manufacturers had something new to announce, I was able to get a sense of each product line and the directions they're headed in.

Lee Filters introduced their new Gel Snap Polyester filter holder. The...