Blogging Fusion

Nikon Introduces the D90 and 18-105mm VR

Nikon has introduced the D90, its newest midrange DSLR. The camera has a slew of upgrades from the D80 including a new 12.3 MP CMOS sensor, 3-inch LCD screen, Live View, 4.5fps, a broader ISO range (200-3200, expandable to ISO 100 and 6400), and new in-camera editing functionality. Perhaps the most interesting feature about the D90 is that it's the world's first DSLR with the ability to capture video, including 720p HD video.

The D90 will be available starting this September for $999.99 body only or $1299.99 with the new AF-S DX Zoom-NIKKOR 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR lens. The AF-S DX Zoom-NIKKOR 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR lens will also be available this September alone for $399.99.

Canon USA Introduces EOS 50D and EF-S 18-200mm IS

Canon USA has announced the EOS 50D, the latest in its advanced amateur line of DSLRs. Highlight features include a 15.1MP sensor, new ISO range of 100-3200 (expandable up to 6400 and 12800), improved noise reduction, 6.3 fps, a high-resolution 3-inch LCD, and the introduction of the DIGIC 4 processor. Other changes include UDMA support, improved live view, and an HDMI output. The EOS 50D should be available this October with an estimated selling price of $1,399.99 body only, and $1,599.99 with the 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM.

Also announced was a lens that has been requested by many Canon shooters: the EF-S 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 IS. Giving a convenient 29-320mm 35mm equivalent focal range and 4-stop IS, this lens should be ideal for those vacations where multiple lenses might be a hassle. The EF-S 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 IS will be available this October with an estimated selling price of $699.99.

Think Tank Offers Limited Time Sale

Think Tank Photo is having their first sale. From now until October 3rd, you can save 30% off the Airport Acceleration or Airport Ultralight backpacks. I personally use the Airport Acceleration, and it's one of my absolute favorite bags. It's a very well thought out bag and holds a ridiculous amount of gear for the size. The Airport Ultralight is a little smaller but is able to fit into a hard case such as a Pelican or Storm Case. You can see pictures of both bags below.

Think Tank Airport Acceleration with Canon EF 400mm f/2.8L IS.

Think Tank Airport Ultralight with Storm Case iM2500 and Pelican 1510.

Images of the Week (08/24/08)

Nikon D200, 18-200 f/3.5-5.6 VR, 1/250 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 400

Nikon D200, 18-200 f/3.5-5.6 VR, 1/500 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 800

Lowepro Expands Their Lineup

Terraclime is a Lowepro's most eco-friendly line to date. The internal and external fabrics are made with post consumer recycled materials and the pouches' hardware is made from plastic regrind salvaged from manufacturer floors. Available in various sizes the smaller pouches are perfect for ultra-compact point-and-shoot cameras, iPods, or smart phones, while the largest shoulder bag (pictured) is spacious enough to carry a dSLR and some accessories. The smaller models include a convenient belt loop along with the shoulder strap, and the largest shoulder bag features a padded equipment wrap for an extra layer of protection from bumps and bruises.

Adobe Announces Lightroom 2

Major Software Upgrade Further Simplifies Photography Workflows

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- July 29, 2008 -- Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) today announced the immediate availability of Adobe® Photoshop® Lightroom® 2 software, the photographer's essential toolbox for managing, adjusting and presenting large volumes of digital photographs. With new enhancements such as dual-monitor support, radical advances in non-destructive localized image correction, and streamlined search capabilities, Lightroom 2 is a compelling upgrade that simplifies photography from shoot to finish. As Adobe's first application to support 64-bit for Mac OS X 10.5 Macintosh computers with Intel® processors and Microsoft® Windows® Vista® 64-bit operating systems, Lightroom 2 also provides improved memory performance for dealing with large scale images.

"A worldwide community of photographers provided valuable insight and feedback, as part of the Lightroom 2 public beta program, ultimately helping us deliver a better product," said Tom Hogarty, senior product manager for Lightroom and Camera Raw at Adobe. "We've considered their requests which helped us develop useful features that make it easier than ever for our customers to quickly refine, enhance and present brilliant photographs."

Photoshop Lightroom 2: Smarter, Faster and More Accurate

The enhanced Library module in Lightroom 2 helps streamline and accelerate photographers' workflows. With the ability to visually organize images across multiple hard drives, Lightroom 2 and its powerful Library Filter Bar makes it easy for users to quickly find the images they need. The Suggested Keywords feature helps photographers keyword their images by making intelligent suggestions based on their own previous efforts. New dual-monitor support allows users to expand their workspace, giving them flexibility to edit and organize images in a way that maximizes an additional display.

In the Develop module, the new Local Adjustment Brush lets photographers fine-tune specific areas of an image to precisely adjust color, exposure and tonal range without affecting other areas of the image. The new Graduated Filter expands the toolbox in Lightroom, allowing for edits to larger areas by applying gradually diminishing or increasing adjustment effects such as exposure, clarity, and saturation, alone, or in any combination. Lightroom 2 also helps photographers print more efficiently by quickly arranging photos of multiple sizes on one or many pages with flexible and customizable templates to maximize paper and ink. Intelligent algorithms automatically determine optimal sharpening for screen or print, producing crisper images faster. Developers can further extend the Lightroom workflow with Web, Export and Metadata Software Development Kits available at the Adobe Developer Connection, http://www.adobe.com/devnet/ .

Ground-Breaking Innovation in Raw Technology

New raw technology gives photographers access to flexible camera profiles. Camera profiles are the visual starting point for the raw processing workflow, but image preferences vary for every photographer. To minimize surprises, Adobe is supplying default camera profiles that closely emulate the visual looks that photographers are used to seeing from their favorite camera, while also providing the ability to create highly customized profiles to suit different tastes. Camera profiles are available for immediate download on Adobe Labs (http://labs.adobe.com) for use with Lightroom 2 and Camera Raw 4.5, along with the DNG Profile Editor for the community to test and create their own profiles.

The Adobe Camera Raw 4.5 plug-in and DNG Converter 4.5 are also now available on Adobe.com and support over 190 camera models including the Olympus E 420 and E 520 models.

"One of the big reasons why Lightroom has become such a phenomenon among serious photographers is that Adobe built it with the input of a very vocal user community," said Scott Kelby, president of the National Association of Photoshop Professionals (NAPP). "Adobe really listens to the issues and challenges today's photographers face and they've built a complete solution that not only meets the needs of photographers; it really feels like it was made just for us. The enhancements to Lightroom 2, combined with the power of Photoshop, give photographers the ultimate freedom to produce professional images quickly."

Pricing and Availability

Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2 is available now through the Adobe Store at www.adobe.com/store in English, French and German with the Japanese language version planned to be released at a future date. The estimated street price is USD$299 for new users with an upgrade price of USD$99 for registered users of qualifying Lightroom customers. Recommended system requirements are Macintosh OSX 10.4, 10.5 1 GHz PowerPC G4 or G5 or Intel® based processor, or Microsoft Windows® XP SP2 or Windows Vista Home Premium, Business, Ultimate, or Enterprise, Intel Pentium 4® processor, 1 GB RAM and a 1024x768 resolution screen. Additional information on product features, upgrade policies, pricing, and language versions is available on www.adobe.com/products/photoshoplightroom/.

About Adobe Systems Incorporated

Adobe revolutionizes how the world engages with ideas and information - anytime, anywhere and through any medium. For more information, visit www.adobe.com.

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