Photo Accessory News

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George Schaub  |  Jul 18, 2012  |  First Published: Jun 01, 2012  |  2 comments

Wacom recently introduced their new line of Bamboo tablets, and we thought we’d revisit the use of stylus and tablet tools to give it a try. For our test we worked with the Bamboo Capture, described by the company as most apt for enthusiast digital photographers, although there are three intros in this new line.

Jack Neubart  |  Jun 20, 2012  |  First Published: May 01, 2012  |  6 comments

Camera bags and carriers come in every shape and style, from highly functional rollers to bags that make a fashion statement whenever you step out the door with your gear. Among the new products appearing this year are those that will fit every photographer for every photo excursion. There are backpacks for day hikers to trekkers, and rollers for making the transition from plane to city streets. Camera carrier makers are always improving product to keep up with the changing needs of photographers and their gear.

Jack Neubart  |  Jun 19, 2012  |  First Published: May 01, 2012  |  0 comments

The trend in tripods is toward more compact and lighter-weight tripods, with an increasing number of entries in carbon fiber. Is carbon fiber the ultimate lightweight tripod? The jury is still out, although everyone seems to want one. And along with tripods, various ball heads grabbed our attention. We even found a portable copy stand.

Jack Neubart, Editor  |  Jun 18, 2012  |  First Published: May 01, 2012  |  0 comments

Every year manufacturers and distributors unveil new products at trade show events. They see these shows as the best venues to garner the attention of the gathered members of their industries and to show them their latest wares. In the photo industry this has traditionally been the annual Photo Marketing Association (PMA) Show, which we have always covered. This year that event was subsumed into the larger Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.

C.A. Boylan  |  Jun 01, 2012  |  First Published: Apr 01, 2012  |  0 comments

One Bag Version 2
The stylish, lightweight One Bag is crafted from ultrahigh-quality wetsuit-grade neoprene. It can easily accommodate a 15” to 17” laptop, photography equipment, and assorted electronics. It features an ultra-soft lining and four pockets, and the Photo Insert allows you to change the laptop bag into a camera gear bag with three pockets for lenses and other gadgets. The designer neoprene strap features leather bindings and stretches to conform to your body. The swappable designer covers are sold separately and allow you to transform your bag for any occasion. Version 2 is 1” wider than the original and offers more accessory pockets. It comes in Black Leather, Midnight Web, and Smokey Damask covers. The suggested price is $128.

C.A. Boylan  |  May 07, 2012  |  First Published: Mar 01, 2012  |  1 comments

Bay Photo Lab’s BayBooks are high-quality digital press printed photo books for any occasion. They are available in various sizes and in square, horizontal, or vertical formats with hard or soft full-wrap photo covers. There are 48 cover material choices and hundreds of customizable page templates to help you easily build a one-of-a-kind album.

C.A. Boylan  |  Mar 28, 2012  |  First Published: Feb 01, 2012  |  0 comments

Free ArcSoft Perfect365 Software For One-Touch Photo Makeovers
Perfect365 is a free photo makeover software application that lets you easily adjust up to 21 facial features on pictures and portraits with the touch of a button. The patented imaging and facial recognition technology offers fast cleanup with accurate, natural results. Style makeup templates are included for various looks with the ability to fine-tune according to your preference. Perfect365 is available as a free download for Windows. An enhanced version for Windows that allows you to save and print high-resolution images is available for $29.99. Versions for the iPhone and iPad are currently available and the Facebook and Mac versions will be available soon.

 

George Schaub  |  Mar 26, 2012  |  First Published: Feb 01, 2012  |  4 comments

Backing up images while on the road makes sense; having a backup drive that can take the rigors of the road seems to make even more sense. That’s the idea behind the ioSafe Rugged Portable USB 3.0, available in various configurations, including SSD (Solid State Drive) and HDD (Hard Disk Drive), capacities, and aluminum or titanium covers. Regardless of the enclosure, the unit is dubbed shockproof (drops from 20 feet with the SSD and titanium enclosure with the optional “skin”), waterproof (submersible up to 10 feet for three days in aluminum, or 30 feet in titanium), and dustproof even in sandstorms, and even during ice storms for 24 hours. And, you’re also covered if you happen to drop it into a barrel of oil (up to 12 feet for an hour) or climb above 15,000 feet (aluminum) or 30,000 feet (titanium). To back up their guarantees the company includes a one-year replacement and one-time data recovery guarantee (up to $5000 on the data side).

David B. Brooks  |  Mar 15, 2012  |  First Published: Feb 01, 2012  |  8 comments

If you are a serious digital photographer you probably have a good D-SLR camera. And you expect it will capture sharp, finely focused, high-quality photographic images. It follows that the display you choose should be capable of reproducing all the attributes and qualities your camera has recorded. Most of the displays sold with computers in box stores, however, are not much better at reproducing photographs than the old-type big and heavy CRTs we had back in the mid-1990s.

C.A. Boylan  |  Feb 24, 2012  |  First Published: Jan 01, 2012  |  0 comments

Nik Software Color Efex Pro 4 This is the latest version of Nik’s popular digital photographic filters for image retouching and enhancement. Color Efex Pro 4 is easy to use and offers a new generation of technologies and features that help you to create stunning effects. It has stackable filter combinations, visual presets, filter recipes, and new filters such as Detail Extractor, Vintage Film Efex, and Image Borders. The software also includes a History Browser, improvements to imaging algorithms, greater performance, and enhanced usability. The Color Efex Pro 4 Complete Edition contains 54 filters for a suggested retail price of $199.95. The Select Edition contains 25 filters for $99.95. You may also upgrade to the Complete Edition from any edition of Versions 2.0 or 3.0 for $99.95.

Jack Neubart  |  Feb 16, 2012  |  First Published: Jan 01, 2012  |  0 comments

My impression of a tabletop tripod was probably like yours—a squat, three-legged support that collapsed down to handily fit inside a camera bag. After unpacking the 17 camera supports that arrived, I had to modify my definition of the genre to include designs that mushroom to roughly 2 feet when fully open—and some with considerable girth and heft. That also meant extending my thinking to models with a center column and multiple leg sections, which might be more correctly termed “mini” tripods. Either way, in contrast to a standard tripod at its full height, the tripods under discussion, when fully open, have a small footprint and should effortlessly fit in tight spaces.

Jay Miller  |  Feb 10, 2012  |  First Published: Jan 01, 2012  |  0 comments

I’ve been a dedicated gimbal head user for a long time. If you shoot with seriously long lenses, no other head comes close to offering a gimbal’s stability, articulation, and flexibility. Forget ball heads and anything else designed to attach long telephotos to a tripod. If you’re a big lens user and you photograph things that move, a gimbal is the only way to go.

C.A. Boylan  |  Feb 03, 2012  |  First Published: Dec 01, 2011  |  0 comments

Nikon 1 J1 Camera
The new Nikon 1 J1 is a compact system camera that features a 10.1-megapixel CX-format high-speed AF CMOS sensor. It has a dual core image processor and an advanced hybrid autofocus system that provides the user with fast AF with 73 focus points. The J1 can also capture 10 frames per second (fps) with a full resolution continuous shooting speed of 60 fps (AF locked). The camera comes with Short Movie Creator software and My Picturetown and features a Smart Photo Selector mode that allows the camera to select the best photo from a series of images based on a number of factors, including exposure, composition, focus, and facial recognition. The color choices with matching kit lenses include white, pink, red, silver, and black. The suggested retail price for the J1 10-30mm lens kit is $649.95.

David B. Brooks  |  Jan 26, 2012  |  First Published: Dec 01, 2011  |  1 comments

I often get questions about how to store digital image files safely and securely. Although there have been a lot of options, all of them have involved compromises. Recently, however, one of our readers told me about Millenniata.com, and I immediately looked into this new American company. I found that Millenniata has a new DVD disc technology that provides “more than” archival life expectancy, as established by the US Department of Defense’s Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division at China Lake, California. Their report can be downloaded as a PDF file from the Millenniata website.

Jay Miller  |  Jan 20, 2012  |  First Published: Dec 01, 2011  |  1 comments

Like most of you, I’ve been frustrated by the amount of dust that accumulates not only on my sensors but also on my cameras and lenses in general. It’s an ongoing battle. Take photos, clean cameras; take photos, clean cameras.

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