myzappy

Adobe updates Elements applications with haze and shake removal, enhanced editing guidance

2015-09-26T02:51:00.001+07:00

The de-haze feature makes its way to Photoshop Elements 14.

Adobe has announced upgrades to its Photoshop Elements and Premiere Elements imaging applications that introduce some new features and a number of improvements to existing functions. A de-haze filter, similar in effect to that used in Photoshop CC and Lightroom, helps to cut through atmospheric misting in Photoshop Elements 14, while another new filter aims to reduce the effects of camera shake in still images. Premiere Elements 14 gains the ability to work with 4K video footage, and gets a wider range of output formats as well as more comprehensive audio controls.

Both upgrades come with an enhanced help feature that provides extra guidance for users as they edit their work, and additional online, in-application, content that aims to keep users up-to-date and inspired via material streamed directly into the program's framework. What Adobe is calling Elements Live sends news, tips and access to support directly to the application, so users don’t have to waste time searching online for the resources they need.

Photoshop Elements 14 also has an enhanced collection of pre-set filter effects with the facility for users to compare five different looks and pick the one they like best. The program offers better automatic selections for fine details, and faster working in Quick Edit mode. Premier Elements offers a black and white mode that allows one or two colors to remain in the picture.

Both applications claim better search functionality and easier sharing of images and movies on popular social media sites.

The updates will be available soon, with Premiere Elements 14 and Photoshop Elements 14 estimated to cost $99.99 each.

For more information visit the Adobe website.

Adobe press information:

Adobe Photoshop Elements 14 At A Glance
Smartphone selfies. Tablet landscapes. Posed portraits and quick candids.
You take more photos than ever before. Keep focusing on the memories—
Photoshop Elements 14 will make them look great.

Highlights
Transform your photos—Make quick edits, add artistic touches like a pro or transform
your photos to wow friends and family. Photoshop Elements can step you through or do it for you.

Create and share—Share lasting memories in scrapbook pages and cards that show your style.
Share photos to Facebook, YouTube, Vimeo and more—and put a cool twist on your Facebook
page with a custom cover photo.*

Find your stuff, fast—Every memory at your fingertips. Quickly find photos by favorite people,
where you were or what you were doing.

Easily transform your photos
Bye-bye, camera shake—Your selfies’ best friend! Just click to remove the camera shake that comes
from unsteady hands.

Never a hazy day—Easily remove haze to make the background as crisp as what’s up front.
Great for landscape shots.

Guidance at every step—Get the looks you’re after with Guided Edits. Now with 34 Guided Edits,
new options let you easily add a sense of motion to your photos and resize a photo to fit a certain frame.

Great looks for any photo—Elements analyzes the subject, color and lighting and gives you five
effects that fit perfectly. Or start by picking an effect, and Elements brings it to life five different ways so
you can choose the look you love best.

Selecting is a snap—Selecting hair, pet fur and other fine details used to be a chore. No more—
just paint loosely over the area and Elements does the rest. And when you make a selection on your own
and it turns out not quite right, just nudge the boundaries this way or that. Perfection!

Quick edits made easier—Rotate, resize and make quick fixes even faster in a friendlier and
easier-to-use Quick Edit mode.

Create and share
Stand out from the crowd on Facebook—Put a cool twist on your Facebook page by blending your
profile and cover photos in ways your friends won’t just Like, they’ll love.*

Not your standard slideshows—Don’t just create a slideshow—tell your story from every angle with
multiple photos on each slide.

Share the love—Share photos on Facebook, YouTube, Vimeo and Twitter. Create photo cards, calendars,
collages and more.*

All your stuff — when you want it
Keep it all straight—find photos by people, places and events.

See where it happened—Relive your journeys—view photos and videos on a map that
shows where they were taken.

Built-in live, dynamic support
Learn, be inspired and get news and support with Elements Live—Get fresh content curated by
Adobe, right inside the software, and skip the hassle of digging through 10,000 results in a Google
search to find the good stuff. Get tips, tricks and tutorials. Draw inspiration from what other people are
doing with Elements. Find out about contests, new versions and other news in the world of
photography and video. And, get the help you need when you need it, without leaving Elements.

Adobe Premiere Elements 14 At A Glance
Smartphone clips. Tablet scenes. Action-cam and handheld footage.
You shoot more video than ever before. Keep focusing on the memories—
Premiere Elements will make them look great.

Highlights
Transform your videos—Go from rough clips to incredible movies. Make quick movies your way,
and add style like a pro. Premiere Elements can step you through or do it for you.

Share your movie memories—Share your finished productions with family and friends via disc, HDTV,
Facebook, YouTube, Vimeo and more.*

Find your stuff, fast—Every memory at your fingertips. Quickly find videos by favorite people,
where you were or what you were doing.

Easily transform your videos
Guidance at every step—Get the effects you’re after with new Guided Edits. Create visual drama
by popping one or more colors in a scene and pushing everything else to black-and-white. And create
slow-motion effects that add emphasis, suspense or drama, as well as fast-motion effects that speed up
your story and add energy, excitement or fun.

Tell flashy stories with motion titles—Make a splash from the start of your movie by easily
adding titles that bounce, spin or zoom across the screen.

Go beyond HD with 4K—Edit and view high-resolution 4K movies for the ultimate
cinematic experience.

Sound your best—Audio sets your movie’s mood—and now it’s easier than ever to fine-tune
your sound.

Create and share
Easily export in multiple formats—Export optimized movies in formats for viewing on any
device or screen, from mobile phones to big-screen 4K and HD TVs. Create for traditional television (4:3)
or widescreen (16:9) format. And export movies in formats that look great on mobile devices like iPads,
iPods, iPhones and other smartphones.

Share your stories—Upload your finished movies to YouTube, Facebook, Vimeo or your own website.
Burn HD-quality movies to affordable DVD discs using standard burners, and share movies in high-quality
4K or AVCHD format.*

All your stuff, when you want it
Keep it all straight—Keep track of clips and movies by people, places and events.

See where it happened—Relive your journeys—view photos and videos on a map that
shows where they were taken.*

Polaroid Introduces New Z2300 Instant Digital Camera

2012-07-03T07:33:00.000+07:00

The Ultimate Social Media Camera Allows Users to Snap, Print, Post, Party!

Polaroid introduces the Z2300 instant digital camera at the 2012 CEA Line Show taking place June 27-28 at the Metropolitan Pavilion and Altman Building in New York City.
The newest addition to the Polaroid instant digital camera line, the Z2300 features an integrated printer with ZINK® Technology, enabling users to instantly capture, edit and in less than a minute print full color, 2x3” prints. Along with the ability to easily upload images to any social media platform, the Z2300 combines a compact form factor with a host of fun, easy-to-use features to create the ultimate social media machine.
The camera is available in white and black and houses a 10 megapixel image sensor. The large 3.0” LCD display makes it easy to frame and review images and capture video in virtually any setting.
Ever since the introduction of the Polaroid Land Camera in1948, people around the world have enjoyed the magic of Polaroid instant photography. Polaroid continues instant sharing in the 21st century with the Polaroid Z2300 camera which allows the user to take and instantly share pictures digitally and in print.
“Polaroid invented instant photography, and for the past 75 years the brand has been synonymous with instant gratification, ease-of-use and fun,” said Graeme Chapman, MD of Polaroid’s sole UK imaging licensee C&A Marketing. “The Z2300 represents the next step in the evolution of that proud tradition and it was designed to fully integrate the classic Polaroid instant photography experience into today’s digital, social world. Portability, creative expression and the ability to share your most memorable moments in digital or print form all come standard in the Polaroid Z2300 camera’s compact body.”
The Polaroid Z2300 instant digital camera has a suggested retail price of £129.99 and will be available in August from Dixons, ASDA, Harrods, Selfridges, Digital Depot and all good photographic stores. The camera can be pre-ordered from www.polaroid.co.uk until the end of July.

Nikon D7000 Preview

2010-09-17T18:02:00.004+07:00

September 2010 | Barnaby Britton

Preview based on a pre-production Nikon D7000

Stop the rumor mill - the ~~D95~~ D7000 is here! The much-anticipated ~~successor to the D90~~ new DSLR isn't quite what a lot of internet pundits expected, but that doesn't mean that there isn't a lot to get excited about if you're a D90 user impatient for an upgrade. In fact, that's exactly what the D7000 is - an upgrade option for D90 and D5000 users, which occupies a new position in Nikon's DSLR lineup, between the D90 and D300S.

Although ergonomically, the D7000 is a very close match for the D90, its overall 'feel' is considerably more serious, thanks to a magnesium alloy body shell and thicker rubber coating on the hand grip and rear of the camera. In terms of its specification, the D7000 actually outguns the D300S in many respects, and at 16.2Mp it offers the second highest resolution of any Nikon DSLR, behind only the 24Mp D3X. All of these pixels are packed onto a newly developed CMOS sensor, which is almost certainly the same or very similar to that in the Sony Alpha SLT-A55. As well as extra resolution, the new sensor also offers a higher 'standard' ISO span of 100-6400, expandable up to the equivalent of ISO 25,600.

The D7000's AF and metering systems are also new, and represent a significant upgrade to those used in the D90. The new camera boasts a 39-point AF array with 9 cross-type AF points and works in collaboration with a new 2016-pixel RGB metering sensor to allow 3D AF tracking (essentially tracking by subject color,explained here). Other changes include the same combined live view/movie switch control as the recently announced D3100, and a significantly upgraded movie specification, up to 'full HD' - 1920x1080 resolution at 24fps. Unlike the D90, the D7000 can also maintain AF during live view and movie shooting, thanks to its AF-F ('full time') AF mode.

D90 owners have been waiting for a replacement camera for a while, and although the D90 isn't set for retirement quite yet, the D7000 certainly represents a compelling upgrade. We've been using a pre-production D7000 for a few days - just long enough to compile our impressions into a 7-page hands-on preview article. Read on for an in-depth look at Nikon's newest DSLR...

Nikon D7000 Key Features

16.2MP CMOS sensor
1080p HD video recording with mic jack for external microphone
ISO 100-6400 (plus H1 and H2 equivalent to ISO 12,800/25,600)
39-point AF system with 3D tracking
2016 pixel metering sensor
Scene Recognition System (see 2016 pixel sensor, above) aids metering + focus accuracy
Twin SD card slots
3.0 inch 921k dot LCD screen
New Live View/movie shooting switch
Full-time AF in Live View/movie modes
Up to 6fps continuous shooting
Lockable shooting mode dial
Built-in intervalometer
Electronic virtual horizon
Shutter tested to 150K actuations

Positioned alongside the D90 and D300S, the D7000 is clearly a lot closer to the former than the latter in terms of its size and control layout. The similarities between the D90 and D7000 don't run much deeper than the surface level though - where specifications are concerned, on paper, the D7000 at least matches and frequently surpasses the abilities of the D300S in several key areas.

Nikon D7000 and Nikon D90: Key differences

The D7000 sits above the D90 in Nikon's current lineup, and as befits its new position in the range, the D7000 combines elements of the D90 with elements of the D300S - Nikon's current APS-C flagship. The most obvious physical clue to its new position is a magnesium alloy body shell, which up to now has been reserved for Nikon's top-end APS-C and full frame cameras.
'Under the hood' though the differences are legion - a new 16.2MP CMOS sensor, dual card slots, a new 39-point AF array, 'true' HD movie mode with full-time AF and more customization options, some of which are inherited from Nikon's professional DSLRs. Like the D90, the D7000 supports AF with Nikon's older AF and AF-D lenses (lower-end models are limited to compatibility with AF-S and AF-I optics only) but additionally, because the D7000 has an Ai indexing tab on its lens mount, up to 9 'non-CPU' lenses can also be registered with the camera.
This allows the use of virtually any Ai specification or later lens to be used in aperture priority or manual mode with the P7000, with almost no loss of functionality (apart from AF). Novice DSLR users might never look beyond the horizons offered by their kit lenses, but for the enthusiast, legacy support like this could well be a deal-breaker.

The overall dimensions of the D7000 are very similar to the older D90, but the heavier, magnesium alloy body shell and thicker rubber on the hand grip lend it a noticeably more 'serious' feel.

Higher resolution sensor (16.2MP vs. 12.3MP)
Choice of 12-bit or 14-bit NEF (RAW)
1080p HD movie mode
Limited movie editing functionality
AF possible during video shooting (but we're not over-optimistic on this score)
Live View switch (basically the same as D3100)
Faster AF in live view mode.
Twin SD card slots
Non-CPU lens data function (allows registration of up to 9 non-G lenses with manual apertures)
Magnesium alloy body shell
Wider ISO span (100-25,600 including 'H1' and 'H2')
Newly developed 39-point AF system
'Quiet' single frame advance mode
'Proper' mirror lock-up (as distinct from 'exposure delay mode')
Lockable drive mode dial
Higher maximum frame rate (6fps) with a Continuous Lo shooting option (1-5fps)
100% viewfinder
Choice of 12-bit or 14-bit NEF (RAW) recording in compressed or lossless compressed formats
Up to 9 'non-CPU' lenses can be registered (same as D300s/D3s/D3X)
New EN-EL15 lithium-ion battery

New MB-D11 battery pack (magnesium alloy construction)

Ergonomically, the D7000 and D90 are quite similar, and as you can see from this view of the back of the two cameras, in terms of its control layout, the D7000 is very close to the D90. Some controls have changed slightly (the D90's 'Lv' button becomes a spring-loaded switch for example) but the number of control points is the same and everything is basically in the same place.

Compared to the D90 and D300S: core feature and specification differences

	Nikon D7000	Nikon D90	Nikon D300S
Construction	Magnesium alloy body	Polycarbonate	Magnesium alloy body
Sensor	• 23.6 x 15.6 mm CMOS sensor • RGB color filter array • Built-in fixed low-pass filter (with self-cleaning unit) • 16.2 million effective pixels • RGB Color Filter Array • 14-bit A/D converter	• 23.6 x 15.8 mm CMOS sensor • RGB color filter array • Built-in fixed low-pass filter (with self-cleaning unit) • 12.3 million effective pixels • RGB Color Filter Array • 12-bit A/D converter	• 23.6 x 15.8 mm CMOS sensor • RGB color filter array • Built-in fixed low-pass filter (with self-cleaning unit) • 12.3 million effective pixels • RGB Color Filter Array • 14-bit A/D converter
ISO range	• Auto ISO (100-Hi2) • ISO 100-6400 in 0.3 or 1.0 EV increments • H1 and H2 (ISO 12800 and 25600) expansion • Adjustable Auto ISO limit	• Auto ISO (400-H1) • ISO 200 -3200 in 0.3 or 1.0 EV increments • L1 (ISO 100) and H1 (ISO 6400) expansion • Adjustable Auto ISO limit	• Auto ISO (400-H1) • ISO 200 -3200 in 0.3 or 1.0 EV increments • L1 (ISO 100) and H1 (ISO 6400) expansion • Adjustable Auto ISO limit
Movie resolution*	• 1920 x 1080p (24fps) • 1280 x 720p (30, 25, 24fps) • 640 x 424p (30, 25fps)	• 1280 x 720p (24 fps) • 640 x 424p (24 fps) • 320 x 216p (24 fps)	• 1280 x 720p (24 fps) • 640 x 424p (24 fps) • 320 x 216p (24 fps)
AF sensor	• 39 AF points • 9 cross-type sensors	• 11 AF points • 1 cross-type sensor	• 51 focus points • 15 cross-type sensors
Metering sensor	• TTL exposure metering using 2016-pixel RGB sensor • Metering range: EV 0 - 20 EV	• TTL exposure metering using 403-pixel RGB sensor • Metering range: EV 0 - 20 EV	• TTL exposure metering using 1005-pixel RGB sensor • Metering range: EV 0 - 20 EV
Viewfinder	• Eye-level pentaprism • 100% frame coverage • Magnification: 0.94x • Eyepoint: 19.5 mm • Type B BriteView Clear Matte screen Mark II with AF area brackets • Built-in diopter adjustment (-3 to +1.0m^-1)	• Eye-level pentaprism • 96% (horizontal and vertical) frame coverage • Magnification: 0.94x • Eyepoint: 19.5 mm • B-type BrightView Clear Matte Screen II with AF area brackets • Built-in diopter adjustment (-2 to +1m^-1)	• Eye-level pentaprism • 100% frame coverage • Magnification: 0.94x • Eyepoint: 19.5 mm • B-type BrightView Clear Matte Screen II with AF area brackets • Built-in diopter adjustment (-2 to +1m^-1)
Continuous shooting rate	• Approx 6 fps max	• Approx 4.5 fps max	• Up to approx 8fps with AC adapter or MB-D10 pack and batteries other than EN-EL3e
Memory format	• SD/SDHC/SDXC (dual slots)	• SD/SDHC	• Compact Flash (type I and UDMA) (dual SD/CF slots)
Dimensions	Approx 132 x 105 x 77mm (5.2 x 4.1 x 3.0in)	Approx 132 x 103 x 77 mm (5.2 x 4.1 x 3.0 in.)	Approx 147 x 114 x 74 mm (5.8 x 4.5 x 2.9 in)
Weight (inc battery)	780 g (1.7 lb.)	704 g (1.5 lb.)	918 g (2.2 lb.)

*In movie mode, 30fps is actually 29.97fps, 24 is actually 23.976fps.

Canon develops world's first 120 megapixel APS-H CMOS sensor

2010-08-25T17:05:00.002+07:00

Canon has announced it has developed a 120 megapixel 29.2 x 20.2mm APS-H CMOS sensor - the same size used in its EOS-1D series of professional DSLRs. The sensor, for which Canon has announced no production plans, has a pixel count nearly 7.5 times larger than the company's highest pixel count commercially available sensor. It offers full HD recording (using 1/60th of its surface area) and can deliver 9.5fps continuous shooting. This follows a 50 million pixel sensor of similar format the company developed in 2007.
Press Release:

Canon successfully develops world's first APS-H-size CMOS image sensor to realize record-high resolution of 120 megapixels

TOKYO, August 24, 2010 —Canon Inc. announced today that it has successfully developed an APS-H-size*1 CMOS image sensor that delivers an image resolution of approximately 120 megapixels (13,280 x 9,184 pixels), the world's highest level*2 of resolution for its size.
Compared with Canon's highest-resolution commercial CMOS sensor of the same size, comprising approximately 16.1 million pixels, the newly developed sensor features a pixel count that, at approximately 120 million pixels, is nearly 7.5 times larger and offers a 2.4-fold improvement in resolution.*3
With CMOS sensors, while high-speed readout for high pixel counts is achieved through parallel processing, an increase in parallel-processing signal counts can result in such problems as signal delays and minor deviations in timing. By modifying the method employed to control the readout circuit timing, Canon successfully achieved the high-speed readout of sensor signals. As a result, the new CMOS sensor makes possible a maximum output speed of approximately 9.5 frames per second, supporting the continuous shooting of ultra-high-resolution images.
Canon's newly developed CMOS sensor also incorporates a Full HD (1,920 x 1,080 pixels) video output capability. The sensor can output Full HD video from any approximately one-sixtieth-sized section of its total surface area.
Images captured with Canon's newly developed approximately 120-megapixel CMOS image sensor, even when cropped or digitally magnified, maintain higher levels of definition and clarity than ever before. Additionally, the sensor enables image confirmation across a wide image area, with Full HD video viewing of a select portion of the overall frame.
Through the further development of CMOS image sensors, Canon will break new ground in the world of image expression, targeting new still images that largely surpass those made possible with film, and video movies that capitalize on the unique merits of SLR cameras, namely their high mobility and the expressive power offered through interchangeable lenses.
*1The imaging area of the newly developed sensor measures approx. 29.2 x 20.2 mm.
*2 As of August 20, 2010. Based on a Canon study.
*3 Canon's highest-resolution commercial CMOS sensor, employed in the company's EOS-1Ds Mark III and EOS 5D Mark II digital SLR cameras, is equivalent to the full-frame size of the 35 mm film format and incorporates approximately 21.1 million pixels. In 2007, the company successfully developed an APS-H-size sensor with approximately 50 million pixels

Latest Strobist speedlight comparison (updated)

2010-08-23T09:15:00.003+07:00

By LR Editor

With the release of the LumoPro LP160, and the official release of the Yongnuo YN-560 next week, we take a look at the latest in manual-only “Strobist” slave flashes. (Updated 2/6/10)

	Sunpix SP46	Foton UB-88	LP160	YN560
Brand	Godox	Phottix	LumoPro	YongNuo
GN	46 @ 105mm	55 @ 105mm	43 @ 35mm	39 @ 35mm 58 @ 105mm
Recycle	5s	TBA	4s	4s
Zoom head	Manual	Fixed	Electronic	Electronic
Zoom	24, 38, 50, 85, 105mm	105mm	24, 28, 35, 50, 70, 80, 105mm	24, 28, 35, 50, 70, 80, 105mm
Flip-down diffuser	Yes	Yes	NO	Yes
Swivel	300°	270°	270°	360°
Tilt	0 to 90°	-7 to 90°	-7 to 90°	-7 to 90°
Slave	Two modes	Two modes	Two modes	Two modes
Min. power	1/128	1/64	1/64	1/128
Sync ports	None	PC	3.5mm, PC	PC
HV Input	None	Canon	Quantum MB5	Canon
Sleep mode	None	15 mins	No	Optional
Other		MiniUSB firmware updates		Ready beeps
Release	Released	2010	Released	4th June

Metz introduces Mecablitz 58 AF-2 and 50 AF-1 flashguns

2010-08-22T07:21:00.000+07:00

Metz has introduced the Mecablitz 58 AF-2 and 50 AF-1 flashguns for Canon, Nikon, Sony, Pentax and Four Thirds cameras. Successors to the 58 AF-1 and 48 AF-1, the latest models feature metal mounts with enhanced locking systems for faster mounting and wider angle diffusers for focal lengths from 12 mm equivalent. The AF-2 designation of the 58 AF-2 flashgun indicates it can now act as a wireless flash master for cameras without a built-in master function, meanwhile the number 50 in 50 AF-1 reflects a power increase to guide number to 50.

Jump to:

Press Release:
Further improvements to a top model

The top model in the Metz compact flash unit range has been further improved with numerous optical and functional features. The successor to the mecablitz 58 AF-1 which won the EISA Award for "best flash unit in Europe 2007/2008" has been equipped with a new stable metal base which can be attached to the camera flash shoe quickly and easily with one single movement thanks to the optimised lock system. Refinements such as the revised motor zoom mode and an improved high performance flash tube further increase the longevity of the product. Its multi-functionality has been extended with additional features. Thus the mecablitz 58 AF-2 digital offers servo flash release functionality via the integrated camera flash which is also perfectly compatible with cameras without master function. The slave/servo sensor has been integrated into the front of the flash unit to increase the transmission quality of wireless flashes. The wide-angle diffuser has also been adapted for illumination of wide-angle focal widths from 12 mm (135 format). Like all mecablitz system flash units, the new flash unit is available in different versions, perfectly tailored to digital cameras made by the leading manufacturers.
Special functions for any flash situation

The mecablitz 58 AF-2 digital offers the perfect solution for every flash situation. The innovative secondary reflector provides perfect image illumination for portraits. Numerous manual fine tuning options afford the mecablitz 58 AF-2 digital exceptional creative photographic freedom. Virtually limitless possibilities are opened up for individualised lighting thanks to a fully swivelling reflector system which also contains a flip-out reflector card and a diffuser. The slave function and the new servo function allow the new top model in the Metz compact flash unit range to be used without constraints in various operating modes, depending on the camera model. With the servo flash release, no camera master function is required to use the flash as an additional creative light source in the room. The camera-specific wireless TTL remote mode of the respective model comes into play with the slave function. In addition, automatic mode provides the possibility of achieving a perfect picture even in situations where the camera-specific TTL control is impaired.
High performance compact flash with USB connection
Thanks to the Metz mecablitz 58 AF-2 digital USB interface, updates can be easily installed via the Internet. Due to its very high guide number 58 for ISO 100/21° and 105 mm focal length, the 58 AF-2 digital is not just high performance but also lends itself perfectly to being used as an indirect flash. The real highlight – a flip-out reflector card which is integrated into the both vertically and horizontally tilting and swivelling reflector.
Different versions for Canon, Nikon/Fujifilm, Olympus/Panasonic/Leica, Pentax and Sony
It goes without saying that the respective camera manufacturer’s refined flash lighting technology can also be employed with the corresponding version of the mecablitz 58 AF-2 digital, in addition to numerous special functions, such as high speed synchronisation. Thus the 58 AF-2 digital offers E-TTL and E-TTL II flash mode for Canon – iTTL/D-TTL/3D flash mode for Nikon/Fujifilm – P-TTL for Pentax and four thirds TTL mode for Olympus/Panasonic/Leica.

Metz mecablitz – Technology "Made in Germany"
Metz flash units represent high performance technology and reliable quality. We have been manufacturing exclusively in Germany for over 50 years. As such we hold a unique position – Metz is the only manufacturer of flash devices to develop and manufacture products in Europe.

Press Release:

The next generation of a successful model

The Mecablitz 50 AF-1 digital is the new generation of the 48 AF-1 digital, winner of the TIPA Award for “best photographic accessory 2008”. All the benefits of the previous model have been retained and numerous further developments have also been added. The elegant housing can be mounted onto the camera flash shoe via the new metal base and fixed in place quickly and easily with a single movement thanks to the optimised lock system.

The guide number has been increased to 50/ for ISO 100/21° and 105 mm focal length. Performance and reliability have been further optimised through improvements to the high performance flash tube. Moreover, the flash has been equipped with a servo flash release via the camera’s internal flash which also works independently of the camera’s master function. Even the wide-angle diffuser has been adapted and is now even suitable for illumination of wide-angle focal lengths from 12 mm (135 format). Like all mecablitz system flash units, the new flash unit is available in different versions, perfectly tailored to digital cameras made by the leading manufacturers.

Numerous application possibilities
With the new mecablitz 50 AF-1, the options for image composition are almost limitless. It allows precise light output tailored to each individual subject. Numerous manual fine tuning options extend creative photographic freedom. Virtually limitless possibilities are opened up for individualised lighting thanks to a fully swivelling reflector system which also contains a flip-out reflector card and a diffuser. The slave function and the new servo function allow the new premium flash unit to be used without constraints in two different operating modes, depending on the camera model. With the servo flash release, no camera master function is required to use the flash as an additional creative light source in the room. The camera-specific wireless TTL remote mode of the respective models comes into play with the slave function.

High performance compact flash with USB connection
Thanks to the Metz mecablitz 50 AF-1 digital USB interface, updates can be easily installed via the Internet. Due to its high guide number 50 for ISO 100/21° und 105 mm focal length, the 50 AF-1 digital is not just high performance but also lends itself perfectly to being used as an indirect flash. The real highlight – a flip-out reflector card, which is integrated into the both vertically and horizontally tilting and swivelling reflector.

Different versions for Canon, Nikon/Fujifilm, Olympus/Panasonic/Leica, Pentax and Sony
It goes without saying that the respective camera manufacturer’s sophisticated flash lighting technology can also be employed with the appropriate version of the mecablitz 50 AF-1 digital, in addition to numerous special functions, such as high speed synchronisation. Therefore, the 50 AF-1 digital offers E-TTL and E-TTL II flash mode for Canon – iTTL/D-TTL/3D flash mode for Nikon/Fujifilm – P-TTL for Pentax and four thirds TTL mode for Olympus/Panasonic/Leica.

Metz mecablitz – Technology "Made in Germany"
Metz flash units represent high performance technology and reliable quality. We have been manufacturing exclusively in Germany for over 50 years. As such we hold a unique position – Metz is the only manufacturer of flash devices to develop and manufacture products in Europe.

Nikon D3100

2010-08-21T04:46:00.002+07:00

based on a pre-production Nikon D3100

Nikon has developed a habit of making very attractive entry-level DSLRs, which are rarely the best specified but cleverly designed so that they're easy and enjoyable to shoot with. The D3000 fitted this pattern perfectly, a gentle refresh of the D60 (which was itself a slightly updated D40X), it added ease-of-use features to make it a pleasant little camera despite a specification that was beginning to look rather out-of-step with the rest of the market.

The D3000 sold well, despite its rather aged 10 megapixel sensor and lack of both live view and video. However, there's only so long that clever product design and feature integration can make up for a specification that looks dated. So with this in mind, Nikon has announced the D3100 - probably the biggest refresh of its entry-level offering since it really attacked the low end market with the original D40.

The D3100 is built around a 14.2 megapixel CMOS sensor (possibly the one seen in Sony's NEX cameras?), bringing not only live view but also Full HD video capture to Nikon's entry-level model. This not only makes it the company's second-highest pixel-count SLR (after the D3X) but also makes it the first to offer 1920x1080 movie recording. It can only record clips up to ten minutes long but it's still an impressive feature addition at this level.

The body gets a slight refresh, gaining an extra button to the left of the screen, a drive mode switch at the base of the mode dial, a sprung lever to engage live view and a direct record movie button. There are also revisions made to the feature-teaching, hand-holding 'Guide Mode' and an additional autofocus mode to allow better focusing in live view and autofocus during video shooting.

Nikon D3100 Key Features

14.2 megapixel DX-format CMOS sensor
3.0" LCD monitor (230,000 dots)
Image sensor cleaning (sensor shake)
11 AF points (with 3D tracking)
IS0 100-3200 range (12,800 expanded)
HD movies (1080, 720p or WVGA)

Nikon D3100 vs D3000: Key Differences

The D3100 substantially refreshes the D3000, taking a rather outdated-looking specification and turning it into one of the most competitive in its sector.

Higher resolution sensor (14.2MP vs. 10MP)
Ability to shoot Raw + Fine JPEG
Socket for connecting Nikon GP1 GPS unit
Optional wired remote via GPS socket
No wireless remote option
Live view
1080 HD movies
HDMI output
Wider ISO range
Full-time AF mode (AF-F in live view)
Revised focus screen (different AF point illumination)


Price (Body + 18-55mm VR Lens)	US: $699 UK: £579.99 EU: €599
Body color	Black
Sensor*	• 23.1 x 15.4 mm CMOS sensor • Nikon DX format (1.5x FOV crop) • 14.2 million effective pixels* • RGB Color Filter Array • 12-bit A/D converter
Anti-dust measures	• Image sensor cleaning system • Airflow control system • Image dust off from reference frame (using optional Capture NX software)
Image sizes*	• 4608 x 3072 (L)* • 3456 x 2304 (M)* • 2304 x 1536 (S)*
Image quality *	• NEF (12-bit compressed RAW) • JPEG fine (1:4) • JPEG normal (1:8) • JPEG basic (1:16) • NEF (RAW) + Fine JPEG*
Movie sizes*	• 1920 x 1080 24p* • 1280 x 720 30p* • 1280 x 720 25p* • 1280 x 720 24p* • 640 x 424 24p*
Movie format *	• MOV, H.264, mono sound recording (PCM)
Color space	• sRGB • Adobe RGB
Lens mount	Nikon F mount (with AF contacts)
Lens compatibility	• AF-S, AF-I • Other Type G or D AF Nikkor • Other AF Nikkor/AI-P Nikkor • Type D PC Nikkor • Non-CPU • IX Nikkor/AF Nikkor for F3AF • AI-P NIKKOR -All functions supported - All functions supported except autofocus - All functions supported except autofocus and 3D Color Matrix Metering II - All functions supported except some shooting modes - Can be used in mode M, but exposure meter does not function; electronic range finder can be used if maximum aperture is f/5.6 or faster - Cannot be used -All functions supported except 3D color matrix metering II
Autofocus	• 11 area TTL phase detection • Nikon Multi-CAM1000 autofocus module • Detection range: EV -1 to +19 (ISO 100 equivalent, at normal temperature) • Manual focus [M], Electronic range finding supported
Lens servo*	• Single-servo AF (AF-S) • Continuous-servo AF (AF-C) • Automatic AF-S/AF-C (AF-A) • Full time AF (AF-F)* • Manual focus (MF)
AF Area mode	• Single Area AF • Dynamic Area AF • Auto Area AF • 3D Tracking (11 points) • Closest Subject Priority Dynamic Area AF
Focus tracking	Predictive focus tracking automatically activated according to subject status in continuous-servo AF
Focus area	Can be selected from 11 focus points
Focus lock	Focus can be locked by pressing shutter-release button halfway (single-servo AF) or by pressing AE-L/AF-L button
AF Assist	White light lamp
Exposure mode*	• Auto - Auto - Flash off • Scene Modes Portrait Landscape Child Sports Close up Night portrait • Programmed auto (P) with flexible program • Shutter-priority auto (S) • Aperture priority auto (A) • Manual (M) • GUIDE mode • Easy operation Auto No flash Distant subjects Close ups Sleeping faces Moving subjects Landscapes Portraits Night portrait • Advanced mode Soften backgrounds (aperture priority) Bring more into focus (aperture priority)* Freeze motion (people) (shutter priority) Freeze motion (vehicles) (shutter priority) Show water flowing (shutter priority)*
Metering	TTL exposure metering using 420-pixel RGB sensor • Matrix :3D color matrix metering II (type G and D lenses); color matrix metering II (other CPU lenses) • Center-weighted: Weight of 75% given to a 8mm circle in center of frame • Spot: Meters 3.5 mm circle (about 2.5% of frame) centered on active focus area
Metering range	• EV 0 to 20 (3D color matrix or center-weighted metering) • EV 2 to 20 (spot metering)
Meter coupling	CPU coupling
Exposure comp.	• +/- 5.0 EV • 1/3 EV steps
AE Lock	Exposure locked at detected value with AE-L/AF-L button
AE Bracketing	None
Sensitivity*	• Auto • ISO 100 • ISO 200 • ISO 400 • ISO 800 • ISO 1600 • ISO 3200* • ISO 6400 (Hi1)* • ISO 12800 (Hi2)*
Auto ISO options*	• On/Off • Maximum ISO (200 to Hi2)* • Minimum shutter speed (1 to 1/2000 sec)
Shutter	• Electronically-controlled vertical-travel focal-plane shutter • 30 to 1/4000 sec (1/3 EV steps) • Flash X-Sync: up to 1/200 sec • Bulb
White balance	Auto (TTL white-balance with 420 pixels RGB sensor) • Twelve manual modes with fine-tuning • Incandescent • Fluorescent Sodium-vapor lamps Warm-white fluorescent White fluorescent Cool-white fluorescent Day white fluorescent Daylight fluorescent Daylight fluorescent Mercury-vapor lamps • Direct sunlight • Flash • Cloudy • Shade • Preset white balance (immediate or from photo)
WB fine tuning	Yes, (except preset manual)
Image parameters	• Picture controls: Standard, Neutral, Vivid, Monochrome, Portrait, Landscape • Quick Adjust: 5 settings (adjusts Sharpening, Contrast and Saturation by preset amounts) • Sharpening: Auto, 10 levels • Contrast: Auto, 7 levels • Saturation: Auto, 7 levels • Hue: 7 levels
Viewfinder	• Optical fixed eye-level • Pentamirror type • Built-in dioptre adjustment (-1.7 to +0.5 m^-1) • Eye point: 18 mm (at -1.0 m^-1) • Frame coverage 95% (approx.) • Viewfinder magnification approx. 0.8x with 50mm lens at infinity; -1.0 m^-1 • Focusing screen: Type B BriteView clear matte screen Mark VII*
LCD monitor	• 3.0" TFT LCD • 230,000 pixel
Built-in flash	• Auto, Portrait, Child, Close-up, Night portrait • Auto flash with auto pop-up, • Manual pop-up in P, S, A or M modes • Guide number approx. 12/39 at ISO 100 (am/ft) • Guide number approx. 13/43 at ISO 100 (m/ft) in manual mode
Sync contact	X-contact only; flash synchronization at shutter speeds of up to 1/200 sec
Flash control	• TTL flash control by 420-segment RGB sensor. i-TTL balanced fill-flash for digital SLR and standard i-TTL fill-flash for digital SLR available when CPU lens is used with built-in flash, SB-400, SB-800, and SB-600 • Auto aperture with SB-800 and CPU lenses • Non-TTL auto with SB-800, 80DX, 28DX, 28, 27 and 22s • Range-priority manual with SB-800
Flash mode	• Auto, Portrait, Child, Close-up: Auto, auto with red-eye reduction; fill-flash and red-eye reduction available with optional Speedlight • Night portrait: Auto, auto slow sync, auto slow sync with red-eye reduction; slow sync and slow sync with red-eye reduction available with optional Speedlight • Landscape, Sports: Fill-flash and red-eye reduction available with optional Speedlight • P, A modes: Fill flash, rear-curtain with slow sync, slow sync, slow sync with red-eye reduction, red-eye reduction • S, M modes: Fill flash, rear-curtain sync, red-eye reduction
Flash compensation	• -3 to +1 EV • 1/3 steps
Nikon Creative Lighting system	• Advanced Wireless Lighting supported with SB-900, SB-800 or SU-800 as commander
Shooting modes	• Single frame shooting (S) mode • Continuous shooting (C) mode: approx. 3.0 frames per second • Self-timer • Quick-Response Remote • Delayed Remote
Continuous buffer	• Unknown
Self-timer	• 2, 5, 10 or 20 sec
Remote control*	• Using optional MC-DC2 cable via GPS socket*
Text input	Up to 36 characters of alphanumeric text input is available with LCD monitor and multi-selector; stored in EXIF header
Playback functions	• Full frame • Thumbnail (4, 9, or 72 images or calendar) • Playback with Playback zoom • Slide Show • Histogram Display • Highlights • Auto Image Rotation • Image Comment (up to 36 characters)
Orientation sensor	Yes (Rotates user interface when using camera in portrait orientation)
Storage	• SD / SD HC / SDXC • FAT / FAT32 • Supports firmware update via SD card
Video output	NTSC or PAL selectable
Connectivity	• USB 2.0 (Hi-Speed) • Mass storage / PTP selectable • A/V out • HDMI out • DC-IN (optional AC adapter and adapter connector)
Languages	Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish
Power	Lithium-Ion battery pack EN-EL14 (7.4 V, 1030 mAh)
Working environment	• 0 to 40°C (32 to 104°F) • Less than 85% humidity
Dimensions	124 x 96 x 75 mm (4.9 x 3.8 x 3.0 in)
Weight (no batt)	455g (1.0 lb)
Weight (inc. batt)	505g (1.1 lb)
Supplied accessories	• Rechargeable Li-ion Battery EN-EL14 • Quick Charger MH-24 • Eyepiece Cap DK-5 • Rubber Eyecup DK-20 • USB Cable UC-E4 • Video Cable EG-D100 • Camera Strap AN-DC3 • Accessory Shoe Cover BS-1 • Body Cap BF-1A, Software Suite CD-ROM
Optional accessories	Remote Control MC-DC2, Capture NX2, Camera Control Pro, AC Adapter Connector EP-5, AC Adapter EH-5, Video Cable EG-D100, Semi Soft-Case CF-DC1, Speedlight SB-900/600/400/T041/R1C1

Nikon D3100 specifications

Price (Body + 18-55mm VR Lens) US: $699
UK: £579.99
EU: €599

Body color Black

Sensor* • 23.1 x 15.4 mm CMOS sensor
• Nikon DX format (1.5x FOV crop)
• 14.2 million effective pixels*
• RGB Color Filter Array
• 12-bit A/D converter

Anti-dust measures • Image sensor cleaning system
• Airflow control system
• Image dust off from reference frame (using optional Capture NX software)

Image sizes* • 4608 x 3072 (L)*
• 3456 x 2304 (M)*
• 2304 x 1536 (S)*

Image quality * • NEF (12-bit compressed RAW)
• JPEG fine (1:4)
• JPEG normal (1:8)
• JPEG basic (1:16)
• NEF (RAW) + Fine JPEG*

Movie sizes* • 1920 x 1080 24p*
• 1280 x 720 30p*
• 1280 x 720 25p*
• 1280 x 720 24p*
• 640 x 424 24p*

Movie format * • MOV, H.264, mono sound recording (PCM)

Color space • sRGB
• Adobe RGB

Lens mount Nikon F mount (with AF contacts)

Lens compatibility
• AF-S, AF-I
• Other Type G or D AF Nikkor
• Other AF Nikkor/AI-P Nikkor

• Type D PC Nikkor

• Non-CPU

• IX Nikkor/AF Nikkor for F3AF
• AI-P NIKKOR
-All functions supported
- All functions supported except autofocus
- All functions supported except autofocus and 3D Color Matrix Metering II
- All functions supported except some shooting modes
- Can be used in mode M, but exposure meter does not function; electronic range finder can be used if maximum aperture is f/5.6 or faster
- Cannot be used
-All functions supported except 3D color matrix metering II

Autofocus • 11 area TTL phase detection
• Nikon Multi-CAM1000 autofocus module
• Detection range: EV -1 to +19 (ISO 100 equivalent, at normal temperature)
• Manual focus [M], Electronic range finding supported

Lens servo* • Single-servo AF (AF-S)
• Continuous-servo AF (AF-C)
• Automatic AF-S/AF-C (AF-A)
• Full time AF (AF-F)*
• Manual focus (MF)

AF Area mode • Single Area AF
• Dynamic Area AF
• Auto Area AF
• 3D Tracking (11 points)
• Closest Subject Priority Dynamic Area AF

Focus tracking Predictive focus tracking automatically activated according to subject status in continuous-servo AF

Focus area Can be selected from 11 focus points

Focus lock Focus can be locked by pressing shutter-release button halfway (single-servo AF) or by pressing AE-L/AF-L button

AF Assist White light lamp

Exposure mode* • Auto
    - Auto
    - Flash off
• Scene Modes
Portrait
Landscape
Child
Sports
Close up
Night portrait
• Programmed auto (P) with flexible program
• Shutter-priority auto (S)
• Aperture priority auto (A)
• Manual (M)
• GUIDE mode
    • Easy operation
Auto
No flash
Distant subjects
Close ups
Sleeping faces
Moving subjects
Landscapes
Portraits
Night portrait
    • Advanced mode
Soften backgrounds (aperture priority)
Bring more into focus (aperture priority)*
Freeze motion (people) (shutter priority)
Freeze motion (vehicles) (shutter priority)
Show water flowing (shutter priority)*

Metering TTL exposure metering using 420-pixel RGB sensor
• Matrix :3D color matrix metering II (type G and D lenses); color matrix metering II (other CPU lenses)
• Center-weighted: Weight of 75% given to a 8mm circle in center of frame
• Spot: Meters 3.5 mm circle (about 2.5% of frame) centered on active focus area

Metering range • EV 0 to 20 (3D color matrix or center-weighted metering)
• EV 2 to 20 (spot metering)

Meter coupling CPU coupling

Exposure comp. • +/- 5.0 EV
• 1/3 EV steps

AE Lock Exposure locked at detected value with AE-L/AF-L button

AE Bracketing None

Sensitivity* • Auto
• ISO 100
• ISO 200
• ISO 400
• ISO 800
• ISO 1600
• ISO 3200*
• ISO 6400 (Hi1)*
• ISO 12800 (Hi2)*

Auto ISO options* • On/Off
• Maximum ISO (200 to Hi2)*
• Minimum shutter speed (1 to 1/2000 sec)

Shutter • Electronically-controlled vertical-travel focal-plane shutter
• 30 to 1/4000 sec (1/3 EV steps)
• Flash X-Sync: up to 1/200 sec
• Bulb

White balance Auto (TTL white-balance with 420 pixels RGB sensor)
• Twelve manual modes with fine-tuning
    • Incandescent
    • Fluorescent
Sodium-vapor lamps
Warm-white fluorescent
White fluorescent
Cool-white fluorescent
Day white fluorescent
Daylight fluorescent
Daylight fluorescent
Mercury-vapor lamps
    • Direct sunlight
    • Flash
    • Cloudy
    • Shade
• Preset white balance (immediate or from photo)

WB fine tuning Yes, (except preset manual)

Image parameters • Picture controls: Standard, Neutral, Vivid, Monochrome, Portrait, Landscape
• Quick Adjust: 5 settings (adjusts Sharpening, Contrast and Saturation by preset amounts)
• Sharpening: Auto, 10 levels
• Contrast: Auto, 7 levels
• Saturation: Auto, 7 levels
• Hue: 7 levels

Viewfinder • Optical fixed eye-level
• Pentamirror type
• Built-in dioptre adjustment (-1.7 to +0.5 m^-1)
• Eye point: 18 mm (at -1.0 m^-1)
• Frame coverage 95% (approx.)
• Viewfinder magnification approx. 0.8x with 50mm lens at infinity; -1.0 m^-1
• Focusing screen: Type B BriteView clear matte screen Mark VII*

LCD monitor • 3.0" TFT LCD
• 230,000 pixel

Built-in flash • Auto, Portrait, Child, Close-up, Night portrait
• Auto flash with auto pop-up,
• Manual pop-up in P, S, A or M modes
• Guide number approx. 12/39 at ISO 100 (am/ft)
• Guide number approx. 13/43 at ISO 100 (m/ft) in manual mode

Sync contact X-contact only; flash synchronization at shutter speeds of up to 1/200 sec

Flash control • TTL flash control by 420-segment RGB sensor. i-TTL balanced fill-flash for digital SLR and standard i-TTL fill-flash for digital SLR available when CPU lens is used with built-in flash, SB-400, SB-800, and SB-600
• Auto aperture with SB-800 and CPU lenses
• Non-TTL auto with SB-800, 80DX, 28DX, 28, 27 and 22s
• Range-priority manual with SB-800

Flash mode • Auto, Portrait, Child, Close-up: Auto, auto with red-eye reduction; fill-flash and red-eye reduction available with optional Speedlight
• Night portrait: Auto, auto slow sync, auto slow sync with red-eye reduction; slow sync and slow sync with red-eye reduction available with optional Speedlight
• Landscape, Sports: Fill-flash and red-eye reduction available with optional Speedlight
• P, A modes: Fill flash, rear-curtain with slow sync, slow sync, slow sync with red-eye reduction, red-eye reduction
• S, M modes: Fill flash, rear-curtain sync, red-eye reduction

Flash compensation • -3 to +1 EV
• 1/3 steps

Nikon Creative Lighting system • Advanced Wireless Lighting supported with SB-900, SB-800 or SU-800 as commander

Shooting modes • Single frame shooting (S) mode
• Continuous shooting (C) mode: approx. 3.0 frames per second
• Self-timer
• Quick-Response Remote
• Delayed Remote

Continuous buffer • Unknown

Self-timer • 2, 5, 10 or 20 sec

Remote control* • Using optional MC-DC2 cable via GPS socket*

Text input Up to 36 characters of alphanumeric text input is available with LCD monitor and multi-selector; stored in EXIF header

Playback functions • Full frame
• Thumbnail (4, 9, or 72 images or calendar)
• Playback with Playback zoom
• Slide Show
• Histogram Display
• Highlights
• Auto Image Rotation
• Image Comment (up to 36 characters)

Orientation sensor Yes (Rotates user interface when using camera in portrait orientation)

Storage • SD / SD HC / SDXC
• FAT / FAT32
• Supports firmware update via SD card

Video output NTSC or PAL selectable

Connectivity • USB 2.0 (Hi-Speed)
• Mass storage / PTP selectable
• A/V out
• HDMI out
• DC-IN (optional AC adapter and adapter connector)

Languages Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish

Power Lithium-Ion battery pack EN-EL14 (7.4 V, 1030 mAh)

Working environment • 0 to 40°C (32 to 104°F)
• Less than 85% humidity

Dimensions 124 x 96 x 75 mm (4.9 x 3.8 x 3.0 in)

Weight (no batt) 455g (1.0 lb)

Weight (inc. batt) 505g (1.1 lb)

Supplied accessories • Rechargeable Li-ion Battery EN-EL14
• Quick Charger MH-24
• Eyepiece Cap DK-5
• Rubber Eyecup DK-20
• USB Cable UC-E4
• Video Cable EG-D100
• Camera Strap AN-DC3
• Accessory Shoe Cover BS-1
• Body Cap BF-1A, Software Suite CD-ROM

Optional accessories Remote Control MC-DC2, Capture NX2, Camera Control Pro, AC Adapter Connector EP-5, AC Adapter EH-5, Video Cable EG-D100, Semi Soft-Case CF-DC1, Speedlight SB-900/600/400/T041/R1C1

*Changed compared with the D3000

Phottix Cleon II Wire/Wireless Remote Control Set

2010-08-20T02:59:00.002+07:00

Intro

I recently reviewed the Phottix Cleon wireless remote, which was released by Phottix in February 2008. Since that time, Phottix have not been resting on their laurels, but were busy designing a new and improved version.

A new model, the Phottix Cleon II, was released earlier this year, in January 2009. It provides a number of improvements and enhancements since the Cleon.

Phottix Cleon II

This Review: Differences between Cleon and Cleon II Only

Most of the functionality of the Phottix Cleon II is the same as that of the Phottix Cleon. Having recently reviewed the Cleon, rather than duplicating much of the information from the Cleon review in this Cleon II review, please refer to my earlier review of the Cleon.

Overview of the Cleon II

The size and shape of the Cleon II transmitter and remote are identical to the previous model, the Cleon. However, there are a number of differences in the functionality of the Cleon II.

The back of the Cleon II transmitter indicates the model is "WXD-189", and this review looks at the C8 model of the Phottix Cleon II wireless remote, which comes with a cable that has an N3 connector to suit Canon 20D/30D/40D/50D/5D/1D cameras. I'm testing it on a Canon 50D body.

components: receiver, transmitter, camera cable, battery, wrist strap and clip

One of the immediately obvious differences between the Cleon and the Cleon II is the fact that the Cleon II does not have the receiver cable hard-wired into the receiver. Instead, one end of the receiver has a 3.5mm stereo plug, which goes into a corresponding 3.5mm stereo socket on the receiver.

Cleon II packaging

This allows Phottix to manufacture a single model of receiver, and just provide different cables to suit different model cameras (this approach has also been taken with the Phottix Nikos digital timer remote).

I'll be taking a closer look at other differences between the Cleon and Cleon II in subsequent parts of this review.

A quick search on eBay indicates the Phottix Cleon II typically retails for about AUD$56 (approx USD$36), which is about AUD$10 more than the previous model Cleon.

Features and Specifications

Specifications (as listed on the packaging):

Name of Product	Transmitter	Receiver
Power	12V / 23A	3V / CR2
Life of Battery	up to 3 years	20,000 Times
Smart Code System	16 000 000 combination codes
Range	100m (320ft) without obstacles
Monitor Light	Two color LEDs	Two color LEDs
Frequency	433 MHz

Differences Between Cleon and Cleon II

To summarise the differences between Cleon and Cleon II, I've listed them in a table. Note that this table does not include functionality that exists in the Cleon and in the Cleon II; it only lists the differences between the two models.

Name of Product	Cleon	Cleon II
release date	February 2008	January 2009
frequency	315 MHz	433 MHz
number of channels	16 (set with DIP switches)	16,000,000 (preset in transmitter)
transmitter-camera cable	hard-wired into transmitter	removable with 2.5mm plug
transmitter antenna length	75 mm	125 mm
2S switch	configured on receiver	configured on transmitter
multiple frames option	none	configured on transmitter
receiver power switch	4-position slide switch	hold down on switch for 3 seconds
terminate wireless bulb mode	half-press on transmitter	half-press or full press on transmitter

Synchronising the Transmitter and Receiver

The Cleon II supports 16,000,000 different channels, and I found that I had to synchronise the receiver and transmitter before they would communicate. Once this synchronisation operation has been completed, it shouldn't be necessary to re-synchronise each time you use the Cleon II.

receiver

transmitter

To check if the transmitter and receiver are synchronised, turn on the receiver. Holding down the "set/power" button on the receiver for approximately three seconds will turn it on, and the red LED on the left hand side of the receiver should turn on.

Move the mode switch on the transmitter to "S/B" and hit the shutter button on the transmitter. If no LEDs light up on the receiver, then you'll need to synchronise them using the procedure described below.

receiver, showing two status LEDs and socket for camera cable

To synchronise the receiver to the transmitter:

turn receiver on by holding down "set/power" button for ~3 seconds until right hand side LED turns on
press "set/power" button on receiver 5 times until LED on left hand side flashes red
press shutter button on transmitter
LED on left hand side of receiver should turn off

Now that the synchronisation has been completed, half-depressing the shutter button on the transmitter should result in the LED on the left hand side of the receiver going green, and a full press of the button should result in this LED going red.

Note that multiple receivers can be programmed to respond to a single transmitter, allowing you to trigger multiple cameras with a single transmitter.

After removing the receiver's battery for several minutes, I re-installed it, and confirmed that the receiver was still synchronised to the transmitter, so it appears that the synchronisation is a once-off exercise that won't need to be repeated (unless you want to synchronise the receiver to a different transmitter).

Using the Cleon II

As with the original Cleon, the receiver can be used as a dumb wired remote, using the shutter button on the receiver. Moving the receiver mode switch to "Hold" allows it to be used for long bulb-mode exposures without having to hold the shutter button down.
Note that there is no need to power on the receiver when using it as a wired remote.

using the receiver as a wired remote

When using the Cleon II in wireless mode, the plastic hotshoe connector can be used to mount the receiver on your camera's hotshoe, either facing forwards or backwards.

receiver mounted on the camera hotshoe

The receiver's mode switch needs to be set to "On", the receiver powered on (by holding the "set/power" switch down for three seconds until the power-on LED lights up), and the transmitter can then be used to trigger the receiver.

using the Cleon II wirelessly

The transmitter's mode switch allows three different modes to be selected:

S/B - single exposures or bulb mode (hold transmitter button down for 3 seconds to lock the shutter open in bulb mode)
2S - single exposures with a 2 second delay
multiple exposures - when triggered by transmitter, receiver will take 5 exposures

Cleon II is Better Than Cleon Because...

After having reviewed and compared the Cleon and Cleon II, I believe the Cleon II is definitely an improvement over the Cleon, for the following reasons:

auto code setting with 16,000,000 possibilities, no DIP switches required
no unnecessary power-off switch on transmitter
receiver cable is not hard-wired into receiver
2S (2 second delay) mode is now selected on transmitter, not receiver
5 frame setting on transmitter
transmitter antenna is longer, and should provide a longer range
wireless bulb mode can be terminated with half-press or full press on transmitter

transmitter with antenna fully extended

Regarding the last item in the list above, with the Cleon, a half-press on the transmitter button is required to terminate bulb mode. This is not particularly intuitive, and a full press on the transmitter button has no effect.

However, with the Cleon II, either a full-press or a half-press on the transmitter button will terminate bulb mode, and this is a bit user-friendlier.

Verdict

There's still no way to hang the receiver from your tripod if your camera's hotshoe is occupied with a flash or a flash trigger. However, that can be fairly easily rectified by drilling a small hole in the receiver case to attach a small lanyard, or tying something to the hotshoe adaptor on the receiver.

The Phottix Cleon II has numerous improvements over its predecessor, the Cleon, so if you are intending to purchase a Cleon, be sure to order the Cleon II, rather than the superseded Cleon.

Phottix Cleon Wire/Wireless Remote Control Set

2010-08-19T21:04:00.005+07:00

Intro

The Phottix Cleon is a combination wired and wireless shutter release for cameras. It was released in February 2008 at PMA 2008 (Photo Marketing Association tradeshow).

The Cleon consists of a compact wireless transmitter and wireless receiver, and can be configured to use any one of 16 wireless channels.

The receiver can be used as a wired remote shutter release, and supports single shot mode, as well as bulb mode for long exposures.

Alternatively, the Cleon can be used as a wireless remote, with the transmitter used to trigger the camera's shutter remotely. The specifications indicate the wireless range is upto 100 metres.

Phottix Cleon

Wireless Shutter Release?

A shutter release is designed to allow you to trigger a camera's shutter without having to depress the camera's shutter button itself. This can be particularly important when taking long exposure photos with the camera mounted on a tripod, as the physical action of depressing the shutter button on the camera is likely to result in the camera moving, thus resulting in a photo that is no longer sharp.
A shutter release also allows the camera's shutter to be triggered from a distance.

A wired remote shutter release is the simplest option, and consists of a switch that's connected in parallel with the camera's shutter button, connected via a cable to the camera. However, you're still tethered to the camera with the cable, and need to stay in close proximity to the camera while using the cable release.

A wireless shutter release provides a lot more flexibility, as it un-tethers the remote from the camera, and uses a wireless (RF or infrared) signal to communicate with either the camera itself, or a receiver that's connected to the camera. Depending on the range of the wireless shutter release, it allows you to trigger the camera's shutter from a distance, and can be useful for situations where you've set up the camera on a tripod, and you are some distance away.

An infrared-based wireless remote requires clear line-of-sight between the transmitter and receiver. However, an RF-based wireless remote such as the Phottix Cleon does not require line-of-site between the transmitter and receiver, and hence is much more flexible than an infrared-based wireless remote.

Overview of the Cleon

The Phottix Cleon has two primary components, namely the transmitter and the receiver. The receiver has a cable hard-wired into it, and different models of the Cleon come with varying connectors, to suit different cameras.

package contents - transmitter, receiver, battery for receiver, wrist strap and clip

The receiver needs to be connected to the camera's remote shutter release connector, and the model reviewed here is the Phottix Cleon C8, which has an N3 connector on the end of the receiver's cable, to suit the Canon 10D/20D/30D/40D/50D/5D and 1D cameras.

I'm testing it with a Canon 50D DSLR body.

A quick search on eBay indicates the Phottix Cleon typically retails for about AUD$46 (approx USD$29).

Cleon Models and Camera Compatibility

Cleon packaging

All DSLR camera manufacturers use different connectors for connecting shutter releases to the camera, and Phottix provide several different models of the Cleon, to suit different cameras. The only difference between these models is the connector on the end of the cable that's hard-wired into the receiver.

The complete lineup of Phottix Cleon models is as follows:

C8: for Canon 10D/20D/30D/40D/50D/5D/1D
C6: for Canon 300D/350D/400D/450D/1000D and Pentax K20D, K200D, K10D , K100D
N8: for Nikon D100/D200/D300/D700/D3
N6: for Nikon D70s/D80
S6: for Sony/KM cameras

Features and Specifications

Specifications (as listed on the packaging):

Name of Product	Transmitter	Receiver
Power	12V / 23A	3V / CR2
Life of Battery	up to 3 years	20,000 Times
Number of channels	16	16
Range	100m (320ft) without obstacles
Monitor Light	Two color LEDs	Two color LEDs
Frequency	315 MHz

Four small DIP switches on the receiver and transmitter are used to set the channel used for communications between the two devices, providing a total of 16 different channels.

Note that the DIP switches are flush with the surface of the remote, so you need a sharp object to move the switches. This also helps ensure the channel switches do not get accidentally moved in your camera bag.

receiver

transmitter

A single transmitter can be used to trigger multiple receivers, if the receivers are configured to use the same channel. In other words, you can use a single transmitter to trigger multiple cameras, if each camera is connected to a Cleon receiver on the same channel.

The camera cable connected to the Cleon receiver is hard-wired into the receiver, and cannot be removed from the receiver.

The Cleon receiver has a plastic hotshoe connector on its base, and this allows you to attach the receiver onto the camera's hotshoe for convenience, rather than leaving it dangling from the cable. There are no electrical contacts in the hotshoe connector on the Cleon receiver; it's purely a physical connection to hold the receiver.

Cleon receiver on a Canon 50D

The Cleon receiver can be oriented to either face the front of the camera, or the rear of the camera, when mounting it in the camera's hotshoe. This allows you to have the status LEDs on the receiver facing either forwards or backwards, so you can see the LEDs if you're standing in front or behind the camera.

Cleon receiver

The receiver's mode switch allows various modes to be selected, including:

Off - turns the RF receiver off, but receiver can still be used as a wired remote
On - turns the RF receiver on, and the transmitter can be used to trigger the camera shutter
2S - turns the RF receiver on, and adds a 2 second lag when the transmitter triggers it
B - long exposures in bulb mode when used as a wired remote

Cleon transmitter

The transmitter has a simple On/Off switch, as well as a telescopic extendable antenna. The wrist strap and clip provided with the Cleon can be attached to the transmitter, if desired.

Using the Receiver as a Wired Shutter Release

The receiver can be used as a simple wired remote shutter release, utilising the large button on it to trigger the camera's shutter. The receiver needs to be connected to your camera by plugging the end of the receiver's cable into the camera's remote socket. A half-press of the receiver's button is equivalent to a half-press on the camera's shutter button, and a full press is equivalent to a full press on the camera's shutter button.

The mode switch on the receiver can stay in the "Off" position, and there's no need for a battery in the receiver when it's being used as a wired shutter release.

For long exposures using the camera's bulb mode, rather than holding down the shutter button on the Cleon receiver, moving the receiver's mode switch to "B" will cause it to hold the camera's shutter open. Moving the mode switch back to "Off" will cause the camera's shutter to close.

Using the Cleon Wirelessly

To use the Cleon to wirelessly trigger your camera, you'll need to connect the receiver to the camera's remote socket, and optionally mount the receiver unit on the camera's hotshoe. The mode switch on the receiver needs to be switched to "On" if you want the camera to immediately take a photo as soon as the transmitter button is fully depressed, or "2S" if you want the receiver to wait for 2 seconds before taking a photo.

The power switch on the transmitter needs to be set to "On" before it can be used to remotely trigger the receiver.

Cleon transmitter

Depending on the distance between the receiver and transmitter, you may also need to extend the antenna on the receiver. The specifications claim a working distance of 100m in an area free of obstacles, but I haven't yet tested the range of the Cleon.

When the mode switch on the receiver is set to "On", the LED on the left hand side periodically flashes green, to indicate it's ready for operation. With the mode switch set to "2S", the LED on the right hand side of the receiver periodically flashes red.

half-press: green LED

full press: red LED

Half-depressing the button on the transmitter causes the status LED on the transmitter to glow green, and the LED on the left hand side of the receiver will also glow green. This is equivalent to a half-press on the camera's shutter button.

Fully depressing the button on the transmitter causes the status LED on the transmitter to go red, and the LED on the right hand side of the receiver also goes red as the camera's shutter is triggered.

Wireless Bulb Mode with the Cleon

The Cleon also supports bulb mode wirelessly, without requiring you to hold the transmitter button down to keep the camera shutter open.

To use the Cleon's wireless bulb mode, your camera needs to be configured in bulb mode. To open the camera's shutter, hold the transmitter button down for about 4 seconds. During this time, the transmitter's LED will be red, and will then turn off after 4 seconds. Once the transmitter's LED has turned off, you can release the transmitter button, and the receiver will hold the camera shutter open. The LED on the left hand side of the receiver will remain red while it holds the shutter open.

To release the shutter, half-press the button on the transmitter, and the red LED on the receiver should turn off as it releases the camera's shutter.

The Verdict

The Phottix Cleon provides a cheap and compact wireless remote shutter release, and also offers the flexibility of being able to be used as a wired shutter release. A wireless shutter release allows the camera's shutter to easily be triggered from a greater distance from the camera (upto 100m).

The Cleon is well-constructed, and during my testing, it performed flawlessly, with no false triggering occurring during testing (although I all my testing was over short distances).

The receiver's plastic hotshoe provides a convenient mechanism to mount the receiver on the camera's hotshoe. However, if you have a flash or a flash trigger mounted on the hotshoe, you cannot mount the Cleon receiver. Having a lug for attaching a small strap to the receiver would be useful in these situations, as you could then hang the receiver from your tripod.

I'm not sure why the transmitter requires a power switch, as I don't believe the circuitry is active unless the shutter button is being depressed. However, the power switch ensures the battery will not be drained if the shutter button on the transmitter is accidentally depressed in your camera bag.

I have found the convenience of a wireless shutter release to be handy, even in situations where I'm close to the camera. Sunrise and sunset photo shoots often see my camera mounted on a tripod, taking photos as the lighting conditions change. The wireless shutter release allows me to easily trigger the camera's shutter without having to walk upto the camera and tripod, and use a wired shutter release.

Phottix Hero LiveView Wireless Remote

2010-08-19T16:34:00.009+07:00

Intro

The Hero LiveView Wireless Remote is a very new product from Phottix, and was demonstrated at PMA in March 2009.
It is designed to provide the photographer with the ability to remotely monitor the viewfinder via a 2.4" colour LCD, and trigger the shutter remotely, from distances as far as up to 100m away from the camera.

In other words, the Hero is a remote control for your DSLR camera, but unlike most wireless remote controls, it also provides you with live video from your camera's viewfinder.

The Hero is designed to work with DSLR cameras that do not have any LiveView functionality, by using a small camera to look into the camera's viewfinder. The Hero can also be connected to a DSLR camera that does support LiveView using an AV cable.

Why A LiveView Remote?

A LiveView remote for a DSLR camera is an interesting concept, and has a number of applications. While there are plenty of other wireless remotes that allow you to remotely trigger a DSLR camera shutter (such as the Cleon and Cleon II , those remotes do not give you any indication of what is within the camera's frame.

A LiveView remote provides the same functionality as those wireless remotes, but also allows you to have a remote view into the DSLR, and see exactly what is within the viewfinder of the DSLR.

This can be particularly useful for situations where you might want to set up a remote camera, such as sports, wildlife, etc. You can then remotely monitor whatever the camera is pointing at, and then trigger the camera's shutter to take a photo if there's any action occurring.

The Hero may also be useful for KAP (kite aerial photography, where people hang a camera from a kite for aerial photos), as the video feed will allow you to easily see where the camera is pointing.

Terminology

In this review (as well as in the draft Phottix documentation), when I refer to the Hero transmitter, I'm referring to the component that is attached to a DSLR camera, and when I refer to the Hero receiver, I'm referring to the remote control with the LCD screen.

Strictly speaking, both components act as a receiver and a transmitter (ie, the "receiver" is a receiver for video, but is the transmitter for shutter control, while the "transmitter" is a transmitter for video, but is the receiver for shutter control).

However, the key function of the Hero is the remote video, so the terminology reflects the function of each component with respect to the video transmission and reception.

What's In The Box?

The box containing the Phottix Hero was surprisingly large. Opening the box reveals the Hero receiver and transmitter, both securely snuggled into a layer of foam with cutouts to suit these components.

receiver and transmitter, securely packed in foam

Lifting out the foam reveals a large collection of accessories in the bottom of the box.

revealing what's hidden under the foam

The image below shows all the accessories included with the Hero.

Hero accessories

Starting at the top left of the photo above, and moving around the photo in a clockwise direction, the accessories shown are:

2 x 5V 1000mA AC/DC adaptor (ie, charger) with European 2-pin plug
2 x universal to Australian power adaptor
headphones
(for connecting to Hero receiver)
2 x rechargeable 3.7V 1300mAh lithium-ion batteries
(one for Hero transmitter and one for Hero receiver)
3.5mm stereo to RCA cable
(for connecting other AV input to Hero transmitter)
2.5mm stereo to Canon N3 cable
(for connecting Hero transmitter to DSLR shutter release)
3.5mm stereo to 3.5mm stereo cable
(for connecting DSLR AV output to Hero transmitter
assortment of viewfinder adaptors
(for use on DSLRs without LiveView)

Note that I received a shutter release cable with a Canon N8 connector, which is designed to work with the Canon 10D/20D/30D/40D/50D/5D/1D DSLR cameras. Other cables are available to suit other cameras.

The assortment of adaptors for mounting the Hero transmitter onto a DSLR viewfinder includes adaptors labelled C1, C2, N1, N2, S, O. Phottix have informed me that these adaptors suit the following cameras:

C1: Canon 350D, 400D, 50D, 1Ds Mark II
C2: Canon 1Ds Mark III
N1: Nikon F5, F6, D2Xs, D3, D3x
N2: Nikon D70s, D80, D90, D200, D300, D700
S: Sony
O: Olympus

I used the "C1" adaptor when testing the Hero on a Canon 350D and a Canon 50D.

The C1 adaptor should also fit the Canon 300D, 450D, 500D, 10D, 20D, 30D, 40D and 5D, as they all use the same viewfinder eyecup.

Overview of the Hero

The two key components of the Hero LiveView Wireless Remote are the transmitter and the receiver.

Note that the Hero is a very new product, and I have a pre-release version for review. The documentation is still in the process of being completed, and the release version of the Hero will have some changes compared to the one described in this review.

Many of the controls and sockets on the pre-release version of the Hero's receiver and transmitter are not labelled, so here's some annotated photos. (Note that the controls and sockets on the final version will be labelled.)

Hero transmitter controls

The transmitter requires two connections to your DSLR camera, namely a shutter release cable, and either an AV connection for LiveView video, or it needs to be mounted on your DSLR's viewfinder, using it's tiny built-in camera to look through the viewfinder.

Hero receiver controls

The receiver has a 2.4" (61mm diameter) colour LCD screen for displaying video feed from the transmitter, as well as a remote shutter button. As with other remote shutter releases, a half-press on the shutter button is equivalent to a half-press on the camera's shutter button, and will cause the camera to focus. Fully depressing the button will cause the camera to actuate the shutter and take a photo.

The 2-second delay button provides functionality for taking a photo, but with a delay of two seconds.

The remote shutter button includes bi-directional communications, with LEDs on the receiver indicating the status of the remote transmitter when depressing the shutter button (ie, similar to the Phottix Plato 2.4GHz wireless remote).

Holding down the "CH+" button for 3 seconds will cause the Hero receiver to enter power saving mode, temporarily turning off the LCD screen. Apparently this will also turn off the video transmission system in the Hero transmitter, thus helping to conserve the battery in both the transmitter and the receiver.
A single quick press of the "CH+" button will resume normal operation, and turn on the LCD screen again. Note that while in power saving mode, the shutter button on the Hero receiver will still function normally.

Both the Hero receiver and transmitter use a compact NB-5L rechargeable lithium-ion battery, and have a power socket to allow a DC power supply to be connected for recharging the battery.

The RF communications for the remote shutter control uses 433MHz, and the video transmission uses 2.4GHz.

Channel Adjustment

The Hero uses two separate RF mechanisms for communications between the transmitter and receiver, with one being used for the remote shutter control, and the other for transmitting video (and audio) from the transmitter to the receiver.

Four channels are available for the transmission of the video signal. Being able to select any of these four channels allows you to select the channel that has the least interference, as well as ensuring that multiple people can use Hero remotes in one location without interfering with each other.
The button labelled "CH+" on the Hero receiver allows you to toggle through these four channels.

The frequency used for RF communications for the remote shutter release operation can be selected using a tiny button on the top left of the Hero transmitter. The button itself is recessed in the case, and needs to be pressed with a pin or straightened paperclip. Pressing this button while the Hero transmitter is powered on will adjust the frequency it uses, and will result in the right LED on the transmitter flashing very rapidly.
To synchronise the Hero receiver, press the shutter button on the receiver, and the centre LED on the transmitter should briefly light up, and the right LED will then start flashing slowly. This indicates the transmitter and receiver are now synchronised, and the shutter button on the receiver will now cause the transmitter to trigger the camera's shutter.

Using on Cameras without LiveView

You do not need a DSLR camera with LiveView to be able to use the Phottix Hero. It can be used on almost any DSLR, as the Hero transmitter has a built-in camera for looking through your DSLR's viewfinder.

built-in camera in Hero transmitter, with lens cap removed

Note that you need to remove the viewfinder cup from the DSRL, and the Hero transmitter, with the appropriate adaptor fitted, can then be mounted over the DSLR's viewfinder.

Hero transmitter mounted on Canon 50D viewfinder

Note that you will probably need to adjust the diopter on your DSLR's viewfinder to focus the image seen on the Hero's receiver (but be sure to focus the camera first!). The LCD screen on the Hero receiver will show you what the transmitter's built-in camera is seeing through the DSLR viewfinder, thus providing you with a remote view of what the DSLR camera is seeing.

Using on Cameras with LiveView

If you have a DSLR that has LiveView functionality, there's no need to mount the Hero transmitter on your DSLR's viewfinder. Instead, you can connect the DSLR's AV output directly to an AV input socket on the Hero transmitter.

Note that with the Canon 50D, when a cable is plugged into the 50D's AV output, it disables the rear LCD on the 50D.

The Hero transmitter will transmit the AV output from the DSLR to the Hero receiver, and display it on the LCD screen. Turning on LiveView mode on the DSLR should result in the Hero receiver displaying what you would normally see on the DSLR's rear LCD screen.

Note that when using the DSLR's LiveView, you'll need to ensure you set the DSLR's auto power-off setting to something long enough to ensure the DLSR doesn't turn itself off.
Once the DSLR goes into power saving mode, it'll go out of LiveView mode. Half pressing the shutter button on the Hero's receiver will wake the camera up again, but it won't switch back to LiveView mode, leaving you without a video feed to the Hero receiver!

Field of View - Comparing LiveView vs Viewfinder vs Camera

I noticed that LCD screen on the Hero receiver provides a cropped view, with a portion of the bottom of the image cropped off. This occurs both when using the Hero's built-in camera through a DSLR viewfinder, and when connecting a DSLR LiveView AV output to the Hero's transmitter.

To demonstrate this, I set up a Canon 50D on my patio table, pointing towards my back yard, and mounted the Hero transmitter on the viewfinder, and also connected it to the Canon 50D's AV output, with the 50D in LiveView mode.

The images below demonstrate the cropping that is occurring to the video signal displayed on the Hero receiver.

Hero on viewfinder on Canon 50D

Hero connected to Canon 50D LiveView AV output

actual field of view of Canon 50D

With the Hero transmitter mounted on the Canon 50D's viewfinder, both sides and the bottom of the image are cropped off.

When using the Canon 50D's LiveView, with the 50D's AV output connected to the Hero transmitter, a small portion of each side of the image is cropped, but not as much of the LCD screen is used (as is evident by the larger area of black space around the image).

I did a similar test with the Hero mounted on the viewfinder of a Canon 350D, and the results are shown below.

Hero on viewfinder on Canon 350D

actual field of view of Canon 350D

When using the Hero to peer through the Canon 350D's viewfinder, both sides, as well as the top and bottom of the image are cropped.

While the Hero receiver's LCD screen shows a cropped view, this isn't a significant issue. The aim of the Hero is to provide you with a remote video view of what your DSLR is pointing at, and it certainly does that.

Summary and Conclusions

While the colours of the Hero's LCD screen are a little washed out, and the image is cropped, this isn't an issue, as it still provides a useable video image to allow you to see what is in the remote DSLR's frame.

It is also worth mentioning that when using the Hero on a DSLR's viewfinder, it functions suprisingly well in very low light. A closer look at the tiny camera built-in to the Hero transmitter indicates it has the text "IR" on the side of the lens, which would appear to indicate it's an infrared camera, thus explaining the good low-light performance.

The compact rechargeable lithium-ion batteries allow the size and weight of the Hero transmitter and receiver to be kept low. However, without any spare batteries, it means you need to ensure you recharge the batteries before going out on a photoshoot (although if mains power is available, you can keep the rechargers plugged into the transmitter/receiver, thus running them off mains power, rather than relying on battery power).

The rather flimsy antenna on the Hero's transmitter is just a length of wire protruding from the case. This antenna is likely to get bent while in a camera bag, but is easy to straighten. I'd prefer to see a more robust antenna on the transmitter.

When mounting the Hero transmitter on a DSLR viewfinder, I found that the image shown on the Hero receiver's LCD screen was significantly out of focus (note that I first ensured that the DSLR lens had been focussed). The focus of the image can be adjusted using the DSLR's viewfinder diopter. However, it means that the viewfinder is out of focus when you next use it without the Hero. This is annoying, as it means you need to adjust the diopter each time you mount the Hero transmitter, or remove it from your DSLR. I'd prefer to see some focussing mechanism built into the Hero transmitter's camera.

The Hero LiveView Wireless Remote is well-built, and performs its intended function well. With no cables hard-wired to the Hero transmitter, additional flexibility is achieved, as you can use a Hero with various cameras, providing you have the appropriate cables to suit each camera.

If a wireless remote view of your camera's viewfinder is something you would find useful in your photography, then definitely consider the Phottix Hero.

Pricing and Availability

Phottix have advised that the Phottix Hero will be publicaly available from the end of April 2009, at an expected cost of approx USD$380-400.

The Phottix Hero will be available for purchase from Phottix's worldwide distributors and from HK Supplies (a Phottix sister company).

Update: Phottix are now selling the Hero via their recently launched their online store.

Note that this review was based on a pre-release version of the Phottix Hero. Once the release version is available, I intend to provide updated information, and clarify any changes between the pre-release version and the release version.

Update (27 April 2009):

Someone asked about the size and weight of the Hero transmitter and receiver, so here they are:

Hero transmitter:

weight: 91 grams (including battery)
size: 48x78x27mm (width x length x height, excluding antenna and viewfinder mount)
Hero receiver:
weight: 144 grams (including battery)
size: 65x134x25mm (width x length x height)

The rechargeable lithium-ion batteries each weigh 23 grams.

Yongnuo YN-560

2010-08-19T13:19:00.003+07:00

Eagle-eyed Flickr users have spotted the first flash in Yongnuo’s new YN-56X line,

the YN-560, on the HKYongnuo web site.

According to reliable sources, the YN-46X line has ended with the YN-468 – the Nikon version of which is scheduled to be released in 2 months.

From the images (see more here) we can see the new YN-560 features:

New body design (think Canon 580EX II), including an improved battery compartment door.
24-105mm manually-controllable power zoom
“Idiot lights” to show zoom setting, mode and power level
Manual mode and two slave modes (despite the caption saying “TTL”, this is likely reserved for a future model, e.g. YN-565)
Improved optical slave, with range of “up to 15m”
PC sync port
High voltage battery pack input (looks like Canon type)
Bounce card and flip-down diffuser
Ready beep (can be switched off)
Full to 1/128 power (control pad also suggests potential for fractional adjustment?)
Guide Number (GN) 58 (metres) at Iso 100, 105mm zoom.
“you can completely get rid of the evil anxiously waiting for call back dream” with a fast recycle time
8fps at 1/8 power and below
Power saving mode (can be switched off)
Settings are saved when you switch the flash off

Read the full specifications here.

2010 WorldWidePhotoWalk Contest Winner

2010-08-17T10:11:00.007+07:00

2010 Best in Show & Grand Prize Winner

Photo By Rhys
South Wharf, VIC Australia – July 24, 2010

2010 Honorable Mentions. Click Here

Peoples Choice. Click Here

Sony announces 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 E-mount lens availability

2010-08-16T14:21:00.001+07:00

Sony has announced its 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 OSS E-mount telephoto lens will be available from September 10, 2010 at an estimated retail price of $800 in the US and £699 in the UK. The image-stabilized zoom lens with an equivalent zoom range of 27-300mm is designed for the company's NEX series of interchangeable lens cameras and camcorder. It will join the existing line-up of E-mount lenses - the 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 zoom and 16mm F2.8 pancake wideangle.

Click here to read the announcement (in Japanese)

Print The Perfect Image

2010-08-16T10:22:00.002+07:00

Learn how to use the Print module to bring your images into the spotlight and share with clients, friends or family. Also, see the new tools for making custom contact sheets and print packages.

How to create Lightroom Presets

2010-08-16T09:32:00.001+07:00

Lightroom presets can be used to help speed up your workflow. For those of you who aren’t familiar with presets this article will give you an overview of what they are and how to create them. A preset in Lightroom is basically just a pre-created list of actions to apply to an image. I think actions can be a great time saver but always advise people to use them with caution. Sometimes you can over apply an effect to your work that takes away from the original image so it’s always good to still take your time when doing post production and make sure the image really has the feel you are going for. I also use an action as a starting point and usually still fine tune the image from there.

Here are the steps to create your own presets:

Choose an edited photo that you have already “stylized”.
Go to Lightroom’s Develop Module
On the left hand side of the screen look for the Presets menu. Lightroom comes with a set of presets for you to start with that will be titled “Lightroom Presets”
Click the “+” button.
A dialog box will pop up, asking you to pick the settings you want to include in the action. Normally I check all of the boxes here.
Name the preset (something you will remember like vintage sepia that describes the effect of the action)
Choose the folder you want to save the preset in. Once you have a lot of presets it’s usually best to group them into different folders. To create a new folder just choose “Add new” at the top of the options in this drop down box.
Click create and your done!

Now to use the action just click on the action name in your list and the photo you currently have up will have all the settings applied.

What’s your favorite actions you use? Any good free ones you have found or paid ones that are really worth it? Share with us by leaving a comment.

Adding Copyright Data in Lightroom

2010-08-13T01:57:00.002+07:00

Over the next few Tuesdays, we’re going to undertake a project, one in which we take steps to protect our art. If you’re not adding copyright information to your images, you are leaving yourself wide open to having your intellectual property drained away! You need to think seriously about a plan to label, identify and register your images, so that the benefits of your hard work are coming to you.
Today, we will take the first steps, in identifying ways to add copyright information to your images. If you aren’t already doing this, read on! If you are, I encourage you to read on anyway, as we will be looking at ways to speed up your workflow and automate things, so you can work harder on your image and not so hard on the maintenance! We’ll start out with Adobe Lightroom, but in future installments we’ll look at automation features in Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Bridge as well/
In Lightroom, when you are in Library view (press ‘G’ for the grid view of the Library module), you can inspect the metadata of any image by looking at the right side panel in the ‘Metadata’ section. Make sure the drop-down next the the Metadata header is set to “Default,” and you’ll see not only the filename and location, but other information such as title and caption, Copyright Information, Ratings, Labels, and Camera EXIF data. This is a good place to start.

Let’s take a closer look at this panel. Notice that you can enter values in most of the fields, and in this case I have a few fields to note: The “Copyright Status” is set to “Copyrighted,” The “Copyright” field is set to “©2010 Michael J. Hoffman,” and the “Creator” is set to “Michael J. Hoffman.”

Now, click the dropdown next to the header “Metadata” and choose the setting “IPTC.” This will show additional metadata which is in the file, and if we scroll all the way down, we see not only the previously mentioned copyright information,but we also see “Rights Usage Terms” set to “All Rights Reserved” and also a URL giving the location of my copyright terms (click to see a larger image):

Of course, all these fields can be manually entered within the Metadata Panel, right here in the Library module in Lightroom. Now, if you know me, you know I’m not going to type in all this stuff on all the images I publish, let alone all the images in my library. I’m WAY too lazy for that! Yet, this data is firmly attached to all my images, and I’ll show you here how to automatically add it to yours.

Working in Lightroom, we choose Metadata > Edit Metadata Presets… and we see the following dialog box:

Note that there may be some data filled in, depending on which photo was selected (if any) in the Library grid. Not to worry, you can delete them or leave them – we’ll work with it.
Let’s begin by adding the appropriate fields in the IPTC Copyright and IPTC Creator fields. Notice that as each field is modified, a checkbox appears next to that field. This indicates that we will be modifying that field. Additionally, notice the section checkboxes next to “IPTC Copyright” and “IPTC Creator.” An empty box means no modification, a box filled with blue color indicates “some” fields are being affected, and a checkmark means every field in that section is to be modified.

Make sure that only the checkmarks for the two sections we’ve modified are active, uncheck any other sections. Now, go to the top of the dialog next to the label “Preset:” and pull down the dropdown list. Select “Save current settings as new preset…”

In the “New Preset” dialog box, give your preset a name, and click Create:

With this action, now all the items in which we placed checkboxes are saved as a metadata preset, to be used later. We can apply this preset to an image or group of images, simply select them in the Library module, go to the Metadata panel, and in the “Preset” box, pull down the list and choose the preset you just created (in this example, I chose the one called “MJH 2010”):

Now, even this is too much work for me. I don’t want to have to go through my library adding this to images. Fortunately, it happens that in Lightroom’s Import module, there is an easy way to add your metadata preset during the import process. Simply choose it from the right hand side of the Import module, in the section labeled “Apply During Import.” When you select your pre-configured metadata preset this way, ALL your images are tagged with the metadata on import, and if you leave this selected, you need never worry about remembering it in the future. It stays selected for you. (Just remember to create a new one for 2011 when the new year hits!)

Next week, we’ll look at a parallel workflow for creating metadata templates for use in Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Bridge. See you then!

Image Circle - Canon "EF" and "EF-S" lenses

2010-08-10T01:08:00.001+07:00

There's one more thing to understand about lenses for full frame and APS-C sensors and that's the concept of the image circle. Basically all lenses produce a circular image field and the diameter of that circle has to be larger than the diagonal of the frame, otherwise the corners of the image will be dark. For full frame 35mm a lens must have an image circle larger than 43.27mm, and for a 15 x 22.5 mm APS-C frame, an image circle of at least 27.04mm. This is shown schematically below:

Crop Sensor (APS-C) Cameras and Lens Confusion

2010-08-09T17:23:00.001+07:00

Despite the fact that so called "crop sensor" digital SLRs have been with us for over 5 years, there's still a huge amount of confusion out there about exactly what a crop sensor camera is and what effect is of using a lens with a crop sensor camera rather than a full frame camera. The photography forums are full of confused newcomers asking about focal length, field of view etc.
First, what is a crop sensor camera? Well, it's simple. A full frame 35mm camera ( whether it uses film or a digital sensor) records an image that is approximately 36mm x 24mm in size. In the early days of digital sensors it was not possible to make digital sensors that big in any sort of quantity, and the ones you could make were so expensive that hardly anyone would have been able to buy a camera which used one. So camera makers decided to use a smaller sensor, around 15mm x 22.5mm. This just happens to be close to the image size which was used with the short-lived APS film format, specifically the APS-C image size of 25.1 × 16.7 mm (there was also APS-H and APS-Panoramic format).

The "crop" name comes from the fact that if you take a full frame image (24x36mm) and crop the center 15x22.5mm out of it, you get an image the size of "crop" sensor cameras.

So why does the format size matter and what effect does it have on focal length? Well the answer to the second part of the question is "none". The focal length of a lens is the focal length of the lens. Whether you mount that lens on a 35mm camera, a medium format camera of a large format camera doesn't change its focal length. All 35mm lenses and lenses designed for use on APS-C DSLRs are marked with their true, actual, focal length.

The problem is that most of us have been trained to think in terms of focal length rather than field of view when comparing lenses. We've been trained to think that a 50mm lens is "normal", a 35mm lens is "wide normal", a 28mm lens is "wide", a 24mm lens is "very wide", a 20mm lens is "super wide", a 16mm lens is "ultrawide" and so on. In fact this is true ONLY if that lens is making a 36mm x 24mm image. The field of view (which is what "wide" is all about) is actually determined just as much by format size as by focal length. The diagram below shows why.

s you can easily see from the diagram, the larger the format, the wider the angle of view for a lens of a given focal length (shown by the red lines for the larger format and the blue lines for the smaller format). That's why a 28mm lens on a full frame 36x24mm gives a wide view (red lines), but on a smaller format camera such as one using and APS-C crop sensor, it's not so wide (blue lines). In fact if you put that same 28mm lens on a Canon EOS crop sensor camera, the angle of view decreases as you can see from the figure above. The angle of view decreases to the extent that it's now the same as that of a 44.8mm lens mounted on a full frame camera. It means that if you look through the viewfinder of an APS-C crop sensor camera with a 28mm lens mounted on it, you'll see exactly the same angle of view as if you looked through the viewfinder of a full frame camera with a 44.8mm lens mounted on it.

To get the same field of view as a 28mm lens on the full frame camera, you'd need a shorter focal length lens when used with the APS-C crop sensor. That's illustrated by the green lines in the image above. In the case of EOS DSLRs, the focal length would need to be 17.5mm. The relationship of these numbers will be explained next.

Leica posts firmware update for M9 rangefinder

2010-08-09T16:03:00.001+07:00

Leica has released a firmware update for its M9 digital rangefinder. Version 1.138 improves auto white balance performance in certain lighting conditions and improves compatibility with SDHC memory cards. The latest firmware also fixes a few minor bugs. The firmware is available for immediate download from Leica's website.

myzappy

Adobe updates Elements applications with haze and shake removal, enhanced editing guidance

Polaroid Introduces New Z2300 Instant Digital Camera

Nikon D7000 Preview

Nikon D7000 Key Features

Nikon D7000 and Nikon D90: Key differences

Compared to the D90 and D300S: core feature and specification differences

Canon develops world's first 120 megapixel APS-H CMOS sensor

Canon successfully develops world's first APS-H-size CMOS image sensor to realize record-high resolution of 120 megapixels

Latest Strobist speedlight comparison (updated)

Metz introduces Mecablitz 58 AF-2 and 50 AF-1 flashguns

Press Release:

The next generation of a successful model

Nikon D3100

Nikon D3100 Key Features

Nikon D3100 vs D3000: Key Differences

Nikon D3100 specifications

Phottix Cleon II Wire/Wireless Remote Control Set

Phottix Cleon Wire/Wireless Remote Control Set

Phottix Hero LiveView Wireless Remote

Yongnuo YN-560

2010 WorldWidePhotoWalk Contest Winner

2010 Best in Show & Grand Prize Winner

Photo By Rhys South Wharf, VIC Australia – July 24, 2010

2010 Honorable Mentions. Click Here

Peoples Choice. Click Here

Sony announces 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 E-mount lens availability

Print The Perfect Image

How to create Lightroom Presets

Adding Copyright Data in Lightroom

Image Circle - Canon "EF" and "EF-S" lenses

Crop Sensor (APS-C) Cameras and Lens Confusion

Leica posts firmware update for M9 rangefinder

Photo By Rhys
South Wharf, VIC Australia – July 24, 2010