A descendant of the Olympus 1040 SW, the new Olympus Stylus Tough 8000 features the camera manufacturer’s expertise in rugged design. It is likely that Olympus has done everything possible to protect the  inner workings of this point-and-shoot camera from water, shock, and pressure; save encasing it in thick rubber. On one vacation day with the family, for example, you could drop this camera from a maximum height of 6.6 feet, dive underwater to 33 feet, absentmindedly leave it in mini-freezer in your hotel room, and run it over with bellman’s cart full of 220 pounds of luggage and still —  be able to make  snapshots and movies.

Design

I tested a gleaming stainless steel model; a black model is available and likely to be less conspicuous. It protects a 12 megapixel camera with a 2.7 inch crisp bright screen, and a lens with 28 – 102mm equivalent in 35mm photography. If given the option to choose between a wider or a longer lens on a compact camera, I’ll always vote for the wide angle. The lens does not protrude from the camera body at any time, and the lens door is a solid piece or material, rather than a leaf-type design, which no doubt contributes to its durability.

There is no optical viewfinder and I would call this an unfortunate omission if not for the fact that the LCD screen is so bright that it can actually be seen in full sunlight. The control buttons, all placed on the back, right side of the camera are tiny, but not so small that someone with average-sized fingers can’t touch the buttons accurately. With the exception of the black lettering on the control dial, all the other printed text is white. On the stainless steel body these graphics are barely visible. The shutter release is positioned just where my index finger wants to go but there is no real gripping surface on the camera. A thin wrist strap is included with the camera and if used, adds some stability.

I have liked Olympus’s user interface/menu design for some time. Each of the Scene menu choices  display a thumbnail photo of ‘landscape’, ‘night scene’, ‘sports’, etc as well as one or two sentences of descriptive text for each preset. The 8000 does a good job of selecting the right combination of F-stop, shutter speed and white balance for each selection. You easily over-ride the flash settings (Auto, On, Fill, and Off), white balance, Display, Exposure Compensation, and Shadow Adjustment. Display mode turns on or off a very useful grid which is great for getting horizons level. I was very pleased to find a live histogram.  Camera mode (selected on the control dial) gives you the most control of  settings. However, most users are likely to be satisfied with the Scene settings day in, day out.

Underwater

When I received the test camera I was most interested in trying out its underwater capabilities. My 8 year old daughter willingly volunteered to serve as a model, and we headed for the swimming pool at the local YMCA. Olympus is careful to warn you about the importance of checking the integrity of the doors to the multi-connection port, and the battery/memory card chamber. Any hairs or detritus that disturbs the seal on the o-rings of the doors could doom the camera.

We made a number of still images and short movies and the results were very pleasing. White balance was about as reasonable as I would have expected, given the mixed light sources in a big swimming pool. Zoom is disabled for movies when the sound recording is on. If you want to shoot at full resolution of 640×480 @ 30 frames/second, use a large capacity xD card. The 1 gig card that I used offered a max recording time of 9 minutes and 23 seconds for a continuous take. You can shoot again immediately, after the memory buffer is cleared.

Image Quality and Test Images

Still image quality is very good from ISO 64 to 400 (selectable in Camera mode) The noise levels at ISO 800 and 1600 are high, but acceptable if you don’t make prints larger than 4×6 inches, and you are content with just capturing an image to record an event. Shoot at the lower sensitivity settings, and you’ll be able to make fine quality prints up to 12×18 inches. I did find some blown out highlights. The following slide show includes images taken at a variety of camera settings. See the captions for details and make your own comparisons. Click the icon at lower right for a full screen show.

Who Is This Camera For?

Rugged as it is, if you have recently wrecked a point and shoot camera by dropping from a modest height, or drowning it, you’re a great candidate. (By the way, no camera is impervious to beach sand.) It would make a great all purpose family camera, as tested by my 8 year old, who easily used it in the swimming pool and outdoors. Planning a rafting trip down the Colorado River or a backcountry skiing trip in the Colorado Rockies? This camera is likely to stand up to a fair amount of abuse. As a day-to-day camera, it is compact enough to easily fit in most purses and jacket pockets, although it may feel a bit heavy in a front pant’s pocket. Image quality is easily on a par with other cameras in this price range.

The free editing and downloading software that comes in-box is similar in many ways to iPhoto, and lets you do image adjustments on the fly on Mac or Windows platforms. The Stylus Touch 8000 cannot take the place of a full digital camcorder on your vacation, but its video image quality and ease of use makes it perfect for grabbing those once-in-a-lifetime shots. In its class of ruggedized point-and-shoot cameras, the Olympus Stylus Touch 8000 is the best I’ve seen.

Price and Availability

Street Price: About $292.00 USA. Available worldwide.

Specifications

Mushing on Chocorua Lake, New Hampshire © Paul Mozell

This post is adapted almost entirely from the content of workshops I once taught for the Winter Hiking & Backpacking Program of the AMC – Appalachian Mountain Club. Indeed, if you really want to learn how to stay warm and have fun in the cold, hang out with some ice climbers and winter backpackers.  Let’s start with the extremities. If your feet and hands are cold, put on a hat. Not only does your head have a lot of surface area that radiates heat, but it acts as a chimney, and warmth from your body core just rises us through the neck and head. Forget about those silly, fluffy ear warmers and get a couple of nice, fuzzy, fleece or wool hats. I say two, because on a full day outing, or if I know the weather is going to change, I may switch from a hat that has full ear coverage and makes me look like a bearded Andean or Nepali herdsman, to a light weight hat made for cross-country ski racing.

The hands are next, and here you have a lot of choices. Start with a pair of thin, synthetic, liner gloves. This way you’ll be able to handle cold cameras and tripods for a few seconds or minutes. Over the liner gloves you’ll be wearing either a heavier, water-resistant glove or mitten. Although mittens are warmer than gloves, you give up a lot of dexterity. Here is my favorite tip of all. If you are the kind of person who always has cold hands, wear or carry a couple of pairs of disposable latex or plastic gloves as your first layer. The vapor barrier principle has been extensively researched. It explains that your body loses heat either by radiation or by evaporation. A waterproof layer worn directly on your skin entirely prevents that evaporative heat loss. If your outer gloves get wet from melting snow or ice, the latex gloves help restore the insulating value of the outer gloves. Trust me, this works very well. Thin rubberized kitchen gloves are equally effective.

On to your feet. In the coldest weather—and for the sake of this discussion, I’ll say below 20° F, boots with a removable inner liner are the warmest. Sometimes called Mukluks or Pac Boots, these calf high boots most likely are adapted from the style of heavy moccasins worn by Inuit and Native American people. Sorel is the best known manufacturer of these as well as LL Bean. Forget about wearing summer hiking boots in the winter. I do also wear a pair of winter boots made by Columbia that are nearly as warm as the Sorels. Although the insulating layer is not as thick, the design uses synthetic materials that radiate heat back to your feet.

Want to keep your toesies really warm? Wear Vapor Barrier Socks. Yes, a thin nylon, waterproof sock worn is the first layer on your feet. They work just like the VBL (vapor barrier liner) gloves I talked about earlier. Yes, your feet will be a little damp and a little smelly when you remove the socks, but you’ll be surprised how the sweat glands in your feet actually shut down. There will not be a puddle of perspiration in the socks, rather your feet will be nice and toasty. Alternatively, you can wear the VPLs over a think pair of breathable liner socks, covered by some heavy wool or synthetic “regular” socks. Google, for suppliers of vapor socks.

“Cotton Kills”, is an oft used expression in the hiking and climbing community, and for good reason. A garment like a cotton T-shirt or sweatshirt, when soaked with perspiration, dries from the outside first, so you stay cold.  This has to do with the nature of cotton fibers and how water travels through them. Wool garments, on the other hand, dry from the inside first, due to the properties of natural wool and the osmosis principle. In the 1970′s when I started winter hiking and camping, we all endured 100% wool underwear, which was all that was available — aside from the 100% cotton “waffel” or “thermal” underwear. The wool was warm, very itchy, and smelled horrible after a few hours – or days – of sweat accumulation. Then someone came up with polypropylene underwear which didn’t itch, was very warm, but stayed skinky even after a thorough machine washing. “Polypro” as we called it, has been retired, and has been replaced by great fabrics that that keep you warm and comfy, are easily washed, and come in several weights and fashionable colors. You must own at least one zip-turtleneck and long-john set.

Oh yes, back to cotton kills. Jeans or dungarees are the wost garments you could possibly wear for cold weather. Those Levis are guaranteed to keep you stiff, cold, and wet until you perish in the wilderness! Get a pair of light weight, breathable-waterproof pants to wear over your synthetic underwear. Downhill ski pants are probably too heavy weight, so I prefer uninsulated pants made for climbing, hiking, or cross-country skiing. If you can get some with full-length zippers you’ll be in great shape. The best fabric comes from Gore-Tex. It still is the most breathable of the waterproof materials, and likely has the longest life in active use, but it costs the most. Other fabrics that use a waterproof-breathable coating, as opposed to the laminate used the Gore-tex, are not as breathable and long-lasting, but will cost you less. In a pinch, a pair of cheap, breathable, nylon gym pants work very well over long underwear, as long as they don’t get wet.

The upper body. Keep your core warm, but control perspiration. This is the mantra of all cold weather enthusiasts. The key to managing your heat on a long photography trek is layers, layers, layers. Polyester fleece jackets are everywhere now, available in multiple weights and designs. Get yourself at least two of those and cover them with a roomy parka shell that has plenty of pockets. The parka may be your priciest investment, so shop wisely. You can drop anywhere from $150 to $400 on these, but you get what you pay for in design features and workmanship. I prefer parkas that have no lining or insulation, letting the fleece jacks provide the warmth. The key is to develop your own system of layers that can be quickly removed and changed, adjusting to how much you are perspiring, and the weather conditions. Only get garments that have full zippers – avoid pull-over jackets and sweaters, if you can.

There is a lot more to this science, or practice, or fanaticism, of dressing for, and thriving in the cold weather. For outdoor photographers, the old mantra still holds true: “There’s no bad weather, only bad clothing”.

A few favorite suppliers:

1. REI (Recreation Equipment)  – A great cooperatively-run corporation, I’ve been a member for over 30 years. They are an affiliate advertiser on Photo-Review
2. LL Bean – Since time began, known for their superb customer service and terrific store-brand clothing and gear
3. Patagonia – An innovative and environmentally-focused clothing manufacturer, admired by all outdoor nuts.

Selling your own photographic prints and licensing your work is now a do-it-yourself imperative! The photography marketplace is overflowing with online providers of print production services and increasingly, options for posting and selling licensed images on your own, without the help of a stock agency.

When the bottom fell out of the stock photography market about four years ago, largely due to the success of micro-payment or micro-stock agencies, a number of entrepreneurial small players stepped up and said to photographers, “we’ll give you the tools to sell your own work. Go for it!”  You can waste your time uploading hundreds of thousands of images to iStock, Shutterstock, et al who will sell your work for peanuts, or you can stick to the rights managed model and try to get a decent paycheck worthy of your creative and technical skills. Right’s managed, by the way, means clients pay a negotiated fee for very specific, usually one-time, use of each image. In the royalty free model, they pay a one-time fee for unlimited usage — but with no exclusivity.

To get you started, here is some essential info about a few of the sites. I joined Photoshelter very recently, and quickly found it to be one of the most comprehensive and sophisticated sites in the business. With a focus on sales of stock photography and professional images, this one site provides a wealth of educational tools for photographers about marketing their work; a means to archive many gigabytes of precious photographic images; an elegant and straightforward system for making websites and online galleries, and no less than 3 different commercial photolab services integrated with the site. They’ve partnered with Fotoquote from Cradoc Software to give your customers the ability to pay for usage based on current market rates and data. Very cool. And there’s more – I just don’t have the space. This is no Flickr and its no Kodak Gallery. Its a place for full-time and part-time pros who need to post password-protected images for clients, make galleries for brides, galleries for sales of fine art prints, and host events done by sports and event photographers.

I’ve been with Printroom for a few years as well. To me, their focus is on event photography and secondly on the wedding and portrait market. Printroom has a great offline uploading tool that works very cleanly, their pricing is very low, print quality good, and you can post output from weddings, portrait sessions, and sports events with ease. I’ve shot road races in the morning and posted the shots that afternoon, with searchable bib number IDs built into the search fields. Very fast. I like their templates for suggested pricing and the tables where you can instantly see your profit margin from each print production product.

Collages.net is the place to go for a get a very elegant sites for your weddings and portrait shoots. Select the music, the appropriate design template and upload your work. I especially like the way you can pre-post, or bookmark a wedding. Although you only start paying for the service on the day you upload images, you can get a designed URL, so that brides, friends, and relatives can log-in and request instant notification when their online proofs are ready. Collages does a lot of marketing on your behalf, sending low-key messages out to registered guests when the standard 2 month posting time is about to elapse. You, the bride, or a guest, can pay to extend the posting period for a modest fee. You can pay by the job, by the month, or get a break by paying in volume up front. Their interface is better than anything offered by the big wedding labs. Amaze your clients with the lightning fast turnaround you can provide with a service like Collages. They do print fulfillment and digital offset books too.

Smugmug has a funky name – and they explain it somewhere on the site – but forget about that. This is the site to use if you want tons of flexibility for the look and feel of your photo gallery. You can sign up with just a vanity site that posts your photos for a modest fee, or get a professional level site for a little more, that has different pricing models and more features. The people who use Smugmug love it. I’m not a subscriber, but I keep running into devoted customers. Slick and well-engineered.

Other sites in the same league:

Livebooks – on a par with Photoshelter, catering to all kinds of imaging and design professionals. Also, Pictage – same users as Collages.

Don’t yell at me if I’ve missed your favorites here. Post a comment!

The STYLUS TOUGH-3000 is the latest in the Stylus Tough series, a family of compact cameras designed for the places where families really go, like the pool, the slopes and the great outdoors,” said Nadine Clark, product manager, Olympus Imaging America Inc. “With HD video and 12 megapixels of resolution, you’ll relive life’s adventures.”

HD Videos and HDMI Control for a Home Theater Experience
The STYLUS TOUGH-3000 shoots gorgeous 720p HD videos using a dedicated one-touch button, so you’ll always capture the scene. Playback is also a breeze. Now, you’ll be the hit of the party or any family function when you proudly display your brilliant images and videos on high-definition televisions. Simply connect the camera to an HDTV with an HDMI™ cable, which can be purchased separately at any consumer electronics store. With HDMI Control, you can use your HDTV’s remote to control playback functions and navigate the camera’s menus from the comfort of your favorite couch.

AF Tracking for Friends and Man’s Best Friend
AF Tracking technology locks your fast-moving subject in focus, and continuously adjusts focus and brightness. This enables you to keep in focus fast-moving and unpredictable subjects like snowboarders on your favorite mountain, tropical fish while snorkeling or children at play anywhere in the great outdoors to capture the perfect shot. There’s even a specially designed AF Tracking “Pet Mode” for animal lovers.

Express Your Inner Artist with Magic Filter

In-camera Art Filters debuted on Olympus E-System DSLR (digital single lens reflex) cameras last year. Similar technology, called Magic Filter, has been developed for the new STYLUS TOUGH-3000. The Magic Filter enables the user to enhance and customize images as they’re being captured. This translates into more fun and flexibility as customization is no longer limited to using expensive and time-consuming computer software.

The new Magic Filter includes:

* Pop Art – Enhance and saturate colors to create vivid, high-impact pictures that express the joyful, lighthearted feeling of the Pop Art style of the 1960s;
* Pin Hole – Reduce the peripheral brightness of an image as though it were shot through a pin hole, connecting the viewer intimately with the subject at the center;
* Fish-Eye – Emulate the wide-angle of a fish-eye lens by taking extremely wide, hemispherical images and magnifying the center of the frame; and

* Drawing – Turn your image into a sketch outline for children to color.

Nothing Can Shock This Tough Camera
Afraid the mountain wind might sweep a camera out of your hands and dash it on the rocks below? Never fear, the STYLUS TOUGH-3000, available in fun and sporty red, pink, blue and green, can withstand a five-foot drop thanks to the Stylus Tough series’ shock-absorbing technology, which minimizes the impact on the lens and circuitry.

Point-Dunk-and-Shoot Cameras
Stylus Tough series cameras perform as well underwater as they do on land because their lightweight, yet durable exteriors are matched with interior rubber gaskets and O-rings to seal out the elements. The STYLUS TOUGH-3000 can be submerged up to 10 feet underwater. The inclusion of four preset underwater scene modes makes this camera perfect for taking photos while swimming, snorkeling or simply having worry-free fun in the pool. It can also capture HD movies underwater. The camera features a water-repellent lens coating to prevent water droplets from forming on the lens and enabling you to get crystal-clear shots no matter how wet the shooting environment.

Freezeproof for Arctic Adventures
Whether you’re in the arctic tundra or building a snowman in your backyard, the STYLUS TOUGH-3000 camera can still perform when the temperature dips well below freezing (14 degrees Fahrenheit; -10 degrees Celsius). Stylus Tough cameras continue to enable you to capture great images in freezing situations where most traditional cameras would fail.

Wide-Angle Optical Zoom Captures It All
The STYLUS TOUGH-3000 features a 3.6x wide-angle optical zoom (28-102mm equivalent in 35mm photography, f3.5-5.0) so that even more of the subject makes it into each shot – perfect for underwater photography. The lens does not protrude from its body so it is further protected from harsh conditions.

Cut Out the Blur with Dual Image Stabilization
Dual Image Stabilization combines two technologies – mechanical Sensor-Shift Image Stabilization and Digital Image Stabilization – to provide one powerful anti-blur solution for capturing great images whether the photographer or the subject is moving. Olympus’ mechanical Sensor-Shift Image Stabilization keeps images sharp by adjusting the internal image sensor to compensate for camera movement, even in low-light conditions when shutter speeds are slower. Additionally, Digital Image Stabilization freezes the action with high ISO sensitivity and fast shutter speeds that prevent blurry images often caused by a moving subject.

Hit Them with Your Best Shot: Tap Control
The Stylus Tough cameras can be controlled with a simple tap on their top, back or sides, which is made possible thanks to their internal 3D accelerometer that detects the direction of the force on the camera’s body. In adverse climates, Tap Control ensures fast adjustment of settings even if you are wearing gloves that make pressing traditional buttons nearly impossible.

12 Megapixels for Superior Image Quality
The STYLUS TOUGH-3000 camera offers a 12-megapixel image sensor enabling consumers to achieve consistently sharp and vivid images when producing large-format prints or cropping/enlarging a portion of an image.

Can’t Hide with Face Detection!
Portrait and group shots make family reunions live beyond the short event, and with Face Detection you’ll capture even the shyest relatives. The STYLUS TOUGH-3000 detects up to 16 faces within the frame and automatically focuses and optimizes exposure to capture sharp, brilliant portraits and group shots. Thanks to the unrivaled durability of the Stylus Tough series, you’ll capture amazing photos even if your next family reunion is at a national park, a water park or a ski slope!

Intelligent Auto Thinks for You
Skating at night? You won’t be the last one on the ice setting your camera. Intelligent Auto Mode automatically identifies what you are shooting (i.e., Portrait, Night + Portrait, Landscape, Macro and Sports) and adjusts the camera’s settings to capture the best quality results. First-time users can jump into this quick and hassle-free feature that does the thinking for them and produces incredible images.

Broaden Your Horizons with In-Camera Panorama
The places you can take Stylus Tough cameras – the rocky terrain of the Grand Canyon, the arctic glaciers of Alaska or the volcanic sand beaches of Hawaii – are locations where you want to capture as much of the scene as you can. In-Camera Panorama mode makes it easy by capturing three images and stitching them together to create one amazing panoramic picture. Simply press the shutter button and slowly pan across a panoramic scene. The second and third images will be captured automatically and stitched together with the first image – resulting in one seamless panorama-size picture. To create the ultimate panoramic picture, consumers can use the OLYMPUS [ib] Software to stitch up to 10 images together.

TruePicâ„¢ III Image Processor
Olympus developed its exclusive TruePic III image processor for the demanding performance of digital SLR (single lens reflex) cameras. Olympus’ enhanced TruePic III Image Processor produces crystal-clear photos using all the pixel information for each image to deliver superior picture quality with more accurate colors, true-to-life flesh tones and faster processing speeds. TruePic III also captures crisp, clear images at high ISO settings, which are traditionally associated with increasing image noise or producing grainy photos.

OLYMPUS [ib] Software and In-Camera Manual
All Spring 2010 digital compact cameras, including the Stylus Tough series, will offer the new OLYMPUS [ib] software. The new software includes photography workflow, browsing, editing and unique photo organizing functions. You can organize your photos by person with automatic face recognition technology, by location with a Geotagging function or by event. You can easily view photos on an HDTV or on the camera’s LCD with the Photo Surfing or Slideshow functions. The name [ib] stands for image bridging, image browsing and brighten images. The new software will be available for Windows operating systems only.

The STYLUS TOUGH-3000 will come equipped with the instruction manual saved on the camera’s new internal memory. This translates into easily referencing instructions while shooting on the go. The internal memory also enables in-camera image playback in an organized fashion. Eliminating a paper or CD-Rom instruction manual is part of Olympus’ ongoing environmental commitment to conserve natural resources and reduce its carbon footprint.

SD Compatibility
Olympus’ new Spring 2010 digital compact cameras offer SD capability for up to 32 gigabytes of capacity.

Availability
The STYLUS TOUGH-3000 will be available in February 2010. It includes: wrist strap, camera WIN/Mac USB cable, audio/video cable, Li-Ion rechargeable battery, warranty card and manual and OLYMPUS [ib] Software on the camera.

U.S. Pricing
STYLUS TOUGH-3000 Estimated Street Price: $229.99 (U.S.)

For more information, review units, product specifications and high-resolution images of the new Stylus cameras, contact Jeff Hluchyj, Mullen Public Relations, 617-226-9939 or jeff.hluchyj@mullen.com, or Jennifer Lyons, senior manager, public relations, Olympus Imaging America Inc., 3500 Corporate Parkway, Center Valley, PA 18034, ph: (484) 896-5350 / (800) 622-6372 or the Olympus Web site: www.getolympus.com.

ABOUT OLYMPUS IMAGING AMERICA INC.
Olympus Imaging America Inc. is a precision technology leader, designing and delivering award-winning products for consumer and professional markets.

Olympus Imaging America Inc. works collaboratively with its customers and its ultimate parent company, Olympus Corporation, to develop breakthrough technologies with revolutionary product design and functionality that enhances people’s lives every day. These include:

* Digital Cameras
* Professional Digital SLR Imaging Systems
* Related Underwater Products and Accessories
* Digital and Microcassette Recorders
* Digital Media
* Binoculars

Olympus Imaging America Inc. is responsible for sales in the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. For more information, visit: www.olympusamerica.com.

*Specifications and design are subject to change without any notice or obligation on the part of the manufacturer. All trademarks mentioned herein are the property of their respective holder. ©2010 Olympus Imaging America Inc.

Company Contact:
Olympus Imaging America Inc.
Jennifer Lyons
(484) 896-5350
jennifer.lyons@olympus.com

Agency Contact:
Mullen Public Relations
Jeff Hluchyj
(617) 226-9939
jeff.hluchyj@mullen.com

This is the first application to permit real-time, on-set remote viewing of medium format images, enabling instant feedback on any shot.

Now, while the photographer is shooting in a tethered mode, other people on set – the creative director, client, stylist, etc. – can watch via a standard Wi-Fi network, without hindering the movement of the photographer or crowding around one monitor. The images are hi-res and the software allows viewers to pan and zoom using their compatible Apple device.

Leaf Capture Remote application version 1.0 is free and available now for download from Apple’s iPhone App Store. It supports any Mamiya DM or DL medium format digital system.  Additional information on installation and setup of the server application is available through the Leaf Capture software link at www.Mamiya.com..

The Mamiya DM system of DSLR kits and Digital Backs offers photographers the ultimate in big-sensor image quality at very affordable prices. With models offering 22, 28, 33, and 56 megapixels, the Mamiya DM system continues to make Mamiya the brand of choice for today’s top professional photographers.

My workflow for this “ad”: Export images from Lightroom as jpegs. Import to iPhoto. Import to iMovie HD (I loath the new iMovie). Add a public domain soundtrack from Garageband. Export movie file to desktop and then upload to Youtube.

“We designed the Photo Runner 100 to work in multiple scenarios,” said Tim Grimmer, Lowepro product manager. “It’s an ideal everyday bag for the enthusiast, as well as a compact solution for the active photographer using it as an on-the-fly lens/accessory bag at an event or on a day trip,” he added.

The Photo Runner 100 features a fast-access, side-opening lid that opens wide, allowing the user to work right out of the roomy main compartment with ease. Adjustable, protective and padded dividers offer multiple ways to load gear into the Photo Runner 100—vertically with a DSLR with attached standard zoom lens and an additional lens or accessory—or, horizontally with a DSLR with attached lens up to 80-200mm f/2.8.

When worn as a beltpack, the Photo Runner 100 offers a lean, agile solution to maneuvering in a large crowd or at a fast-paced event. Compression straps on the waistbelt keep the weight of the camera gear on the hips and minimize movement.

To convert the beltpack to a shoulder bag, tuck away the waistbelt, attach the shoulder strap and adjust for a comfortable fit across the body or on the shoulder. A non-slip patch on the padded shoulder strap keeps it from slipping while in motion.

The design of the Photo Runner 100 responds to a busy shooter’s needs with convenient, well-constructed features that are right at hand: two memory card pockets are built into the inside lid; two gusseted front pockets (one with a “quiet” cord closure) provide quick-access to anything from cell phones, MP3 players and pens to filters, lens caps and larger accessories; compression straps at the bottom secure a compact tripod, monopod or light jacket to the bag; and SlipLock attachment loops expand the carrying capacity by adding compatible pouches and cases to the outside.

Additional features of the Photo Runner 100 include: oversized D-rings and snaphooks for easy connections; a quick-grab handle for an extra carrying option; vertical foam walls to provide an effective barrier against bumps, abrasion and moisture; and an OverLap Zipper to protect gear from dust, sand and moisture.

The Photo Runner 100 comes in Black and Mica.

All colors & sizes may not be available in all countries. Check with your local distributor for availability.

Design Highlights

• Lean, compact profile with a lightweight, minimalist design converts from a beltpack to a shoulder bag with ease.
• Fast-access, side-opening lid includes two built-in memory card pockets.
• OverLap Zipperâ„¢ protects gear from dust, sand and moisture.
• Two gusseted front pockets provide quick access to accessories and essentials
• Compression straps secure a light jacket, or a compact tripod or monopod to the bottom.

Dimensions

PHOTO RUNNER 100
INTERIOR:
10W x 4.5D x 7.7H in.
25.5 x 11.5 x 19.5 cm
EXTERIOR:
12.6 W x 6.3D x 8.8H in.
32 x 16.1 x 22.4 cm
FITS:
DSLR with attached standard zoom lens, plus one additional lens or flash—when loaded vertically; or DSLR with attached zoom lens (up to 80-200mm f/2.8)—when loaded horizontally; accessories and small personal items.

Click here for more information on Photo Runner 100

About Lowepro
It started with inventive spirit in a small Colorado garage over 40 years ago. Since then, Lowepro’s camera bags have been traveling the world, earning the loyalty and admiration of the best photographers, and setting the industry standard for inventive, purpose-built products. Our collections include professional-grade designs for cameras, notebooks, imaging accessories and portable consumer electronics. It is our passion and privilege to provide accessible, comfortable and protective designs for our customers. Lowepro products are available around the globe, for every climate, for every condition. Wherever you go, chances are you’ll find us there. To learn more about our inventive spirit, please visit www.lowepro.com.

Two key version 5.0 capabilities are Rear Curtain Sync and Pre-Flash Boost. PocketWizard’s rear curtain sync allows the photographer to set the shutter speed at which rear curtain sync automatically engages while optimizing the timing of rear curtain sync to fire at the absolute end of the shutter opening. Pre-Flash Boost provides enhanced E-TTL performance when using flash diffusers, doing bounce flash, or at ranges just beyond the normal E-TTL capabilities. By increasing the pre-flash power, PocketWizard has offset the loss of light in these challenging E-TTL situations.

Another significant new feature is Automatic Camera Detection. The ControlTL system can now automatically detect exactly which camera is being used to optimize system performance precisely for that camera. For Canon 5D and 5D Mark II users, this means the system will set the High Speed Sync crossover point to 1/320th versus the default of 1/400th to compensate for those camera’s slower shutter mechanisms. Camera compatibility for the Canon 7D has been added as well as E-TTL flash compatibility for the Metz 58 AF-1 flash.

Several other new features and refinements have been made and complete details can be found at www.PocketWizard.com/downloads. Current MiniTT1 Transmitter and FlexTT5 Transceiver
owners can upgrade to the new firmware for free via the recently revised PocketWizard Utility.

About PocketWizard and the MiniTTI and FlexTT5
The PocketWizard MiniTT1 Transmitter and FlexTT5 Transceiver for Canon allow photographers to wirelessly control single or multiple off-camera flash units. These radios interpret the flash and exposure data communicated through the camera’s hot shoe and digitally transmit the information through a reliable radio signal. Photographers can place E-TTL flashes connected to a dedicated FlexTT5 Transceiver for wireless E-TTL operation wherever they need to illuminate a scene, even out of sight or in bright sun. Any change in ISO, aperture, shutter speed and even flash compensation is automatically communicated and adjusted wirelessly. A ControlTL system for Nikon is in the works as well as compatibility with some studio lights. The ControlTL system is also compatible for standard triggering with all PocketWizard radios.

For More Information
For more information on firmware version 5.0, including all new features and refinements, please visit PocketWizard.com.

A fast telephoto lens offering built-in Vibration Reduction (VR II), and the world’s first telephoto converter to utilize an aspherical lens element, extending focal length by 2×, both compatible with the FX format

TOKYO — Nikon Corporation is pleased to announce the release of two new lens products, compatible with the FX format. The fast telephoto AF-S NIKKOR 300mm f/2.8G ED VR II lens is equipped with vibration reduction (VR II) that reduces the effects of camera shake equivalent to a shutter speed increase of approximately four stops. The AF-S Teleconverter TC-20E III, is the world’s first teleconverter* to utilize an aspherical lens element.

Nikon’s development of the FX-format D3-series and D700 digital-SLR cameras has received tremendous support from professional and advanced amateur photographers. Nikon is expanding NIKKOR lens and accessory lineups by releasing new, high-performance products compatible with the FX format, allowing us to cater to the more advanced demands of users.

AF-S NIKKOR 300mm f/2.8G ED VR II primary features

• Built-in vibration reduction (VR II) offering camera shake compensation equivalent to a shutter speed increase of approximately 4 stops
• The addition of A/M (autofocus with manual override; AF priority) focus mode prevents accidental switching from autofocus to manual focus. Along with M/A (autofocus with manual override; manual priority) mode, which enables manual focusing by rotating the focus ring while autofocus is operating and M (manual) mode, this makes for a total of three focus modes.
• The lens optics and Nano Crystal Coat so well received with previous lenses have been adopted without modification

AF-S NIKKOR 300mm f/2.8G ED VR II primary specifications

AF-S Teleconverter TC-20E III primary features

• An FX-format compatible teleconverter that extends the focal length of the primary lens by 2X*
• The world’s first teleconverter to utilize an aspherical lens element
• A new optical design that offers superior contrast and resolution
• Utilization of an aspherical lens element enabled a more compact and lightweight teleconverter

AF-S Teleconverter TC-20E III primary specifications

Old Pasture, Ipswich, MA, © Paul Mozell

© Paul Mozell

A day of nature photography can be approached with certitude, a casual air, rapid-fire shooting, or  a blend of all strategies. More often than not, I’m hoping to get a feeling of being in the zone, and experience some prolonged periods of creative clarity when photographic compositions appear before my eyes without effort. It’s a bit like a runner’s high, or endorphin rush.Some years ago I began to practice sitting on the forest floor watching the scene before me, looking somewhat blankly into the distance. Call it Zen, call it simple, but the result for me is an awareness of new compositions, well before I have lifted the viewfinder to my eye. I have found that if you deliberately search the space before you for something to photograph, then you might only discover what you are expecting to see; based on your prior experiences. But, in a relaxed near-meditative state of awareness, new images seem to appear.

Cornfield, Rochester Vermont, © Paul Mozell

Renowned photographer Frans Lanting has stated that he takes a measured and analytical approach to nature photography. There are times when I go this route as well, forsaking the contemplative method I just described. My interest in architectural photography, and perhaps a childhood growing up among the skyscrapers of Manhattan, informs my quest for linear forms and verticality in the natural world. I am drawn to lines of trees, breakwaters at the shore, and other subtle suggestions of symmetry. Who knows, I may just be submitting to the human tendency to find order in a chaotic universe?

As pleasing as a scenic overlook may be to our binocular human eyes, once printed to a flat screen or sheet of paper, that image may be darn well boring. Likewise, the brilliant colors of a sugar maple in early October, or the intense hues of a bed of tulips in a well tended garden may not support a good photograph on their own. We are easily fooled.

As much as digital imaging has altered and in many ways enhanced the way that I make photographs, I still harbor a resistance to continuous, rapid frame rate shooting. This has a lot to do with my father Al Mozell who gave me a special monetary “allowance” just for film, when I was about 10 or 12 years old. I kept it in a black and yellow plastic Kodak filter canister. This small sum was intended to teach me the value of each frame of Verichrome 120 film that I shot in my Rolleicord twin lens reflex. Later on, I learned to shoot with even greater care when I started working with a view camera for landscapes and architecture. With all that said, let it be known that I do appreciate the freedom that we now all have to shoot with joyful, digital, abandon; especially when the twilight is fading, the base runner is sliding, the heron is taking off, and the fashion model is leaping. These are the times it really pays to be a master of the advanced settings of your camera.

Courthouse Tower, Arches National Park, Utah, © Paul Mozell

On those days when I’m not finding anything to photograph, especially when I’m being paid to bring back memorable images, I must deconstruct a scene in my mind before clicking the shutter. I ask myself, in this nearly featureless landscape before me, or this dense wall of trees, to which single feature is my eye drawn? Is there a shape that stands out, but not obviously, like the constellations in the night sky? Is there something here that doesn’t fit in? How then can I compose the shot so that the viewer is compelled to hunt for that hidden feature or relationship? Or, should I make it very obvious?

Another compositional game I play is called, “Why is this not a good photograph?” When the default photograph from the mountain top is a wide angle shot of of the dramatic and hazy ridgeline in the distance, I look for patterns of shadow and shape that can be isolated with a long lens.

It’s not about the equipment, rather about how you see the world. And, if you’re the quick-draw type, inclined to let the motor drive to the talking for you, challenge yourself once in a while and sit down and absorb the beauty before you. Conversely, if you are a slow shooter like me, break up the pattern once in a while and just react to a scene, banging away at a high frame rate. Somewhere in the chaos you’ll expose a real winner.

It turns out that when you import a catalogue from Lightroom 1.x to version 2.0, the default setting is de-selected. However, new keywords created in version 2.0 do have a checkmark. The solution adds a simple Script pulldown menu to your toolbar that converts the keyword library with a few keystrokes.

http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/405/kb405074.html Happy keywording to you! Not the great joy of my life.

With gusts over 40 mph the challenge today was keeping my tripod from vibrating and blowing over. The wind swept off the tops off the waves and cleared the distant view of the north shore of Cape Ann. A polarizing filter added punch to the blue sky, and I gave it some reinforcement with the Vibrance and Saturation controls in Adobe Lightroom. Plum Island is a 10 mile long barrier beach at the Northeastern corner of Massachusetts, just below the broad mouth of the Merrimack River. The west-facing side of the island borders part of the 25,000 acre Great Marsh. Plum Island is also a major flyover for migrating birds.

Cornfield by the West Branch of the White River, Rochester, Vermont

© Paul Mozell 2008

When photography was in its infancy in the early 19th century, the art of landscape painting was approaching a new zenith. In its time, the work of the members of the “Hudson River School and later, the White Mountain School,  was growing in popularity on both sides of the Atlantic. The work of these painters sometimes collectively referred to as the Luminists was rediscovered by the public in the mid and late 20th century, and draws crowds and admirers to this day. Present-day landscape and nature photographers, can learn a great deal about their art and craft by studying the work of these 19th century masters of paintbrush and canvas.

As a landscape photographer, my work and my sense of perception has been influenced as much by these painters, as it has been inspired by the work of renowned photographers Ansel Adams, Edward Weston, and Eliot Porter. These painters and photographers have been my mentors, in a sense, as I have explored of the trails and photographic viewpoints of the Hudson Highlands, the Adirondacks, the Catskills, the White Mountains of New Hampshire, and the Rocky Mountains. And, like many of these artists, I hope that my images will encourage others to appreciate, and work to preserve, the American wilderness for future generations.

Thomas Cole, Alfred Bierstadt, Asher Durand, John Frederick Kensett, and many other followers of the Hudson River School, worked their canvases in fair weather, often at locations nearby the mountain resort hotels of the Catskills in New York and the White Mountains of New Hampshire. The Crawford House, The Catskill Mountain House and the Mountain Washington Hotel would often host established painters as artists-in-residence for the summer season. They were free to paint, sell completed works, and accept commissions during their stay.

Today, equipped with a camera backpack, light-weight tripod, and film or digital cameras, I can work in just about any conditions. Staying at a plush mountain resort would have its attractions, but most of my best shots have been taken while residing in a nylon tent. When I work with my 4×5 view camera, a Toyo Field, I feel that I am spiritually closest to the Hudson River Painters. I am forced to slow down and carefully consider the value of each exposure, because of the weight, the complexity, and the cost associated with each click of the shutter when working with these bulky cameras. Shooting with digital cameras such as the Nikon D200 gives me a different kind of artistic flexibility because of the instantaneous feedback I get about each exposure. Later, back in front of my Macintosh computer, multiple exposures of the same scene can be merged on my digital canvas.

Scenic spots such as the Kaaterskill Clove, a waterfall and gorge whose waters ran into the nearby Hudson River, and Mount Chocorua, a bald and imposing peak just south of the Swift River and the village of Conway, NH, were repeatedly painted by the 19th century masters. Whether shown in different seasons over and over again by the same artist, or depicted by students and admirers of the painters who first popularized those landscapes, these locations were kin to the locations that today’s landscape photographers shoot over, and over, again. Images of Yosemite Valley in the Sierras, The Grand Teton of Wyoming, and Mt. Katahdin are so familiar to us all, yet we are still drawn to shoot them, offering our own interpretations of those majestic summits.

The Hudson River School painters employed techniques that were near-photo-realistic in quality. But as detailed as these paintings were, they did not always accurately portray the true landscape. Rather, these works depicted idealized interpretations of the view; with mountain peaks, water gorges and trees, strategically moved or altered in order to convey the artist’s feelings of awe, reverence, and tranquility in the presence of nature’s wonders. I have visited many of the locations depicted by my favorite painters on the Massachusetts coast, at Storm King Mountain on the Hudson, at Mt. Chocorua in the White Mountains, and the Newburyport Marsh in Massachusetts.

Equipped with either a 4×5 view camera, or a zoom lens on a film or digital 35mm body, I have never been able to frame a shot that matched what I saw on the canvas. Modifying an image composition by pasting in some extra clouds, or painting in branches to cover a distant patch of pavement, are techniques I frequently use to enhance an image so it is faithful to my recollection of a scene.

The modern photographer’s quest for near-perfect images is inspired by the 19th century painters’ renderings of ideal landscapes, whether consciously or unconsciously. Often the challenge for me is to find a way to create a dramatic or memorable image when the environmental conditions and lighting are not ideal. These painters created works that were composites of many hours and days spent in the field.

The term sublime was often used when referring to the landscapes whose spiritual beauty was determined in heaven. When time and weather conditions permit, I try to sit and become immersed in the beauty or drama of a scene before setting up my tripod. I have never had the luxury spending the entire summer in one locale working on my photographs. At best I have minutes, or a perhaps a few days to make a scene work for my camera. But a few moments of quiet observation and contemplation can enhance one’s appreciation of a simple scene. Try it, and you’ll see that rectangular compositions or virtual picture frames start appearing in your mind.

When I first thought of writing this article I planned to find the exact locations in New York, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire depicted by my favorite artists and photograph them with my view camera. More often than not, when I found the locations and set up the correct lens to approximate the field of view in a given painting, I was disappointed that I could not create a pleasing photograph. I came home with a mere historical record comparing the modern scene to the 19th century place. Although this kind of photograph certainly has merit, I altered my strategy, and began making images that were inspired by certain artists or paintings, rather than being photographic re-creations of their work. The results have been more satisfying.

© Metropolitan Museum of Art. Used with permission. View from Mount Holyoke, Northampton, Massachusetts, after a Thunderstorm, The Oxbow, 1836
Thomas Cole (American, 1801-1848) Oil on canvas; 51 1/2 x 76 in. (130.8 x 193 cm) Gift of Mrs. Russell Sage, 1908 (08.228)

Storm King Mountain on the Hudson River, seen from the summit of Breakneck Ridge. Nikon F2, Kodachrome 64, Nikkor lens. © Paul Mozell

© Metropolian Museum of Art. Used with permission. The Beeches, 1845 Asher B. Durand (American, 1796-1886) Oil on canvas; 60 3/8 x 48 1/8 in. (153.4 x 122.2 cm) (15.30.59)

Three Yellow Birches on a stream in Vermont. Nikon, Fujichrome Velvia. © Paul Mozell

© Metropolitan Museum of Art. Used with permission. Heade; Martin Johnson; Newburyport Meadows; c. 1872-78; Oil on canvas; 26.7 x 55.9 cm (10 1/2 x 22 in);

Hay Bales at Appleton Farms. Ipswich, Massachusetts. Toyo Field, 90mm Schneider lens, Fujichrome Velvia. © Paul Mozell

• The Metropolitan Museum of Art
• The Wadsworth Atheneum
• The National Gallery of Art
• The Hudson River Museum
• The Brooklyn Museum

Additional landscape photography by Paul Mozell can be seen at mozellstudios.com

© Stella Johnson

I was struck by how well these strong photojournalistic images embraced the fine art of photography as well as its story-telling strengths. It was clear that while each photographer was accepted by the subjects, the images are neither invasive nor detached. Captured on film in various formats, the large images are all beautifully printed. There are no captions beneath any of the prints, perhaps the photographers wished the images to be judged entirely without the bias that may imparted by text. The exhibition was curated by photographer Constantine Manos, a Magnum photographer and the author of four books.

The Griffin Museum of Photography is open Tuesday through Thursday, 11 am – 5 pm; Friday 11 am – 4 pm; and Saturday and Sunday, noon – 4 pm. The exhibition continues until January 10, 2010.

Rider in the surf © Paul Mozell

I make a few trips to the beaches of Massachusetts in the summer but often my best visits are during the fall, when the crowds are gone and the landscape opens up. Today, my eight year old daughter, her friend, and I,  bundled up against the forty degree temperatures and steady wind and wandered down Crane Beach in Ipswich, Massachusetts. I have seen horseback riders here before, but never so many as today. As the girls searched for shells and artifacts in the sand I spotted a lone rider and horse dashing through the surf with joyous abandon. In this part of Essex County it is rare to see any riders going faster than a peaceful trot, so this explosion of energy and movement was a delightful surprise. I pulled a Nikon D300 and 70-300 lens from my backpack, taking care not to let any blowing sand invade the pack or camera parts, and started shooting. In a few moments she had passed and I quickly reviewed the results in the LCD screen.

The camera had been set in aperture priority when I grabbed it from the pack, and the resulting shutter speed of only 1/400th of a second gave me a slightly blurry action image. Not acceptable. To my delight, the rider and horse turned around and approached me. We chatted for a minute about the weather and the great day, and she readily agreed to do the charge through the surf one more time, just for me. This time with a shutter speed of 1/1000 at an ISO of 400, I was ready, and got the shot. I agreed to send her a print or a file. I’m also hoping she’ll sign a model release which will increase the prospects for sale of the photograph as a stock image.