Tamrac has just unveiled one of the most innovative new tripod designs we’ve seen in years. Called the ZipShot, it was created with the intention of making a full-sized tripod that can fold down small enough, and is lightweight enough, to bring with you anywhere. And at 44-inches tall when fully set up, 15-inches when folded up, and weighing 11 ounces, it certainly fits the bill.

Of course, this design is not without its quirks. First, the height is set at 44 inches. While Tamrac doesn’t officially recommend it, we quickly realized that you could pull the lower sections out to disconnect them and then let them flop on the ground to make the whole thing shorter, or do so with only one or two legs to accommodate for uneven terrain. The reason Tamrac would rather you not do this is because it will place undue strain on the bungee cord and might make it break. They’re exploring ways to modify the ZipShot to overcome this.

Another peculiarity--the ultra-thin legs aren’t the most stable, so even the process of pressing the shutter button will make the whole rig shimmy for a second or two. Tamrac suggests using your camera’s self timer to let it settle down before the image is captured, or using a wireless remote to trigger the shutter.

Still though, this little ‘pod is stronger than you’d expect. Tamrac rates it to hold 3 pounds, so you shouldn’t break out your 300mm f/2.8 with the ZipShot. However, as with any tripod, you can count on being able to overload it slightly. It easily held a Canon EOS 40D with an EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS lens attached, which together weigh about 2.7 pounds. In addition to using it as a camera support, the ZipShot could also be used to hold a small light, such as a hot-shoe flash with a tripod adapter (most accessory flashes come with a table-top stand that has a tripod socket in the bottom).

We’d run out and buy three or four to set up a multi-flash wireless lighting rig, but at $50 each, we quickly had to nix that idea. As a bring-anywhere camera support that’ll let us shoot images when we know we’d never otherwise have brought a tripod along, we’ll settle for just buying one.

Casio has had a fair bit of success with their rugged watches (G-Shock) and cell phones (G'zOne), so it only makes sense that they would take a whack at making a tough camera. This burly compact has a stainless steel frame and a pressure sealed case, which make it resistant to shock, dirt, humidity, snow, extreme temperature and water. But, despite its ability to stand up to punishment, it still manages to keep a slim figure, checking in at just .78-inches thick. Inside you'll find a 12.1-megapixel sensor and a 2.5-inch LCD display, as well as a 3x (38-114mm equivalent) zoom lens.

--Shock resistant up to 7 feet

--$299, available in December

It's no secret that the onslaught of HD-shooting DSLRs has been a boon for indie film-makers. The trailer (embedded after the link since it involves some violence and gore) is early footage for an indie zombie flick called Dead Season. The description claims that all of the footage was shot on the $1,800 7D with a grip of Canon glass to go with it. The footage looks impressive to me, personally. The 24p shooting mode really does give it that cinematic feel and the depth of field effects give it a unique quality. Sadly, the "jiggle" effect that typically happens with DSLR sensors shooting HD video is evident from time to time, especially during quick pans. Regardless, I'll happily add this to my Netflix queue should it make it to that point. Have thoughts about camera convergence? Leave them in the comments.

Pancake Lenses got their name for a reason: They’re super-flat. Skinny means light, too. The Zuiko 25mm f/2.8 weighs only 3.35 ounces. Why? Thank its dual-sided aspherical glass element. The Olympus Four Thirds sensor format makes this the equivalent of 50mm on a DSLR, Four Thirds, or Micro Four Thirds body. And its images are far from flat.

This $225 (street) Olympus Zuiko 25mm f/2.8 ED pancake lens: light, flat, and impeccably sharp, according to our tests.

1. Front Lens Elements

These two elements have high-quality optical multi-coating for accurate color reproduction as the light enters the lens. Among other things, multicoating helps filter out ultraviolet rays that might otherwise add too much blue tone to your image.

2. Aspherical Glass Element

This aspherical element in the rear of the lens minimizes aberrations. It redirects the rays of light so that they accurately fall across the image sensor, providing edge-to-edge sharpness in the final image.

3. Main Circuit Board

The camera and lens use electrical circuits to communicate, allowing the camera to control focus and aperture. Like all Olympus E-series gear, this lens contains a CPU.

4. Dual-sided Aspherical Glass Element (DSA )

DSA elements are created using a high-precision mold process. The thickness between the center and the periphery of the lens varies to accurately redirect the light to the image sensor. Generating these high-precision molds requires twice the accuracy as creating singlesided elements. Temperatures of hundreds of degrees are maintained within 1 degree to precisely shape each individual element. DSA elements are the key to making small lenses like this one.

5. Metal Lensmount

This mount has 9 pins (contact points) that transfer electrical signals back and forth between the lens and the camera body.

Timescapes is a company that shoots beautiful timelapse footage and licenses it to other production companies. Their latest reel, which was shot entirely on a Canon 5D Mark II, has some incredible moving images that depict stars and other celestial bodies as they move across the California sky. The shots come from the well-photographed White Mountains and Yosemite National Park. Personally, I enjoy the footage of the satellite dishes. Combined with the music in the video, they almost look like they could be pieces of a music box. But, the real stars are, well, the stars. Watch the new video above or take the jump to see an older video with more amazing images.

You can also check out the Timescapes official site

To get the shot, sometimes you do crazy things. Like clinging to a wall of ice in the dark, wielding a 2-million-candlepower spotlight. Then doing it over endlessly until you get it right.

That’s what sports shooter Dave Black did to make this incredible image. With no prior ice-climbing experience, he spent four long nights perched on the edge of an ice gorge in Ouray, CO, as world-class climbers Chris Alstrin and Mike Anderson repeatedly ascended for his camera.

Even crazier, he used a creative but unpredictable photo technique no one else uses for sports. He calls it “light painting.”

This involves holding the camera’s shutter open for a long exposure while sweeping light by hand across the subject.

Black, whose photos have appeared in magazines such as National Geographic and Sports Illustrated, lightpaints to very different effect. (See more at www. daveblackphotography.com.)

Before shooting, he and the climbers scouted the area for a dramatic ice formation with suitable routes, making a few daytime ascents to learn the terrain. Then he placed his tripod-mounted Nikon D200 and 17–55mm f/2.8 Nikkor lens, with a PocketWizard MultiMAX Transceiver radio trigger, across the gorge from his subject. He usually shoots in manual exposure mode, but since his camera would be inaccessible, he used aperture-priority auto (set to f/8 at ISO 200), letting the meter determine shutter speed. He dialed exposure compensation down by –2 EV to preserve the feeling of darkness. And he set white balance to 3000K for the color of the spotlight.

Outfitted with crampons, climbing ropes, and a harness, Black went out on the rim and swept the light of a rechargeable Brinkmann Q-Beam Max Million II across the scene below. He shot whenever a climber stopped to study the route ahead. Thanks to the ice’s reflectivity and the spotlight’s power, this exposure lasted just 13 sec. “It might take many attempts to get the lighting right—enough, but not too much, light applied to the scene in an interesting way. Don’t give up after one or two,” Black says. “Start small and work your way up to big subjects like this one. Practice, then practice some more.”

The Micro Four Thirds parade marches on as Olympus has just unleashed the details about the follow up to the E-P1 we like so much. The camera body itself hasn't seen much of an upgrade. It boasts the same 12.3-megapixel Live MOS sensor as its predecessor and those hoping for a built-in flash are bound to be a little disappointed. But, each E-P2 will come standard with an articulating VF-2 electronic viewfinder to occupy the hot shoe. It works in conjunction with an "accessory port" that's new to the E-P2. While it opens up new possibilities for this camera, it also means that E-P1 users hoping to grab the viewfinder as a standalone will be out of luck. The accessory port can also be used for an external microphone using an EMA-1 Microphone adapter.

Two different kits will be available starting in February. Choose from an ED 14-42mm f3.5/5.6 Zuiko Digital Zoom Lens or a 17mm f2.8 Zuiko lens. Both will cost $1099 including the electric viewfinder. Get more pictures and the rest of the crucial specs after the jump.

--HDMI control using a TV remote when camera is connected to an HDTV
--VF-2 viewfinder provides 1.15x maginification, rotates 90-degrees
--New C-AF Target Registration locks onto a subject and tracks it as it moves through the frame
--iEnhance mode intensifies colors
--Bigger than the E-P1, but ever so slightly: 4.74"(W) x 2.75" (H) x 1.37" (D)
--Body weight of 11.1 ounces
--Image stablization in the body
--12.3-megapixel Live MOS image sensor
--TruePic V Image Processing promises lower noise levels at ISO 6400
--3-inch LCD with 230,000 pixels. Viewing angle of 176-degrees
--Uncompressed CD-quality 16 bit/44.1kHz Linear PCM stereo recording capability
--19 scene-select modes
--Internal Digital Level Sensor that detects the camera's pitch and roll and indicates it on the control panel

Question: I need a remote shutter release for my Sony Alpha 300. The only models listed on the Sony website are the RM-L1AM, which seems compatible only with the A100, and the RM-S1AM, which doesn’t list any compatibility. Help! Billy Haake Charlotte, NC

Answer: Get either model. The A300 will accept both of those wired remotes. The difference is the length of the cable—3 meters (9.8 feet) versus 1 meter (3.3 feet), respectively. With a higher-end Alpha, though, you’d get much greater flexibility. With the A700 and A900, Sony includes a cool wireless remote in the box. (Are you listening, Canon, Nikon, Olympus, and Pentax?)

Got a question? E-mail us at PopPhoto@bonniercorp.com. Also, visit the Tech Support forum at forums.popphoto.com.

Question: I visited the Outer Banks in North Carolina last spring, and while clamming with my friends I saw a perfect view of the shoreline. But the water was 3 feet deep, and getting the shot required a tripod. When I return next year, I want to be prepared. Can you suggest some type of waterproofing gadget for my tripod’s legs? Chaddie Crumm Via E-mail

Answer: We know of no product that can waterproof those legs, but you could try wrapping each leg in plastic garbage bags, or simply use an inexpensive, disposable tripod. But if you plan to plunge in often, there’s a tripod kit specifically made for surfside: the Gitzo Ocean Traveler ($1,125, street). Its carbon-fiber legs use waterproof locks of corrosion resistant stainless steel. The kit includes an unusual ballhead that can be quickly disassembled and cleaned before salt water, sand, and other corrosive agents can attack.

-- Popular Photography Staff

Got a question? E-mail us at PopPhoto@bonniercorp.com. Also, visit the Tech Support forum at forums.popphoto.com.

The Nikon vs. Canon debate has raged on for years, each side winning over its fair share of die-hard fans. But, Manny Williams went far out of his way to show his allegiance to the big N. He now has a rather large tattoo of his D3X forever etched into his own forearm. It's nice to see someone using their fanboyism for the sake of art, rather than using it to fuel caps-lock-laden internet arguments. Manny is a professional photographer and has been for quite some time, so there's a good chance his boss (if he has one) will be fine with his new ink.