diglloyd.com Photography Blog: News and Updates

Olympus E-P1 in stock at B&H

13 Jul 2009 08:00:00 PST

If you’re hot to trot...

Olympus E-P1 review

13 Jul 2009 08:00:00 PST

I’m more or less done with my overall E-P1 review...

Photozoom Pro 3 — poster child for CPU core utilization

13 Jul 2009 08:00:00 PST

Photozoom Pro 3 is the poster child for the ideal scenario...

Olympus Studio 2.3 — impressed

11 Jul 2009 23:00:00 PST

When I say I’m impressed with Olympus Studio 2.3 for Mac, I mean it. It is clearly the biggest piece of...

Olympus E-P1 comments

08 Jul 2009 23:00:00 PST

’ll be launching my DAP review of the Olympus E-P1 with an Examples page...

Site overhaul

08 Jul 2009 11:00:00 PST

A site overhaul is now in place. It’s been a big job...

Olympus E-P1 image quality

03 Jul 2009 11:00:00 PST

Color rendition and overall image quality look to be excellent...

Olympus Studio software on Mac Pro

03 Jul 2009 11:00:00 PST

It’s rare see a dual-cpu Mac Pro Nehalem fully utilized...

Olympus E-P1 12.3MP Micro 4/3 camera

02 Jul 2009 20:00:00 PST

I just ordered an Olympus E-P1, a new compact interchangeable-lens micro 4/3 camera...

Price drop on eSATA for MacBook Pro

02 Jul 2009 20:00:00 PST

Sonnet just dropped the price on the Tempo SATA Pro ExpressCard/34 for the MacBook Pro...

Canon EOS JPEG quality

01 Jul 2009 23:00:00 PST

Yesterday I commented that “Canon EOS JPEGs are crap”, which really miffed one reader, who interpreted my factual comment as a thoughtless insult...

Nikon D3x repaired

30 Jun 2009 23:00:00 PST

Nikon did a great job repairing my stalwart D3x...

Yosemite imagery

30 Jun 2009 23:00:00 PST

Here I share images which I think show the varied character of the stunning Yosemite landscape...

Flashlights and headlamps

29 Jun 2009 22:00:00 PST

How many crappy flashlights do you want to buy?...

Camera settings for D3x/D3, 1D/1Ds Mark III

24 Jun 2009 22:00:00 PST

At a reader’s request, I’ve updated my Camera Settings page to include loadable settings for the Nikon D3x...

Hatchlings at 12,000 feet with the ZF 50/2

18 Jun 2009 12:00:00 PST

I was strolling along at 12,000' in the White Mountains a few weeks ago in May, enjoying the intermittent snowflakes, when I was startled...

Simple and cost-effective backups

17 Jun 2009 22:00:00 PST

Many people aren’t backing up, or are doing so to a single drive connected to the computer...

PercepTool for image enhancement

17 Jun 2009 00:30:00 PST

I’ve just started using a 30-day demo of PercepTool, and it offers what I really like: quick adjustments that can really help make an image look good, with almost no effort on my part...

A clean tick

15 Jun 2009 22:00:00 PST

I reported on my tick bites and a rash a few weeks ago, and there was quite an outpouring of support...

Slower SATA in new MacBook Pro?

15 Jun 2009 22:00:00 PST

Several readers pointed me at the rumor that the new 13" and 15" MacBook Pros incorporate an internal SATA port running at 1.5 megabits...

Canon EF 24mm f/1.4L II reviewed

14 Jun 2009 23:00:00 PST

My in-depth review of the Canon EF 24mm f/1.4L II is now online...

Canon 5D Mark II focusing (updated)

14 Jun 2009 23:00:00 PST

Update: this note apparently hit a nerve, with many peeved readers emailing to describe similar experiences with their 5D Mark II bodies...

Canon 24/1.4L II and Voigtlander 20/3.5 in stock

12 Jun 2009 22:00:00 PST

B&H Photo had two lenses in stock that haven’t been as I wrote this...

Canon EF 24/1.4L II

12 Jun 2009 22:00:00 PST

A variety of shooting has persuaded me that the Canon 24/1.4L II...

Nevada’s Wheeler Peak

11 Jun 2009 22:00:00 PST

If you’re driving Highway 50 across Utah/Nevada, stop at Great Basin National Park...

D3x in for repair

11 Jun 2009 22:00:00 PST

It was surprisingly hard to send it off, but my Nikon D3x is now at Nikon...

Hartblei lenses — availability and pricing

11 Jun 2009 22:00:00 PST

Some readers have asked about obtaining the Hartblei tilt/shift lenses...

New Apple Macbook Pro

09 Jun 2009 22:00:00 PST

All the advice I offer in Mac Performance Guide applies to the new Apple MacBook Pro lineup, which is a yawner except for a few useful developments...

Lyme and ticks (updated)

09 Jun 2009 20:00:00 PST

Readers respond...

Canon 5D Mark II image quality

08 Jun 2009 21:00:00 PST

I’ve been preferentially shooting my Nikon D3x for the past several months, with the Canon 5D Mark II and 1Ds Mark III sitting mostly idle...

Canon EF 24/1.4L II

08 Jun 2009 08:00:00 PST

I’m currently reviewing the Canon EF 24/1.4L II for DAP...

Lyme and ticks

08 Jun 2009 08:00:00 PST

The world is scary enough with all the nutcases out there, but tick bites are a worry we all face when enjoying the outdoors...

Hartblei 40/80/120 SuperRotators reviewed

05 Jun 2009 19:00:00 PST

Just posted in DAP is my three-lens review of the Hartblei 40/4, 80/2.8 and 120/4 “superrotator” tilt/shift lenses...

Infrared in Yosemite

03 Jun 2009 17:00:00 PST

Below is Tioga Lake on May 30, 2009, just outside the Yosemite park boundary...

Back from adventures

31 May 2009 11:00:00 PST

I had a great trip driving from Colorado to California...

Away shooting for some days

22 May 2009 19:00:00 PST

The past 6 months have an unending effort, but I’m finally getting out into the wild again...

Seagate Momentus 7200.4 laptop hard drive

21 May 2009 17:40:00 PST

Looking for a huge leap forward in performance for your MacBook, MacBook Pro or MacMini?...

Photo tour — Yosemite and White Mountains

20 May 2009 22:00:00 PST

I’m now taking reservations for my Yosemite and White Mountains photo tour...

Custom photo tours — my secret places

15 May 2009 22:00:00 PST

Beginning in June I’ll be offering a limited number of photo tours in the Yosemite and Eastern Sierra areas of California....

Mac OS X 10.5.7: hidden changes

13 May 2009 22:00:00 PST

I had put together a short piece on Photoshop filter speed (not yet published), and the scalability across multiple CPU cores....

The Sharpest Image

12 May 2009 22:00:00 PST

Written several years, ago my tripod/VR/handheld/etc research revealed a lot of important things to me on making crisp pictures....

For sale: Mac OS X Leopard server

12 May 2009 22:00:00 PST

I have a copy of Mac OS X Leopard server for sale...

Backup solutions and rebates

12 May 2009 22:00:00 PST

I discussed backup solutions in my Sunday entry. OWC has a variety of rebates going...

Hartblei 120/4 SuperRotator

12 May 2009 22:00:00 PST

Field shooting is the best way to establish whether one likes a lens or not...

What makes Adobe Lightroom slow?

11 May 2009 18:00:00 PST

Email me your LIghtroom performance complaints on what else is slow in Lightroom...

My favorite office printer ever

11 May 2009 18:00:00 PST

I’ve purchased and been annoyed with a series of basic printers over the years. All have disappointed until now...

Hartblei 40/80/120 tilt/shift SuperRotators

10 May 2009 18:00:00 PST

It’s always a challenge starting a new lens review— lots to learn and explore...

Backup your data/photos cost effectively

10 May 2009 10:00:00 PST

Looking for an ultra cost-effective way to backup your data?...

Color bokeh — Canon 85/1.2L II

09 May 2009 22:00:00 PST

I was reviewing some older files when I came across this interesting example of color bokeh...

Spyder Cube for white balance and exposure

09 May 2009 19:00:00 PST

Reader James K pointed me to the new Datacolor Spyder Cube...

Intel X25-E as a Photoshop scratch volume?

09 May 2009 18:00:00 PST

Just posted is my review of the Intel X25-E 64GB solid state drive (SSD)...

Hartblei 40/80/120 tilt/shift lenses

08 May 2009 22:00:00 PST

Just arrived from Germany: evaluation units of the Hartblei 40mm f/4, 80mm f/2.8 and 120mm f/4 Superrotator tilt/shift lenses....

Optimizing Adobe Lightroom

06 May 2009 22:00:00 PST

Just posted in MacPerformanceGuide is my report on Optimizing Adobe Lightroom....

Canon lens rebates

05 May 2009 08:00:00 PST

Through July 11, Canon is offering lens rebates...

Adobe Lightroom or Apple Aperture?

04 May 2009 23:00:00 PST

Every program has strengths and weaknesses, but I’m really turned off by programs that make simple things hard...

Need backup space?

01 May 2009 22:00:00 PST

Capacious hard drives are dirt-cheap these days, like $90 for a 1TB Hitachi 7K1000.B. These are great for rotating backups (multiple offline and/or off-site copies of your data)...

Intel X25-M firmware update

30 Apr 2009 22:30:00 PST

I’ve sucessfully updated the firmware on the 80GB Intel X25-M that I normally use for my boot drive...

Color uniformity of the Voigtlander 20/3.5 Color-Skopar

30 Apr 2009 22:00:00 PST

I’ve added a color uniformity assessment of the Voigtlander 20/3.5 Color-Skopar to my review...

Uneven color rendition

30 Apr 2009 22:00:00 PST

Why can’t simple tests be simple? Like checking for uniform color across the frame...

Focus shift article

30 Apr 2009 22:00:00 PST

Look for my article on focus shift in Photo Techniques magazine...

Voigtlander 20mm f/3.5 Color Skopar SL ASPH compared

29 Apr 2009 20:38:00 PST

Hot off the heels of today’s earlier update, I’ve published an in-depth comparison of the Voigtlander Color-Skopar 20mm f/3.5 SL ASPH to the Nikon 20/3.5 AI-S and Nikon 14-24/2.8G zoom...

Voigtlander 20mm f/3.5 Color Skopar SL ASPH review

29 Apr 2009 13:00:00 PST

Just published is my review of the Cosina Voigtlander Color-Skopar 20mm f/3.5 SL ASPH...

Update to Zeiss ZF Lenses for ZF 21/.8 Distagon

26 Apr 2009 23:00:00 PST

Just published are my additions to Zeiss ZF Lenses for the Zeiss ZF 21/2.8 Distagon...

Update to Zeiss ZF 21/Distagon tomorrow

25 Apr 2009 23:00:00 PST

I worked diligently yesterday and today to prepare 3 comparisons with the Zeiss ZF 21/2.8 Distagon...

Voigtlander, Zeiss and computer meltdowns

22 Apr 2009 23:00:00 PST

I’ve prepared both Voigtlander 20/3.5 and Zeiss ZF 21/2.8 comparison pages to be published soon...

Voigtlander Color-Skopar 20mm f/3.5 SL ASPH

16 Apr 2009 07:00:00 PST

Just arrived, the new Voigtlander Color-Skopar 20mm f/3.5 SL ASPH...

Nikon D3x happier

12 Apr 2009 22:30:00 PST

Preliminary field shots suggest that the issue I suspected might now be gone...

Single CPU Mac Pro Nehalem

12 Apr 2009 22:30:00 PST

I’ve updated my review of the Mac Pro Nehalem to include test results comparing the single CPU to the dual CPU model (both 2.93GHz)...

Adding 8GB memory to the MacBook Pro

09 Apr 2009 22:30:00 PST

I just got word (tonight) from OWC that several models of the latest incarnation of the MacBook Pro now support 8GB of memory...

Reader comment on Zeiss ZF 21/2.8 Distagon review

09 Apr 2009 22:30:00 PST

I cannot do any better than providing clarity as to whether the 21/2.8 Distagon (or any ZF lens) is the right lens for you (or not)...

Fantastic turnaround from Nikon service

09 Apr 2009 22:30:00 PST

I sent my Nikon D3x into Nikon on Monday, overnight, arriving in New York (from California) on Tuesday). Today, Thursday, I received it back...

Zeiss’ Dr. Nasse on MTF, part II

08 Apr 2009 22:30:00 PST

Dr. H H Nasse has published How to Read MTF Curves part 2 white paper...

Zeiss ZE Lenses on Canon EOS

08 Apr 2009 22:00:00 PST

In Zeiss ZF/ZE Lenses, I’ve added a page describing the differences between the Zeiss ZF and ZE lines as well as why even Canon users might want to use the ZF (Nikon mount) versions...

Zeiss ZF 21/2.8 Distagon review posted

08 Apr 2009 18:20:00 PST

I’ve posted the first installment of my Zeiss ZF 21mm f/2.8 Distagon review, part of Zeiss ZF Lenses...

Nikon Capture mysteriously behaves

07 Apr 2009 22:30:00 PST

I’ve been fighting a severe speed problem with Nikon Capture NX2...

Zeiss ZF 21/.28 Distagon — progress update

05 Apr 2009 22:30:00 PST

A tremendous amount of shooting and analysis and writing has now gone into my report on the new Zeiss ZF 21/2.8 Distagon...

Nikon Capture NX2 Followup

05 Apr 2009 10:00:00 PST

As I write this, NX2 is on file 8/11 in batch mode, having taken ~20 minutes to get that far on my 2.93GHz 16-core Mac Pro with 32GB memory...

Zeiss ZF 21/2.8 Distagon

03 Apr 2009 22:00:00 PST

Like the rest of the Zeiss ZF line, contrast is exceptional with the ZF 21/2.8 Distagon...

Gitzo GT0530 carbon fiber tripod failure

03 Apr 2009 22:00:00 PST

So far my Gitzo tripods have held up well over years of use...

Nikon makes contact

03 Apr 2009 22:00:00 PST

Nikon public relations made contact with me regarding both Nikon Capture NX2 (see prior comments) and D3x sensor/lens mount alignment tolerances...

Zeiss ZF 21mm f/2.8 Distagon

01 Apr 2009 22:00:00 PST

I’m working on my full report on the Zeiss ZF 21mm f/2.8 Distagon...

Is Nikon Capture NX2 an April Fool’s joke?

01 Apr 2009 22:00:00 PST

If there’s one reason not to shoot Nikon, it’s Capture NX2...

Software update: diglloydTools and DiskTester

29 Mar 2009 22:20:00 PST

I’ve posted diglloydTools version 1.2.0 and DiskTester version 2.1, both available separately or as part of DAP...

Zeiss ZF 21mm — both samples

28 Mar 2009 22:20:00 PST

I’m busy shooting two samples of the Zeiss ZF 21/2.8 Distagon today, along with some comparisons with the Nikon 14-24...

Mac Pro Nehalem: 4GB modules from OWC

28 Mar 2009 22:20:00 PST

OWC sent me a 32GB kit (8 X 4GB) to try in the new Mac Pro Nehalem

Switching to an SSD boot drive

23 Mar 2009 22:20:00 PST

Why am I switching to an Intel X25-M solid state drive in my Mac Pro?

Zeiss ZF 21mm now in hand

23 Mar 2009 22:20:00 PST

I have the Zeiss ZF 21mm f/2.8 DIstagon in hand. It’s a beautifully-built lens...

Nikon D700-IR with Zeiss ZF 25/2.8 IR Distagon

23 Mar 2009 19:20:00 PST

The D700 does a beautiful job in infrared...

Voigtlander Ultron 40/2 ASPH SL II in stock

23 Mar 2009 08:00:00 PST

I recommended the Voigtlander 40/2 back on Feb 3...

Zeiss ZF 21mm f/2.8 Distagon in stock at B&H Photo

23 Mar 2009 08:00:00 PST

The long-awaited and highly anticipated Zeiss ZF 21mm f/2.8 Distagon...

Nikon 24mm lens choices

22 Mar 2009 21:30:00 PST

Added to DAP is my take on 24mm lens choices for Nikon including the 14-24/2.8G, 24-70/2.8G, PC-E 24/3.5, and the 24/2 AI-S...

Reader feedback: on-the-road without a laptop

22 Mar 2009 21:30:00 PST

A friend is heading to Australia for a month. Maybe he’ll shoot 100GB of images...

Reader feedback: how to burn images to DVD?

22 Mar 2009 21:30:00 PST

Suppose I’ve just returned from a shoot with a number of cards full of images, let’s say 15GB of images per card...

Art Wolfe Travels to the Edge

22 Mar 2009 10:30:00 PST

I spent the day with Art Wolfe last week. Art has a wonderful eye for pattern, form and people...

Where the magic happened — Ansel Adams

22 Mar 2009 10:30:00 PST

Art and I had the wonderful opportunity to visit with Jeanne and Michael Adams, who graciously showed us their home, replete with works from the master, Ansel Adams...

Mac Pro Nehalem review updated

20 Mar 2009 22:00:00 PST

I’ve added some new material to my Mac Pro Nehalem review...

Zeiss ZF 21mm f/2.8 Distagon now shipping

18 Mar 2009 19:00:00 PST

The word I have from Zeiss is that lenses have gone out to dealers...

Mac Pro Nehalem review posted

17 Mar 2009 23:00:00 PST

My special report on the new Apple Mac Pro “Nehalem” 2.93GHz is now online...

Mac Pro Nehalem 2.93 GHz

17 Mar 2009 08:15:00 PST

I tested late into the night last night with the 2.93GHz Mac Pro Nehalem and my existing 2.8GHz 2008 Mac Pro...

Troubling news on Mac Pro memory

15 Mar 2009 21:20:00 PST

When is more memory slower? When it drops DDR3 memory speed...

Readers speak out on Adobe licensing

15 Mar 2009 23:00:00 PST

I hit a nerve discussing my own hassles with Adobe software licensing...

MacMini for photographers?

13 Mar 2009 21:20:00 PST

Can a MacMini serve the needs of photographers...

Mac Pro “Nehalem” 2.93GHz — coming Monday

13 Mar 2009 21:20:00 PST

My Mac Pro 2.93GHz has shipped and is due to show up on Monday, with initial impressions to follow asap...

Mac Pro “Nehalem” 2.93GHz

11 Mar 2009 16:10:00 PST

Apple tells me that my new Mac Pro 2.93GHz will arrive tomorrow. Kudos to Apple for...

Pimp my MacBook Pro

11 Mar 2009 16:10:00 PST

No I didn’t paint it or add wheels, but I did investigate what one can do with dual internal solid state drives (SSD) or dual internal 500GB drives on a 17" MacBook Pro...

MacBook Pro 17" 2.93GHz reviewed

08 Mar 2009 15:50:00 PST

Just published in Mac Performance Guide is my review of the new Apple 17" MacBook Pro 2.93 GHz...

Nikon AF-S 50mm f/1.4G reviewed

06 Mar 2009 11:40:00 PST

Just published in DAP is my review of the new Nikon AF-S 50mm f/1.4G. It’s a winner...

No more Leica “R”

05 Mar 2009 18:15:00 PST

The news today is that Leica is discontinuing the Leica R9 and lenses...

Reader feedback: 6GB in MacBook Pro

05 Mar 2009 18:15:00 PST

With many programs, a big performance gain results from installing 6GB in your MacBook Pro (or MacBook)...

Mac Pro followup: memory costs $$$$$$

04 Mar 2009 20:30:00 PST

Here’s one staggering drawback to the new (March 2009) “Nehalem” Mac Pro: memory cost...

Canon 1Ds Mark III focus fix

04 Mar 2009 09:30:00 PST

Canon has announced yet another fix for an AF problem, this time with the 21MP 1Ds Mark III as well as the 1D Mark II...

8GB memory for the new iMac

03 Mar 2009 09:30:00 PST

The iMac, now that it can take 8GB, is worth a look as a photographer’s workstation...

New Mac Pro — what is Apple smoking?

03 Mar 2009 09:30:00 PST

Smoking performance or smoking something else?...

Tour de California and Lance Armstrong

28 Feb 2009 09:30:00 PST

My friend Blake Shaw has some great coverage of the Tour de California and Lance Armstrong. Check out his site...

Zeiss ZF Lenses upate

27 Feb 2009 11:42:00 PST

I’ve updated Zeiss ZF Lenses to include a test comparing the Leica 100mm f/2.8 APO-macro-Elmarit-R to the Zeiss ZF 100mm f/2 Makro-Planar...

Voigtlander 180/4 APO Lanthar on Nikon D3x

26 Feb 2009 11:59:00 PST

By popular request, I’ve added the Voigtlander 180/4 APO Lanthar to my DAP review of 180mm lenses on the Nikon D3x...

Leica 100mm f/2.8 APO-macro-Elmarit-R on Canon 5D Mark II

25 Feb 2009 22:40:00 PST

I’ve added 10 new examples to my Canon 5D Mark II review in DAP, all shot with the Leica 100mm f/2.8 APO-macro-Elmarit-R...

Mac Performance Guide

25 Feb 2009 22:40:00 PST

If you’re a Photoshop user, or are using or considering a Mac, check out my Mac Performance Guide. In it, I’ve distilled years of experience as a software developer, photographer and Mac user...

NANPA musings

24 Feb 2009 22:40:00 PST

Various observations and photos from NANPA...

Leica 100/2.8 APO macro vs Zeiss ZF 100/2 Makro-Planar

23 Feb 2009 22:00:00 PST

It’s hardly fair to compare a $1582 f/2 lens to a $4000 f/2.8 lens, but inquiring minds want to know how those two lenses compare...

A tale of two gamuts

23 Feb 2009 19:00:00 PST

By chance I came across the Color of Money in Albuquerque, shown below. The lighting is very “stimulating”, is it not? Funny how red ink results in green...

Back from NANPA

23 Feb 2009 19:00:00 PST

I’m back from the annual NANPA summit. I saw some wonderful presentations from Art Wolfe, Norbert Rosing, Bill Fortney and others...

At NANPA Feb 18-22

17 Feb 2009 21:30:00 PST

I’m at NANPA in Albuquerque, NM from Feb 18-22 and will not be answering emails during that time. However, I will be responding to purchases of DAP, Zeiss ZF Lenses, etc late each day...

NEC 30-inch LCD 3090WQXi color gamut

17 Feb 2009 21:30:00 PST

Check out the color gamut on this thing...

Canon announces wide-angle tilt/shift lenses

17 Feb 2009 21:30:00 PST

Hot on the heels of my recent report on tilt/shift lenses in DAP, Canon has announced two new tilt/shift lenses: the TS-E 24/3.5L II and the (wow!) TS-E 17/4L...

Follow-up on Nikon PC-E build quality

17 Feb 2009 21:30:00 PST

Photographer Max P wrote to me after reading my full DAP report on Nikon’s PC-E lenses...

180mm lenses on Nikon D3x

16 Feb 2009 18:30:00 PST

Added DAP is my report on how 180mm lenses perform on the Nikon D3x. I previously reported on troublesome issues with the Nikon 70-200VR in Mush in the Corners....

Canon 5D Mark II review examples

15 Feb 2009 21:30:00 PST

Added to my DAP review of the Canon 5...

Getting the best performance from Photoshop

15 Feb 2009 21:30:00 PST

Be sure you’re getting the best performance you can in Photoshop. I’ve reorganized and expanded my tips page...

Canon 5D Mark II Live View vignetting

15 Feb 2009 14:30:00 PST

I’m disappointed to report that the problem is indeed present, serious, and affects the three lenses I’ve tried so far...

Intel X25-M in a Mac Pro with RAID

14 Feb 2009 21:30:00 PST

Especially on the road with a laptop, the high performance, high reliability and low power consumption of the Intel X25-M SSD...

New Voigtlander 20mm f/3.5 coming?

14 Feb 2009 21:30:00 PST

A Voigtlander SL II 20mm f/3.5 Color Skopar ASPH...

Cleaning your digital camera sensor

13 Feb 2009 23:20:00 PST

A friend of mine new to digital asked me how I cleaned the sensor in my D3x...

Recommended 24mm lens for Nikon D3x

13 Feb 2009 22:20:00 PST

Here’s a tip on 24mm lenses for the Nikon D3x...

Reader showcase

13 Feb 2009 19:30:00 PST

As promised, here is the reader showcase...

Lens robustness — Nikon 24-70

13 Feb 2009 18:00:00 PST

I like well-made lenses that are fundamentally robust, like the Zeiss ZF line. A lens that can literally fall apart is not on my short list...

Big price drop on Intel Solid State Drives (SSD)

13 Feb 2009 07:00:00 PST

Prices on Intel Solid State Drives (SSD) just dropped about 30%...

Booted off striped RAID-0 Solid State drives

12 Feb 2009 20:50:00 PST

I have on loan from Intel two of the X25-M solid state drives (see my review), which I’ve turned into a single striped RAID volume...

Bushfires in Australia

12 Feb 2009 19:50:00 PST

Reader Peter D from Down Under points me to an ABC news page there documenting the terrible tragedy in the past week....

Upgrade your MacBook Pro to 6GB

12 Feb 2009 19:50:00 PST

A great way to get more performance out of your existing MacBook Pro, especially for Photoshop, is to upgrade to 6GB total memory....

Sardines — my wife calls ’em cat food

09 Feb 2009 18:30:00 PST

I love seafood, but with deadly methyl mercury contaminating species such as tuna (don’t risk it with your kids!), I’ll look elsewhere for more regular eating....

What hasn’t gone up

08 Feb 2009 18:30:00 PST

Nikon lens prices are up, especially on the big super-teles....

Leica rebates

08 Feb 2009 18:30:00 PST

I was a little surprised to see the aggressive price cut being offered by Leica on the M8....

Nikon lens price increases

08 Feb 2009 18:30:00 PST

High prices cure high prices. Low prices cure low prices....

Helicon focus example

07 Feb 2009 18:30:00 PST

This image was assembled using Helicon Focus using twelve (12) focus-bracketed frames....

Reader showcase

07 Feb 2009 18:30:00 PST

Sounds like fun, a nice community sharing project, so here’s the offer....

Nikon PC-E 45/2.8 D E on Nikon D700 — build quality

07 Feb 2009 18:30:00 PST

Following up on my previous report, reader Peter D reports using a dial gauge to measure the gap on his PC-E 45/2.8D ED at 0.12mm, which sounds small, but....

Nikon PC-E lenses on D200, D300

06 Feb 2009 17:00:00 PST

A friend came over with his Nikon D200 and D300. While very close...

Flash exposure compensation with the SB-400 UPDATE

06 Feb 2009 17:00:00 PST

Update from yesterday’s discussion on the SB-400 flash and exposure compensation with the Nikon D3x...

Flash exposure compensation with the SB-400

05 Feb 2009 21:55:00 PST

I ordered the SB-400 and it arrived today. But there is one show-stopper problem: I cannot figure out how to dial in flash exposure compensation...

Canon TS-E 24/3.5L on 5D Mark II

05 Feb 2009 19:05:00 PST

Added to DAP: an evaluation of the Canon TS-E 24mm f/3.5L on the Canon 5D Mark II. Strong color fringing...but as good or better than the Nikon 24/3.5, a big surprise...

Nikon PC-E lenses shifted: viewfinder clearance

05 Feb 2009 14:20:00 PST

Some of the Nikon camera bodies like the D300 and D700 can have clearance issues with the Nikon PC-E lenses...

Presbyopia, bright light and Live View

05 Feb 2009 12:27:00 PST

I’m now in my mid-40’s and I can’t focus so closely any more. This first became a problem a few years ago with my 4X5 view camera’s ground glass...

Recommended tripod head — Arca Swiss Cube geared head

05 Feb 2009 12:27:00 PST

Looking for a precision tripod head? Look no further than the Arca Swiss Cube...

Nikon D3x in stock at B&H

05 Feb 2009 12:27:00 PST

The Nikon D3x is finally back in stock at B&H Photo....

Microscopic photography with a DSLR

05 Feb 2009 12:27:00 PST

Reader Peter M sent me this tip on a new Nikon product, the Fabre Photo EX....

Nikon PC-E severe build quality problem

04 Feb 2009 22:10:00 PST

Bottom line: there is a serious problem with the 45mm and 85mm offerings. Whether it’s a design flaw, or simply the worst assembly tolerances I’ve ever seen is something Nikon will have to answer...

Canon TS-E 45mm, 90mm on EOS 5D Mark II

03 Feb 2009 23:20:00 PST

Added to DAP: evaluations of two Canon tilt/shift lenses: the TS-E 45mm f/2.8 and TS-E 90mm f/2.8...

DxO and medium format

03 Feb 2009 23:20:00 PST

The DxOMark site has published results for various medium format digital backs including Hasselblad, Leaf, Mamiya and PhaseOne...

Lens recommendation: Voigtlander 40/2 Ultron ASPH

03 Feb 2009 23:20:00 PST

In a field shot comparison today (at infinity focus) on the D3x, I came away very impressed with the Voigtlander 40mm f/2 Ultron ASPH...

Nikon D3x with Nikon 85mm f/2.8D PC-Micro-Nikkor

02 Feb 2009 21:35:00 PST

I’ve updated my DAP shift lens review with results from the D3x and the Nikon 85mm f/2.8D PC-Micro-Nikkor (original model)...

Leica R lenses on Nikon

02 Feb 2009 21:35:00 PST

These conversion kits might be a good bet for Leica fans, and there is a lot of very good used Leica glass on the market at reasonable prices...

Shift lens stitching

02 Feb 2009 07:30:00 PST

Did you know you can quickly and easily make ~47 megapixel images with the Nikon D3x and ~40 megapixel images with the Canon 5D Mark II?...

Nikon D3x with Schneider 28mm f/2.8 PC-Super-Angulon

01 Feb 2009 22:30:00 PST

I’ve updated my DAP shift lens review with results from the D3x and the Schneider 28mm f/2.8 PC-Super-Angulon...

Gear page

01 Feb 2009 22:30:00 PST

I have launched a Gear page listing top equipment and accessories for Nikon and Canon, along with lens ratings...

Blast from the past — 32GB CF card

01 Feb 2009 22:30:00 PST

I thought it funny to remember what we worked with not so long ago. This card shipped with some Canon camera...

Eizo displays and Photoshop CS4

31 Jan 2009 12:00:00 PST

My Color Preferences for Photoshop CS4 tutorial prompted one user to write, inquiring about disparity in color matching between Photoshop CS3 and CS4...

Comparing lenses — field curvature

31 Jan 2009 12:00:00 PST

Comparing lenses fairly is a technical challenge. I recently tested eight different 50mm lenses (5 brands). The results are revealing, showing just how hard it is to make a fair test....

Nikon PC-E 45mm f/2.8D ED on Nikon D3x

30 Jan 2009 22:30:00 PST

I’ve updated my DAP review of the Nikon PC-E 45mm f/2.8D ED with results for the Nikon D3x...

Why sRGB color such a bad choice

30 Jan 2009 19:30:00 PST

Even on my Apple 30" Cinema Display, which doesn’t have all that great a color gamut (range of colors it can show), the loss of color and detail can readily be seen when certain images are converted to the sRGB color space...

My good deed for the day

30 Jan 2009 18:30:00 PST

This fellow is about 2 months late on the mating season migration also known as newt juice season...

Nikon D3x and PC-E tilt/shift lenses

30 Jan 2009 07:30:00 PST

I have received several inquiries about how the Nikon PC-E tilt/shift models perform on the 24.4MP Nikon D3x...

Which 50mm lens?

29 Jan 2009 08:23:00 PST

Yesterday evening I shot a comparison (scenic at infinity) on the D3x with the Nikon 50/1.4G, Sigma 50/1.4, Zeiss ZF 50/1.4, Nikon 50/1.4D and Voigtlander 58/1.4 Nokton...

Warning on Photoshop CS4 color prefs

29 Jan 2009 08:22:00 PST

One word of warning: the Desaturate Monitor Colors By checkbox can turn itself on randomly...

Price increase on Nikon D3x?

28 Jan 2009 19:44:00 PST

Could a US price increase be in the works very soon? Word on the street...

Nikon vs Canon 5D Mark II in the field

26 Jan 2009 14:00:00 PST

Just added to my DAP noise study is a field shot comparison between the Nikon D3x and Canon 5D Mark II, featuring three A/B crops as well as a pair of very large crops...

Zeiss ZF 100mm f/2 Makro-Planar

26 Jan 2009 14:00:00 PST

As I mentioned in my Jan 20 entry, the Zeiss ZF 100mm f/2 Makro Planar (about $1499) is a world-class lens, a lens that delivers the goods on the Nikon D3x and the Canon 5D Mark II even wide open...

Viruses and PCs

26 Jan 2009 19:44:00 PST

I disgust [sic] the latest internet worm on Jan 17, which today impacted the internet significantly, as well as affecting my employer’s internal network...

Long exposures with the Nikon D3x, D3, Canon 5D Mark II

25 Jan 2009 18:51:00 PST

Just published in DAP is my study of long exposures with the Nikon D3x, D3 and Canon EOS 5D Mark II...

Noise with Nikon and Canon

23 Jan 2009 11:45:00 PST

I’ve just published my DAP report on noise behavior of the Nikon D3x, Nikon D3, Canon 5D Mark III and Canon 1Ds Mark III...

Pushing the blacks — Nikon D3x vs Canon 5D Mark II

22 Jan 2009 11:45:00 PST

Just published in Pushing the Blacks is my take on one reason the D3x images look so good: an exceptionally clean signal path producing near-black areas with minimal noise...

New Mac Pro based on Intel Core 7

20 Jan 2009 19:33:00 PST

Details are emerging about a forthcoming Mac Pro based on the Intel Core i7...

Zeiss support testimonial

20 Jan 2009 19:33:00 PST

Below is an unedited email from a reader about his experience with Zeiss USA...

Canon 5D Mark II comments

20 Jan 2009 19:33:00 PST

I like the 21MP Canon 5D Mark II...

Viruses and PCs

17 Jan 2009 22:42:00 PST

Who’s to say if figures are accurate, but if the true figure is only 1/10 of the 8 million PCs infected, it still is a solid reason to choose the Mac or Linux instead...

Canon 5D Mark II and optics

17 Jan 2009 20:01:00 PST

I did some field shooting today with the Canon 5D Mark II using the 24-120mm f/4L, the 70-200mm f/4L and the 50mm f/1.2L. Not my usual optical fare, but I thought it worthwhile to see how some regular Canon lenses would do...

Tilt and macro work with Nikon PC 85mm

17 Jan 2009 20:00:00 PST

A quick test of tilt with the large PN-11 extension tube on the Nikon 85mm f/2.8D PC-Micro-Nikkkor was surprising...

The future US dollar?

17 Jan 2009 20:00:00 PST

The currency of thug-ruled Zimbabwe gives a whole new meaning to “printing money” and to the term inflation...

Nikon D3x rating from DXo

15 Jan 2009 21:15:00 PST

There apparently is a solid scientific basis for my Jan 4 assertion that the Nikon D3x offers the highest image quality yet seen in a digital SLR...

Noise on 4 cameras

14 Jan 2009 21:15:00 PST

I have an extensive noise study in the works (for DAP) comparing the Nikon D3x, D3, Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III and EOS 5D Mark II...

Nikon D3 vs Nikon D3x resolution

09 Jan 2009 09:15:00 PST

What many people want to know is how a D3x resolution compares to a D3...

Canon 5D Mark II first impressions

07 Jan 2009 09:15:00 PST

Live View mode works really well, far better for handheld shooting than the brain-damaged Nikon implementation...

Warning on Canon Digital Photo Professional preferences

05 Jan 2009 23:17:00 PST

In Caution with Canon Digital Photo Professional 3.5.1 update, released December 21, 2008...

How to carry a Nikon 200mm f/2 VR

05 Jan 2009 23:15:00 PST

The 200VR is large and heavy, but can be carried for a time with reasonable comfort...

Nikon D3x noise and color vs D3

04 Jan 2009 09:15:00 PST

In perhaps my most intriguing findings yet on the D3x, I’ve explored color and noise with the Nikon D3x and Nikon D3 side-by-side, using my reference lens, the Coastal Optics 60mm f/4 UV-VIS-IR APO macro...

Get DAP and Zeiss ZF Lenses FREE

04 Jan 2009 09:14:00 PST

Details...

Nikon D3x at 97.5 megapixels with PhotoZoom Pro

03 Jan 2009 23:00:00 PST

Yesterday I showed a simple upscaling with RAW Developer to 200% (linear) or 97.5 megapixels. Below are two more takes...

Nikon D3x at 97.5 megapixels

02 Jan 2009 23:52:00 PST

How well do D3x images scale? The crop below is actual pixels after scaling to 97.5 megapixels (12096 X 8064)...

Nikon D3x review updated

02 Jan 2009 23:15:00 PST

I’ve updated my D3x review with several new pages, and some RAW files from a D3x, D3 and Canon 1Ds Mark III comparison are no available.

Goodbye somber 2008

31 Dec 2008 20:58:00 PST

An appreciative thank-you to everyone who supported this site in 2008, and may 2009 bring brighter times and better bokeh to all.