Photo News - W/E Sunday 21st April

[Kym]

http://photoshopuser.com/lightroom5/
http://labs.adobe.com/technologies/lightroom5/

Lightroom 5 is in Beta. Not a lot of changes but with a new version Adobe can charge an upgrade fee.

New Features in Lightroom 5 Beta

• Advanced Healing Brush – Easily remove objects and fix defects—even those with irregular shapes such as threads or lint—with a single brush stroke. Take precise control over what's being removed as you make unwanted objects just disappear.
• Upright – Straighten tilted images with a single click. Upright analyzes images and detects skewed horizontal or vertical lines. You choose one of four correction methods, and Upright can even straighten images where the horizon is hidden.
• Radial Gradient – Lead your viewer's eye through your images with more flexibility and control. The radial gradient tool lets you create off-center vignette effects, or multiple vignette areas within a single image.
• Offline editing with Smart Previews – Easily work with images without bringing your entire library with you. Just generate smaller stand-in files called Smart Previews. Make adjustments or metadata additions to Smart Previews and your changes will be automatically applied to the full-size originals later.
• Video slideshow sharing – Easily share your work in elegant video slideshows. Combine still images, video clips, and music in creative HD videos that can be viewed on almost any computer or device.
• Improved photo book creation – Create beautiful photo books from your images. Lightroom includes a variety of easy-to-use book templates, and now you can edit them to create a customized look. Upload your book for printing with just a few clicks.

[Kym]

http://techcrunch.com/2013/04/15/kod...r-210-million/

Kodak To Sell Document Imaging Business To Brother For $210 Million

Brother, a Japanese document imaging company, has bought Kodak’s imaging business for $210 million, according to a company release. Kodak sought bankruptcy protection in January 2012 and has been restructuring itself since.

The document imaging side of the company – namely a portfolio of professional scanners, capture software, and services – has long been a mainstay for enterprise clients looking to streamline document design and production.

“Document Imaging has many differentiating strengths, including an outstanding global customer base, award-winning software and hardware solutions, strategic reseller partners and a comprehensive service and support network,” said Antonio M. Perez, Kodak Chairman and CEO. Brother makes copiers, printers, and, as the release notes, sewing machines.

[Kym]

Google Glass specs...
http://support.google.com/glass/answ..._topic=3063354

Fit

Adjustable nosepads and durable frame fits any face.
Extra nosepads in two sizes.

Display

High resolution display is the equivalent of a 25 inch high definition screen from eight feet away.
Camera

Photos - 5 MP
Videos - 720p

Audio

Bone Conduction Transducer

Connectivity

Wifi - 802.11b/g
Bluetooth

Storage

12 GB of usable memory, synced with Google cloud storage. 16 GB Flash total.

Battery

One full day of typical use. Some features, like Hangouts and video recording, are more battery intensive.
Charger

Included Micro USB cable and charger.

While there are thousands of Micro USB chargers out there, Glass is designed and tested with the included charger in mind. Use it and preserve long and prosperous Glass use.
Compatibility

Any Bluetooth-capable phone.
The MyGlass companion app requires Android 4.0.3 (Ice Cream Sandwich) or higher. MyGlass enables GPS and SMS messaging.

[Splashon]

Happy with lightroom as is at the moment

[Kym]

Ricoh GR APS-C compact

http://www.pentaxforums.com/cat/pentax-news-rumors.html

Pentax Ricoh have just posted a teaser video about the a new compact fixed-lens APS-C camera called the Ricoh GR. Based on the video, it seems that this camera incorporates many design elements found on previous Ricoh GR cameras, even though in terms of specifications, it closely mimics the recently-launched Nikon Coolpix A.

Here are the key specifications of the Ricoh GR:

• 16.2 megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor
• No optical low-pass filter
• 4FPS continuous shooting
• 3-inch LCD with 1.23 million dots
• Fast AF response time (0.2s during normal shooting)
• High-performance GR Engine V image processor
• 18.3mm F2.8 GR lens
• 9 aperture blades
• Small body: 117 x 61 x 34.7mm (WxHxD)

[Rattus79]

Ricoh GR APS-C compact

Well that's 1/5 ... Bring on the big boy toys!!

[Kym]

http://www.ephotozine.com/article/si...-preview-21775

Sigma has announced the new Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 DC lens for APS-C (crop) sensor Digital SLRs, made in Japan. We have a hands-on look at a pre-production model, and give our first impressions, although unfortunately we are unable to post any images taken with the lens.

Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 Key Features

18-35mm, 27.5-52.5mm equivalent
Constant f/1.8 aperture - f/16 minimum
9 rounded diaphragm blades
17 elements in 12 groups
Special Low Dispersion (SLD) glass
A - Art series lens
72mm filter thread
Internal focusing and zooming
Super Multi-Layer Coating
AF/MF switch on side
28cm closest focus distance
1:4.3 maximum magnification ratio
Hyper Sonic Motor (HSM)
78x121mm (diameter x length)
810g

[ricktas]

Nikon has patented a lens authentication passcode system. Basically you can create a PIN for your camera and lenses, thus if someone steals your lens or camera, it will be inoperable unless they can enter the PIN.

http://www.popphoto.com/gear/2013/04...asscode-system

one concern about this is that it could be used by Nikon to stop grey market selling as the system could stop a lens sold in Hong Kong working on a body sold in Australia.

[Kym]

one concern about this is that it could be used by Nikon to stop grey market selling as the system could stop a lens sold in Hong Kong working on a body sold in Australia.

No, a major corporation would not try to lock you in would they?
/sarcasm

HP and Canon chipped printer cartridges etc.