Equipment
June 26th, 2010 by D-Photo
Hans Weichselbaum runs his rule over the latest iteration of Adobe’s ubiquitous program
In February this year Photoshop quietly celebrated its 20th birthday, and Adobe just released the 12th generation of Photoshop. Yes, CS5 does indeed contain Photoshop version 12. In a new marketing and promotion strategy, Adobe announced April 12 as a ‘release’ day, not for the software, only for further announcements regarding the new features. At the time of writing (end of April) 
the program still hasn’t been released, but is expected to ship in the middle of May.
Is it worth upgrading? This is the key question. Every new version comes with a number of useful features. Some of them have been on our wish lists for years; others we didn’t even know we needed. Every now and then Adobe comes up with a new tool that is simply revolutionary. This time it is the new Content Aware Fill feature. It has received intensive attention in many weeks and months of rumours and leaks and sneak previews. But we’ll come to that later.
First you need to ensure that your hardware can support the new version. For Windows you need an Intel Pentium 4 or AMD Athlon 64 processor. Mac users require a multicore Intel processor, running Mac OS X v10.5.7 or v10.6. The program takes full advantage of 64-bit support and you should experience a boost in speed.
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January 5th, 2010 by D-Photo
Pro photographer Gary Baildon slips a new MacBook into his workflow
Apple Mac is the computer brand of choice for many photographers. In my own studio I use a 13-inch MacBook, chosen for its light, compact and travel-friendly yet powerful attributes. However, the new 15-inch MacBook Pro has a little more screen real estate, and the advantage of a faster processor and a FireWire 800 port (13-inch MacBooks are USB 2.0 only). It was going to be an interesting test, and a great opportunity to compare two of the best portable computers available, particularly when tethered to my recently purchased 24-inch LED display.
My workflow is already 100 per cent Apple-based, so the MacBook Pro slotted in quickly and easily. A simple transfer of my vital settings and applications from the 13-inch machine (wirelessly via OSX’s built in utilities) and we were ready to go.
STABILITY
OSX Leopard is the onboard operating system and it’s solid, stable and intuitive; and, in true Apple fashion, you needn’t spend any time messing with the software.
From the moment you fire up the Mac it does what it’s supposed to do and keeps on doing it without fuss, crashes or hard-to-find device drivers. The bundled software is excellent, too. With iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD, iTunes, Garage Band, Photo Booth, iWeb, iSync and much more on the hard drive, you already have a very capable machine without spending an extra cent.
Those who need or wish to use Windows can load Microsoft’s operating system to this Intel-based Mac and run it either in dual boot format or inside OSX as a virtual machine.
PROGRAMS
Of course, the cornerstone of any pro photographer’s workflow is a program from neither Microsoft nor Apple, but Adobe’s Photoshop, and more and more photographers are now partnering it with Adobe’s Lightroom. It’s the subject of another review altogether (see the final instalment of Hans Weichselbaum’s in-depth series from p58) but I can put my hand on my heart and say I now couldn’t live without Lightroom.
But while these applications are powerful, they also require lots of processing grunt and memory. Many a computer has suffered under the strain of these mega-apps that increase demands on resources with every subsequent release. The fact that cameras are upping the megapixel count with almost every new model just adds to the pressure.
The MacBook Pro, which in the base configuration supplied for review had a 2.53GHz processor and 4GB RAM, didn’t flinch at running several Adobe CS4 apps at the same time, and did everything it was asked of without complaint. Whether capturing live from the camera, editing in Lightroom or processing in Photoshop, it never missed a beat.
MIX ’N’ MATCH
I also use a 2.8GHz 24-inch iMac in the studio, and I’d have to say that the combination of the MacBook Pro and the Apple display offer virtually the same performance while giving you the flexibility to disengage the two and take the MacBook out on the road at a moment’s notice. In daily use the 15-inch machine didn’t feel much bigger or heavier in my bag than the 13, but the extra screen size, FW800 port and the significantly improved speakers were most welcome. The 15-inch screen made life easier on location, too, without the need to lug another monitor along.
CONCLUSION
Would I consider changing my 13-inch MacBook for a 15, despite the new range starting at $3499 and going all the way up to $4998? Yes. For all the reasons above — and also the less tangible ones such as pride of ownership, aesthetics and a cool factor of 11 (on a scale of 10).
APPLE MACBOOK PRO – SPECS AS TESTED
Manufacturer: Apple
Model: MacBook Pro 15-inch
Processor: 2.53GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
Storage: 320GB HDD
RAM: 4GB
Disc Drive: DVD+/-R DL/DVD+/-RW/CD-RW
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce 9400M, 256MB DDR3 SRAM
Connectivity: Gigabit Ethernet, FireWire, USB2.0 x 2, SD card slot, audio in/out
Dimensions: 364 x 24.1 x 249mm (W/H/D)
Weight: 2.49kg
CONTACT
www.apple.co.nz
Pros
- Stylish
- Durable
- Sizzling performance
- Excellent battery life
- Relatively cool running
Cons
- Cons? What cons? This thing rocks!
Design 18
Performance 18
Features 19
Image Quality 18
Value for money 17
TOTAL 90/100
This article if from D-Photo issue 31.
December 17th, 2009 by D-Photo
Gary Pearce examines Leica’s top-of-the-line digital projector
Diversity, it seems, is key to business survival. McDonald’s has added chicken salads and flat whites to its menu of burgers and fries, while giant Korean electronics company LG has teamed up with the Italian fashion gurus at Prada to develop a new range of mobile phones.
And now the pioneer of photography has entered the large-format display sector with a projector designed for photographic exhibitions.
The new Leica Pradovit D-1200 is a DLP design, a technology well regarded for image quality and the ability to produce better than average black-level performance compared with LCD.
The Pradovit D-1200 made its debut at last year’s Photokina trade fair and provided a major talking point. Essentially, the D-1200 is a slide projector with state-of-the-art optics and outstanding image quality, combined with high-resolution digital video capability. No wonder tongues were wagging following its introduction.
Resolution is a handy 1920 x 1200, giving an aspect ratio of 16:10 that is close to the 35mm format invented by Leica. Texas Instruments developed the single-chip DarkChip DLP light engine specifically for the Pradovit, while Leica’s Vario-Elmarit-P f2.8-3.1/33-42mm high-speed lens promises image widths of up to 9.5 m. With projection distances of one to 15 metres, the D-1200 is perfectly formed for large-scale photographic duties.
Brightness is a claimed 2000 ANSI lumen (1400 in photo mode), so it will work well in most situations where ambient light is present.
Getting Connected
There is a raft of connectivity options, too. HDMI 1.3a and DVI-D are on board, as well as two VGA (allowing up to WUXGA resolution), while the mandatory composite/YPbPR and YCbCR
Component/S-Video make up the video connectivity numbers. Both LAN and USB inputs complete the computer options, while separate RS232 input and output and a handy 12v trigger make the Pradovit a cinch for custom installation.
Lightweight magnesium casework has been used for maximum durability, and while the Pradovit won’t win any awards for beauty, the quality of componentry and Leica’s superior optics produced images that upheld the company’s fine reputation.
On The Screen
After connecting the Pradovit to my Mac, it was fed a consistent diet of high-resolution TIFF and RAW image files. After a small amount of tweaking in the image menu (in the search for a neutral grey), I was quite amazed by the resolution and natural quality of the files I saw on screen.
The greens and autumnal oranges in landscape shots were extremely realistic, while the 16 x 10 resolution of the Pradovit made each image jump off the screen, but not in an artificial or enhanced manner. Digital noise was pretty much non-existent, making the Pradovit a class leader compared with any of the DLP displays I have experienced to date.
Moving to HD video produced similar results, with content from Blu-ray disc proving a satisfying experience. However, the D-1200 is not to be lumped in with the cheaper hi-res home theatre projectors; it is a serious exhibition projector first and foremost — with a price tag to match.
CONCLUSION
Leica’s new Pradovit D-1200 should be on the shopping list for any photographer wishing to display his or her work on a massive scale. The quality of its imagery will not fail to impress, and although expensive, it provides a window into the photographer’s subject without even breaking sweat.
LEICA PRADOVIT D-1200 DIGITAL PROJECTOR – SPECS
Type: DLP
Lens: Leica Vario-Elmarit-P
Aspect Ratio: 16:10
Resolution: 1920 x 1200
Engine: DMD single chip with Texas Instruments DarkChip
Contrast Ratio: 2500:1
Brightness: 2000 ANSI Lumen (1400 ANSI lumen in photo mode)
Operation Noise: 28dB (low lamp mode)
Connections: HDMI 1.3A, DVI-D, component, S-Video, Composite, VGA x 2 (max WUXGA resolution), RS232 in/out, 12v trigger
Lamp Life: 3000 hours
Dimensions: 300 x 104 x 268mm (W/H/D)
Weight: 3.6kg
CONTACT:
info@lacklands.co.nz
Pros
- Beautiful image quality
- Ruggedly built for durability
- Good light output for a typical exhibition installation
Cons
- It is a serious investment
Design 16
Performance 18
Features 20
Image Quality 19
Value for money 16
TOTAL 89/100
This article if from D-Photo issue 31.
October 8th, 2009 by D-Photo
Harley Ogier looks at the options for people who don’t want to take their all-singing, all-dancing expensive notebook computer on the road.
Computers are essential tools for the modern photographer. However, while a notebook PC is a bulky accessory that can really weigh you down when travelling, newer ‘netbooks’ are small and lightweight.
Not only are they lighter to carry, they are also cheaper than their bigger brothers. And while they may not have the power and speed of heavier notebooks, they can give you plenty of options for storing photos and connecting wirelessly to the internet.
What are they?
Netbooks, or sub-notebooks, are miniaturised notebook (laptop) computers. There has been a surge of them in the market, with most manufacturers dipping their toes in the water to give consumers a cheaper way to get a computer.
To cut down on cost, weight and size, netbooks exclude luxuries such as CD or DVD drives — some don’t even have a hard drive. Instead, they generally include at least one card reader, several USB ports and an inbuilt memory card to replace the hard drive.
Netbooks typically feature low-powered (slow) processors that are unsuitable for games or particularly taxing applications that need plenty of grunt. This is a trade-off for battery life — a good netbook will generally give you at least four hours of running time before a recharge is required.
Why you need one
Despite their limited facilities, most netbooks are capable of running applications such as Photoshop. You’ll find that although Photoshop’s stated minimum requirements do exceed the capabilities of many netbooks, they’ll still manage common photo editing tasks such as cropping, resizing and retouching. But there are plenty of other photo software programs around that don’t need the power Photoshop demands.
Where you will run into trouble is screen real estate. A tiny computer means a tiny screen, and you’re looking at something between eight and 12 inches diagonally. The majority of netbooks run screen resolutions of 1024 x 600, not quite the 1024 x 768 minimum that modern applications are designed for. This means you’ll be doing a lot of scrolling, which can be tricky when all you have is a miniature touchpad.
For serious photo editing, a mouse is a necessity. There is a range of miniature mice designed for notebooks, both wired and wireless. Alternatively, you could invest in a small graphics tablet. One the size of your netbook or smaller would be easy to transport, and could even be perched on the keyboard for laptop use. Watch out for touchscreen netbooks in the near future, which will offer all the advantages of a graphics tablet with a computer built in.
Like full-sized notebooks, netbooks usually feature a standard VGA connector for an external screen or projector. If you have access to a screen or a television (perhaps in your hotel room) then you can do some serious editing without being restrained by screen size. Beware those few netbooks that require a special proprietary cable to connect to a screen, especially where those cables aren’t included in the box.
Photo editing aside, netbooks are just tiny computers. They’ll run any application that’s not too resource intensive. This includes office suites, content management systems for hardcore photographers, and the usual gamut of web browsers, email clients and media players.
Most models are available with a choice of Microsoft Windows or Linux operating systems. The Linux versions often come at a lower price, and are a good option if you’re already familiar with Linux or don’t mind learning some new tricks.
Storage
Instead of a hard disk drive, netbooks typically feature a solid state drive (SSD). Essentially this is just a big, fast memory card. Like your camera card, SSDs have no moving parts and so won’t be damaged if you haul your netbook around while it’s turned on, or use it in a moving vehicle. SSDs also use less power, which contributes to that increased battery life.
As always there’s a trade-off. Solid state drives are more expensive than hard disks, and are generally an order of magnitude smaller for a similar price. For example, a particular netbook might be available with a 16GB SSD, or a 160GB hard disk drive.
Which is better depends on you. If you’re looking for a storage unit to dump memory card after memory card full of photos onto, the hard drive option gives you that ability. If you’re just after an editing tool or a way to copy photographs from one memory card to another, the SSD option may fit the bill.
Getting connected
Good netbooks support both wired and wireless networking, so you can get online anywhere there’s a network: home, office or in many hotels and cafés. You can also use any wireless broadband product that supports USB, such as Vodafone’s Vodem or Telecom’s T-Stick.
Netbooks are a great way to email your photos home or to upload them to photo sharing websites. Professionals can use online file storage services to backup their photos while travelling — this could be particularly valuable for people worried about losing essential shots.
Conclusion
Netbooks are the new must-have in the roving digital photographer’s toolbox. If you do choose to invest in a netbook, finding a model that best suits your existing methods and kit will ensure you get the most in return. As always, get the most expensive one you can afford, look out for storage capacity, processing power and battery life. Also consider buying a portable charger so you can give your battery a boost in the car.
This article if from D-Photo issue 29.
October 1st, 2009 by D-Photo
Harley Ogier says the HyperDrive Colorspace is a fast and robust unit that can be easily upgraded
Sanho is responsible for the HyperDrive range of photo backup devices, an award-winning line of hand-held units that allow you to back up your digital photographs quickly and easily on the road.
The Colorspace Ultra Direct Memory Access (UDMA) is the latest addition to its line-up.
Strictly utilitarian
The casing is made up of a black plastic front and a black metal back, with open slots for memory cards and a power cable. You won’t find plastic or rubber flaps for dust protection, nor will you find anything ergonomic. However, it’s a solid machine that’ll transfer files from your card at blistering speeds.
The model I reviewed came with a 120-gigabyte hard drive, which could easily hold tens of thousands of 12 megapixel JPEGs or several thousand RAW files; other versions are available up to 500 gigabytes. The drive is easily user-replaceable and a case-only version is available for people who want to install the drive themselves.
Quick save
The Colorspace UDMA provides extremely quick back-up of memory cards, at up to 40 megabits per second (depending on the speed your card allows). This means you can back up a two-gigabyte memory card in a minute.
Incremental back-up is supported so you can copy just those images that have been added or changed since your last back-up. This is a great time saver if you’re keeping your photographs on both your memory card and the back-up device.
Transfer from the UDMA to a computer is also reasonably fast when using a high-speed USB port on your PC. The unit appears as a removable hard drive on your computer, so there’s no software to install — just plug and play.
Sanho claims the battery will last for 250GB worth of back-ups between charges. However, that assumes you won’t view your photos on the screen, because — as you’d expect — doing so will put extra pressure on the life of the battery.
Usability issues
The Colorspace UDMA features an extremely bare user interface that looks like something out of MS-DOS days.
Browsing images is awkward using the inbuilt screen, especially when you have a few hundred in one folder (as most cameras tend to store their photos).
You can’t hold buttons down to scroll, so you end up pressing a button a few hundred times to get through
a list.
However, there is a particularly nifty calendar view in which you can see a thumbnail for each day you’ve taken photographs, but it’s impossible to browse more than one month at a time.
But you can view picture histograms layered over the photo shown on the computer’s screen, which is really nifty.
Conclusion
The Colorspace UDMA is brilliant as a portable back-up device, but rather limited as a media viewer. It offers a lot of storage, can be upgraded and has a fast and powerful back-up system. However, its awkward user interface may limit its appeal for those who want more than a fast, solid, back-up unit.
Sanho Hyperdrive Colourspace UDMA Specs
- Manufacturer: Sanho Corporation
- Model: HyperDrive Colorspace UDMA
- Display: 3.2-inch LCD, 320 x 240 pixels
- Hard disk drive: 2.5-inch SATA, 120GB, user replaceable
- Memory card support: CompactFlash (Type I/II), MicroDrive, SD, SDHC, MMC, Memory Stick, MS MagicGate, MS Select, MS PRO, MS PRO MagicGate, xD, xD Type H/M
- Image Formats: JPEG, RAW (Canon CR2/CRW, Nikon NEF, Olympus ORF, Panasonic RAW, Pentax PEF)
- Weight: 298g (including battery)
Contact
www.hyperdrive.com
PROS
- Powerful back-up features
CONS
Dated user interface
Design 14
Performance 15
Features 17
Image Quality 14
Value for money 15
TOTAL 75/100
This article if from D-Photo issue 29.
September 23rd, 2009 by D-Photo
Taking your camera on the road is all well and good until your memory card fills up. Starting with Epson’s P-3000, Harley Ogier tests two portable storage devices that can free up your memory card and let you carry on shooting.
The P-3000 is the entry-level model in Epson’s range of multimedia storage viewers, targeted at the “professional photographer and advanced amateur”. Half backup device, half media player, it does a pretty good job of both but doesn’t push the boundaries of either.
Strangely familiar
Users of digital cameras will find the P-3000 extremely familiar: it’s shaped so like a compact camera, I can’t hold it without my index finger reaching for an imaginary shutter button. The controls are set to the right of the screen, just as you find on most digital cameras, with nice anatomical grips on each side.
The menus are like those of most cameras combined with those of a media player. You’ll find options such as My Photos and My Videos, all of which are pretty clear. The fonts are smooth, the icons simple yet sharp and the whole thing has a slick feel that really flattens the learning curve.
Backup
Being an entry-level model the P-3000 only features a 40GB hard drive that could store perhaps 10,000 12 megapixel JPEG photos or a few thousand RAW files. It’s not going to last you a month-long world tour if you shoot 500 RAW images a day, but it’s still a decent capacity for selective photographers or short trips.
The backup process is simple: just pop in your card and select ‘Memory Card Backup’. It’s not the fastest process, taking 10 minutes to back up my two-gigabyte card. Memory card support is also limited to the industry standards — if your camera uses a proprietary format such as xD or Sony’s Memory Stick, you’ll need an optional adapter.
Restoring your backups to a memory card or USB drive is simple, though connecting the P-3000 to a computer requires Epson’s proprietary software. Once the software is installed all’s well, but one wonders why it doesn’t just appear on the desktop as a normal USB device.
Playback
Avoid copying unfocussed or noisy images across to the P-3000 because its brilliantly perfect 4-inch LCD is going to show you just how bad they are. With four dots per pixel (instead of the usual three), colours are stunning.Your average LCD computer monitor just can’t compare — Epson’s top-end P-7000 viewer can actually be used as a second computer screen to check your image colours.
The P-3000 supports RAW files from a wide range of camera manufacturers and JPEGs up to 30 megapixels. A good range of video formats are also supported, along with MP3 and WMA audio files. You can’t play music in the background while working with images or anything so fancy, but the P-3000 could happily replace a basic MP3 player.
Conclusion
The P-3000 lacks any advanced backup features and suffers from limited storage. However, the display quality is superb and the model a good choice for reviewing images and making short-term backups. For megapixel-hungry professionals or longer term storage, look at the P-7000, which features a 160GB hard drive for four times the capacity.
Specs
- Display: 4-inch LCD, 640 x 480 pixels, 16.7 million colours
- Memory Card Support: CompactFlash (Type I/II), Microdrive, SD, MMC, MMCplus
- Image Formats: JPEG (up to 30MP), RAW (Epson, Nikon, Canon, Konica Minolta, Pentax, Sony, Olympus, FujiFilm, Adobe DNG)
- Video Formats: MPEG-1/2/4, DivX, Motion JPEG, WMV
- Audio Formats: MP3, MPEG4-AAC, WMA
- Size: 150 x 88.7 x 33.1mm
Contact
www.epson.co.nz
PROS
- Extensive file format support
CONS
- Check that your memory card is supported
Design 18
Performance 16
Features 17
Image Quality 20
Value for money 14
TOTAL 85/100
This article if from D-Photo issue 29.
August 13th, 2009 by D-Photo
As a light modifier, the orbis ring flash punches above its weight, says professional photographer Gary Baildon
Originally designed for macro photography to push light into the small space between a macro lens and its subject, the ring flash was ‘borrowed’ by fashion and beauty shooters for the quality of its soft wrap-around light.
But these units don’t come cheap — until now, that is.
Designed in New Zealand, the orbis ring flash is an impressive piece of kit. It offers similar functionality to a standard light ring, but this unit uses your existing flash gun for the light it emits. Hence, the price is a lot less that you might expect.
As soon as you open the box you know you have a quality product on your hands. The build is superb, the feel solid, and the bright yellow carry bag will ensure it’s not easily misplaced. A detachable neck strap and instruction booklet complete the box’s contents.
Does it work?
The orbis is intended to be handheld (or tripod mounted) independently of the camera.
The head on your flash unit is first tilted into the vertical position, then attached to your camera with a remote TTL cable or wireless trigger. The flash unit itself is then inserted into the orbis ring flash unit. While holding the flash unit and the orbis in one hand, you manhandle the camera with the other. I have to admit that prior to using the orbis I was sceptical about this, but it’s nowhere near as difficult as I’ve just made it sound. In practice it becomes natural very quickly and leaves you to concentrate on the shot.
While the obvious thing to do with a ringflash is to put the lens through the middle, it’s by no means the rule. The orbis can be held off to the side, above or anywhere you desire. Think small portable softbox.
Caveat emptor
There is one minor issue shooting handheld with the orbis and that is that you can’t manually focus or zoom the lens. In practice I’d normally use auto-focus on this kind of shoot anyway, and it’s a simple matter to set a zoom lens to a pre-determined focal length before shooting. In any case, the release of a collection of adapter rings that will attach the unit to your lenses via the filter thread will be out any day now.
Beauty light
The almost shadowless wrap-around light brings out the beauty in a way that only a ring flash can. Ideally suited to shooting close and fast, the ring flash look is instantly recognisable by circular highlights that run around the subject’s pupils.
Dig out those old fashion mags and look closely at the eyes, you’ll soon see what I mean. That said, the orbis is no slouch when it comes to getting up close with interesting small things. It is a ring flash, after all.
Conclusion
Previously the domain of pros, there really was no affordable ring flash option. That just changed. The cost of entry to this exclusive club is now within the reach of anybody who loves photography.
The results achieved by the orbis are certainly of commercial quality and well exceeded this shooter’s expectations.
SPECS – ENLIGHT PHOTO ENL-ORB1-A
- Manufacturer: Enlight Photo
- Flash Strobe Sizes: Compatible with all commonly available flash/strobe units – see website for details
- Lens Compatibility: Internal lens aperture diameter 85mm – see website for details
- Ships With: Instruction manual, protective bag, shoulder strap
- Dimensions: 280 x 220 x 55mm (H/W/D – depth at lens 55mm)
Contact
www.orbisflash.com
NZ Distributor: Pro Gear
PROS
- Competitively priced
- Easy to use
- Excellent results
CONS
- Handholding takes a little practice
| Design |
16 |
| Performance |
18 |
| Features |
16 |
| Image Quality |
15 |
| Value for money |
17 |
|
|
| Total |
82/100 |
This review is from D-Photo issue #028.
