Nikon D7000 Videos

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The Nikon D7000 is a dust- and moisture-sealed 16.2-megapixel DX-format DSLR camera with a 39-point AF system, 14-bit analogue-to-digital conversion, 6fps continuous shooting, dual memory card slots and Full HD video with full-time autofocus and manual exposure control. The new AF module includes 9 cross-type sensors in the central part of the frame. Photographers can also activate 3D tracking, which continuously follows moving subjects within the 39 AF points, highlighting the activated AF point in the viewfinder - which in turn has 100% frame coverage and 0.94x magnification. Also new is the 2,016-pixel 3D Colour Matrix meter, which Nikon calls "groundbreaking". The Nikon D7000 has a native ISO range of 100-6400 that can be expanded to ISO 25,600; another first in a Nikon DX camera. The video mode of the D7000 offers variable frame rates of 20, 24 or 30fps at 720p, and cinema-standard 24fps at the 1080p setting. In the US, the Nikon D7000 will be available from mid-October priced at $1199.95 for body only and $1499.95 for body and lens outfit that includes the AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR lens.

30 Outstanding Panoramas

Click here to see all 30!

All About The New Nikon D7000

For links all over the place about the new Nikon D7000, visit this page on Nikon Rumors. Bottom line: I need to replace my Nikon D90, D300, and D80 cameras with three of these jewels...

Publish Your Pictures To Facebook Directly From Lightroom 3.2

In this video Terry White demonstrates how to use Lightroom 3.2's ability to publish photos directly to your Facebook account.

Rumored Specs Of Nikon D7000 (D90 Replacement)

Nikon is expected to make an announcement on September 15th concerning the camera that will replace the D90. Nikon Rumors is reporting that this new camera -- the D7000 -- will likely include the following features:

• 100% viewfinder
• Dual SD memory card slots
• Magnesium-alloy body
• 16.2MP CMOS sensor (DX)
• Expeed 2
• 1080 HD video @24p | 720 @30p (not sure about those)
• 20 min video recording (up from 5min on the D90)
• Save images from video (similar to the D3s)
• AF during video
• Stereo mic input for video
• 6 fps
• Virtual horizon (like the D300s)
• One touch video and/or live view (similar to the D3100)
• Improved ISO range: 100-25600
• 39 AF points
• Wireless flash
• Weather proof (like the D300s)
• New battery system
• Expected price: $1199 for body only
• Update: no swivel display

Terry White: Top Photoshop CS5 Features (Must Watch)

Design Evangelist Terry White describes his favorite features in Adobe Photoshop CS5.

New Nikon USA Store

Nikon launches new Nikon USA store. Thanks to Nikon Rumors for catching this.

Bell Rock Wedding Photos

I just finished adding a few photos to the Bell Rock section on my photo website. The photos come from Sherry and Jacob’s August 6th wedding. The light was perfect. The bride was beautiful, easy-going, and spunky. Everything flowed. The Bell Rock section is located here. More photos from this wedding are posted here. Thanks to Andrew Murphy of Heart of Sedona Weddings for making this wedding possible.

The Nikon Coolpix S1100pj 14 MP Digital Camera

Nikon Coolpix S1100pj 14 MP Digital Camera

Scott Kelby On Aperture Versus Lightroom

In response to a misrepresentation of his views of Aperture versus Lightroom, Scott Kelby wrote a  helpful comparison the two programs. To summarize: far more pros use Lightroom than Aperture; Aperture lacks many of the features found in Lightroom; Aperture is slow and buggy; and Aperture only has one feature that Kelby favors over Lightroom's -- Aperture's making photo books feature.

Here are a few quick excerpts:

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"I only like Aperture better for one feature -- making photo books. I don’t use it for anything else (I do my slideshows in iPhoto)."

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"...if I had written an Aperture 4 wish list article, it would have gone on to include features already in Lightroom that Aperture doesn’t do well, or doesn’t do at all, like: automated and manual lens correction and perspective correction, or snapshots and history for your edits, or supporting multiple adjustments with one brush stroke like Lightroom’s Adjustment Brush, or built-in Camera profiles to emulate Nikon/Canon in-camera looks, or a fast responsive crop tool, or crop tool overlays for composition, or setting your default adjustment settings by camera model, camera serial number or image ISO, or expertly-tuned sharpening on output, or saving your print layouts as JPEGs so you can send them to a photo lab, and I could go on and on and on.

"Not to mention that there’s a massive worldwide community built around using Lightroom and supporting Lightroom users, and you can find tons of presets, plug-ins, advice, training books, live seminars, hands-on workshops, and even its own conference available to Lightroom users, that simply doesn’t exist on that scale for Aperture users (and did I mention that Aperture isn’t even available on the Windows platform at all?)."

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"An independent study by InfoTrends looked at which programs pros are using to process their raw images. Here’s what they found:

"In 2009 (the most current year for which statistics are available) here’s what the pros use:

"Lightroom: 37%

"Aperture: 6.3% (down from 7.5% the previous year, so their pro user base is actually shrinking).

"Now, although Lightroom is available for both PCs and Macs, Aperture is only available on Macs, and you’d think that would help its case quite a bit, but it actually gets worse when you just compare what Mac users are using. Here are InfoTrend’s results when you just look at pro photographers using Macs:

"Lightroom: 44.4%

"Aperture: 12.5% (down from 14.6% the previous year, so their pro user base is actually shrinking on the Mac, too)."

...

You can read Kelby's complete article here.

New Nikon Cameras Coming

Nikon Rumors is reporting that Nikon is planning to announce new Coolpix models on August 17th and four new lenses and the Nikon D3100 on August 19th. No dates or new information on D90 and D700 replacements yet.

Check Your Shutter Count

MyShutterCount.com provides a tool for you to check your digital camera shutter count and basic EXIF information. Simply upload a photo which is taken by your digital camera. We will show you the shutter count of your camera instantly. MyShutterCount.com supports Nikon's NEF, Pextax's DNG, PEF, and non-edited JPG formats.

Thanks to friend and photographer Mel Russell for this tip!

Photography Is Not A Crime

Check out the Photography Is Not A Crime (It’s A First Amendment Right) Website. Great news and information concerning all aspects of photographing people (including police officers) in public places.

Excerpt from The Photographer's Right (pdf) by Bert P. Krages II

"The general rule in the United States is that anyone may take photographs of whatever they want when they are in a public place or places where they have permission to take photographs. Absent a specific legal prohibition such as a statute or ordinance, you are legally entitled to take photographs. Examples of places that are traditionally considered public are streets, sidewalks, and public parks.

"Property owners may legally prohibit photography on their premises but have no right to prohibit others from photographing their property from other locations. Whether you need permission from property owners to take photographs while on their premises depends on the circumstances. In most places, you may reasonably assume that taking photographs is allowed and that you do not need explicit permission. However, this is a judgment call and you should request permission when the circumstances suggest that the owner is likely to object. In any case, when a property owner tells you not to take photographs while on the premises, you are legally obligated to honor the request..."

Scott McClellan FX

New Fine Art Gallery

Looking to purchase some inspiring, high-quality, off-the-beaten-path prints? With a nudge from friend and fellow Sedona photographer Bob Coates, I created a gallery of some of my favorite images on Fine Art America. Along with providing customers with a variety of print options, including wall-sized canvass prints (my favorite), Fine Art America also offers a 100% money-back guarantee on all the prints they produce. They also have a very fast turnout time: they ship whatever prints are ordered within three days! Come take a look.

Porcelana

Porcelana from Real Creations on Vimeo.

The Making Of Porcelana

Porcelana - Making Of from Real Creations on Vimeo.

fstoppers

fstoppers on Facebook - fstoppers on Vimeo - fstoppers website

The iPhone Fashion Shoot

The iPhone Fashion Shoot - Lee Morris Shoots With The 3GS Fstoppers from FStoppers on Vimeo.

50 Incredible Photography Techniques and Tutorials

50 Incredible Photography Techniques and Tutorials from Smashing Magazine.

Photoshop CS5 Overview

The Zi8 Pocket Video Camera In Action

Here are four videos shot by Sher Stultz using The Kodak Zi8 Pocket Video Camera I wrote about in my last blog. Like most digital cameras, the Zi8 doesn't do well in bright sunlight, especially with anything white. But turn it loose indoors, where the light is more even and subdued, and you can see how well this $150.00 camera can shoot. Considering the cost, and how small and easy to carry the camera is, we should all have one. You're obviously not going to get the same quality that you will from higher priced cameras, but how many of those can you stuff in your pocket and carry everywhere with a minimum of hassle?

For those of you who want to follow Sher's travel blog (which is really good, by the way), it's located here: Great Blue Wanderers.

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Kodak Zi8 Pocket Video Camera

I'm always on the lookout for something I can EASILY carry with me EVERYWHERE that allows me to shoot quick videos and snap quick photos with a minimum of fuss and muss -- and produce great results. Recently, Sher Stultz needed a small, inexpensive, high-quality video camera that she could take on the road to document her trip. After researching the current models that are available, and carefully comparing their features (and user reviews), I/we settled on this little beauty: The Kodak Zi8 Pocket Video Camera. Along with shooting 1080p on SD and SDHC cards, this pocket-sized camera also allows you to connect a external microphone (which is critical for people who want decent sound in situations where the built-in mic falls short). Sher ordered the camera and we took it for a spin. I love it and have since recommended it to another friend, who had similar needs -- and a tight budget. I also plan to put my money where my mouth is and get one myself. It will replace a bulkier Panasonic HD video camera I've been carrying around with me, and give me longer battery life, better low-light capabilities, a 5 megapixel still camera, and, very important, a less intimidating, more informal presence when I pull it out to shoot someone or something.

For a very nice overview of this camera, including a list of recommended accessories, I encourage you to watch this video from Traffic Geyser. I've included a quick list of the accessories that are recommended in this video below, along with a few others that I think are worthwhile.

Zi8 & Recommended Accessories:

• Kodak Zi8 Pocket Video Camera
• Transcend 16 GB Class 6 SDHC Flash Memory Card
• Audio Technica ATR-3350 Lavalier Omnidirectional Condenser Microphone
• AZDEN ECZ-990 Super Cardioid Zoom Camcorder Microphone
• AV-JEFE CM520 Professional Lavalier Mic With 3.5mm Stereo Plug
• Sony ECM-DS70P Electret Condenser Stereo Microphone
• Manfrotto 785 Modo Maxi Photo Video Grip Head Tripod
• High Density (Black) Neoprene Glove Case and Mini Tripod Combo for Kodak Zi8 HD Pocket Video Camera
• Kodak Li-Ion Rechargeable Battery/KLIC 7004
• Kodak Remote Control for Zi8 Pocket Video Camera

Zi8 Features Include:

• A flexible swing-out USB arm
• Removable lithium-ion batteries that can be charged in or out of the camera
• SD card slot - so you can bring extra cards and keep on shooting
• 2.5-inch color LCD
• External microphone jack
• Full HD 1080p video capture
• Built-in electronic image stabilization
• 5MP still capture
• Improved low light performance
• Smart face-tracking technology

New Wedding Photos

Just finished adding some more new photos to my photo website. Most of these photos are from Anna and Javier’s wedding, which was officiated by Uqualla, a Native American officiate. The newest images can be found here. A special section featuring images of Uqualla are located here.