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August 31, 2008

Nikonians News Flash #101

News-Flash.png

Tune in for your weekly dose of Nikonians News Flash! Chock full of news from your friendly neighborhood Nikonians Community!


Download Nikonians News Flash #101 (NPC-NF-2008-08-31.mp3; 6:50; 6.3MB; MP3 format)

August 31, 2008
In The News:

Weekly news from The Nikonians Academy.
Canon introduces their new 50D DSLR.
Nikon's new D90 has just been announced.

From The Forums:
Nikonian arranging a photo shoot to Bulls Island, SC in September.
In the Cafe'
Noted threads to look for are:
"IT People", and "SLRs are like toothpaste and razors".
Forum of the Week:
D70/D80/D90 Users Group

Jessica's Choice Photo:
Small "lake".
User submission! "Fishing at Sunrise"
Fishing at Sunrise.jpg
Questions, Comments, Announcements?
Email Jessica at newsflash@nikonians.org, or drop us a line in the Podcast Feedback forum!

Posted by odle2 at 12:12 PM

August 27, 2008

Nikon unveils their first Movie Shooting DSLR

Nikonians in our D70/D80/D90 Users Group will soon be sharing their thoughts on the new Nikon D90, announced today.

D90-FR-BK_300.jpgSimilar in appearance to the D80, The D90 is packed with D300 touches, like the 12.3 megapixel CMOS sensor with an Integrated Dust Reduction System and EXPEED technology.
It also has Live View, Scene Recognition with Face Detection, Active D-Lighting, 3D Color Matrix Metering II and the Multi-CAM 1000 autofocus module. The 3-in., approx. 920k-dot LCD has a 170-degree viewing angle.
Action shooters can look forward to 4.5 frames per second (shooting Normal Large).
Perhaps the most "buzz-creating" addition is the movie function, Nikon's first DSLR with such a feature.
It allows for shooting in three different motion JPEG formats: 320 x 216 pixels, 640 x 424 pixels and HD720p (1,280 x 720 pixels), taking full advantage of all your Nikon glass. The autofocus function is disabled while shooting motion pictures and the metering switches to Matrix mode.
An optional attachment (GP-1) allows for GPS geo-tagging.
This new entry in the Nikon DSLR line-up serves as an upgrade to the D80, announced two years ago, and it shares the same batteries and MB-D80 Multi-Power Battery Pack.

Pricing and Availability
Nikon says: "The D90 will be available throughout the United States beginning September 2008 at an MSRP of $999.95** for body only and $1299.95** for body and lens outfit that includes the new AF-S DX Zoom-NIKKOR 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR lens. The GP-1 GPS unit will be available in November 2008, and pricing will be announced near the time of its delivery to the marketplace.

Nikon's specs are available here.

Their pdf brochure is downladable here.

Posted by flashdeadline at 8:26 AM

August 26, 2008

The D300 Competition: Canon 50D Unveiled

Canon has fired it's first shot of Photokina with the announcement of the 50D. The direct successor to the 40D and presumed competitor to the Nikon D300 sports a 15 MP CMOS sensor, a top ISO range of 12,800 and 6.3 fps.

The additional specification list reads like the playbook of all recent innovations - self-cleaning sensor, Live View, a 3.0" LCD that can be viewed at wider angles - read more about the new camera at LetsGoDigital.

Posted by covey22 at 2:26 PM

August 25, 2008

The Nikonians On Location #31 - Rain

Nikonian Martin Joergensen trying to catch the sense of rain with the camera. Wet streets, drops, water running, people with umbrellas. How to shoot the rain and prepare for rough weather.

Click here to download Nikonians On Location Podcast #31 (NPC-OL-2008-08-25; 17:04; 7.8MB, MP3 format).
Video supplement available here (NPC-OLV-2008-08-25; 8:48; flash format).

Show Notes: August 25, 2008

Rain can be illustrated in many ways, and Martin covers a few here - and gets a very wet D200 and 70-200 as a bonus.

The sound file:

  1. Welcome
  2. Buying used
  3. Rain is good!
  4. Preparing for the water
  5. Illustrating rain
  6. Packing and winding down
  7. Bye

Video supplement:

See the images from the wet shoot here - and some other rough (but nice) weather images as a supplement.
Click here to view Nikonians On Location Video Supplement #31 (NPC-OLV-2008-08-25; 8:48; flash format)

Music used on today's show:

Action Theme No.2 by Greg Williams from A Circle of Hidden Intentions on Magnatune

[iTunes] Subscribe to the Nikonians Podcast directly in iTunes

[RSS] Add the Nikonians Podcast feed to your RSS reader

[Vote] Vote for us on Podcast Alley!

Questions, Comments, Announcements?

Email Martin at onlocation@nikonians.org, or drop us a line in the Podcast Feedback forum!

Posted by martinj at 10:38 AM

August 24, 2008

Nikonians News Flash #100

News-Flash.png

Tune in for your weekly dose of Nikonians News Flash! Chock full of news from your friendly neighborhood Nikonians Community!


Download Nikonians News Flash #100 (NPC-NF-2008-08-24.mp3; 6:36; 6.1MB; MP3 format)

August 24, 2008
In The News:

Weekly news from The Nikonians Academy.
New Lenovo ThinkPad.
LaserSoft's SilverFast software for MacOSX.

From The Forums:
Nikonian looking for members in Mississippi.
In the Cafe'
Noted threads to look for are:
"Nikon wins a Bronze medal", and "If Nikonia was a nation...".
Forum of the Week:
Nikonians Photo Contest

Jessica's Choice Photo:
Blue Night.

Questions, Comments, Announcements?
Email Jessica at newsflash@nikonians.org, or drop us a line in the Podcast Feedback forum!

Posted by odle2 at 1:39 PM

August 21, 2008

ID#73a The Image Doctors

This week, Jason and Rick sat down with popular photographer and author Thom Hogan.  Due to the length of the interview, we've split this episode into two parts.

Looking for an Image Doctors Episode? Check the show archives here.

Download The Image Doctors #73a (NPC-ID-2008-08-21a.mp3;52:59 18.2MB; MP3 format)

Show Notes:August 21st, 2008

Interview with Thom Hogan

Check out Thom's website at www.bythom.com

[iTunes] Subscribe to the Image Doctors directly in iTunes.
[RSS] Add the Image Doctors feed to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically to you.
[Vote] Vote for us on Podcast Alley!

Posted by drjay32 at 6:00 AM

ID#73b: The Image Doctors

Here is Part II of Rick and Jason's interview with photographer and author Thom Hogan.

Looking for an Image Doctors Episode? Check the show archives here.

Download The Image Doctors #73b (NPC-ID-2008-08-21b.mp3;1:25:09 29.3MB; MP3 format)

Show Notes:August 21st, 2008

Interview with Thom Hogan (Part 2)

Check out Thom's website at www.bythom.com

[iTunes] Subscribe to the Image Doctors directly in iTunes.

[RSS] Add the Image Doctors feed to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically to you.


[Vote] Vote for us on Podcast Alley!

Posted by drjay32 at 6:00 AM

August 20, 2008

The Nikonians On Location #30 - Up my alley

Nikonian Martin Joergensen packing and getting ready and then shooting a place that he had visited many times before - but never with a camera. It wasn't quite as he remembered.

Click here to download Nikonians On Location Podcast #30 (NPC-OL-2008-08-20; 42:24; 19.4MB, MP3 format).
Video supplement available here (NPC-OLV-2008-08-20; 9:33; flash format).

Show Notes: August 20, 2008

Alleys can provide some really nice subjects - long rows of trees on both sides of a road. But this row wasn't quite as long as it should have been and the traffic was terrible, so getting the calm to shoot it wasn't easy.

The sound file:

  1. Welcome
  2. Packing
  3. Fleece bags
  4. Weather observations
  5. Shooting the alley
  6. Shooting the bridge
  7. Winding down in the rain
  8. Goodbye

Video supplement:

Images of the packing, Kata bag, neat fleece bags and other practicalities. And of course images from the location.
Click here to view Nikonians On Location Video Supplement #30 (NPC-OLV-2008-08-20; 9:33; flash format)

Music used on today's show:

Dawn by David Modica on Magnatune

[iTunes] Subscribe to the Nikonians Podcast directly in iTunes

[RSS] Add the Nikonians Podcast feed to your RSS reader

[Vote] Vote for us on Podcast Alley!

Questions, Comments, Announcements?

Email Martin at onlocation@nikonians.org, or drop us a line in the Podcast Feedback forum!

Posted by martinj at 11:53 AM

August 17, 2008

Newsweek's Olympics Photo Blog

With the Olympics well underway, we're all enjoying the fruits of some really fabulous photography, thanks in no small part of advances in technology. However, it is still the preparatory and artistic work that's doing the heavy lifting, and the Newsweek Visions of China blog captures those moments behind the scenes before the shutter ever gets fired.

Be sure to check out Vincent Laforet's August 6th entry, showing the sheer amount of logistical preparation necessary to move six cameras, over thirty lenses and associated support equipment 8,000 miles to Beijing. Or the agony of lost work as a photographer setting up his equipment knocks over two dozen painstakingly positioned remote-fire cameras.

Posted by covey22 at 5:37 PM

August 13, 2008

Lenovo Thinkpad W700 redefines "bigger-better-faster"

Nikonians with professional photography interests seeking the full-featured performance of a desktop workstation in a mobile notebook can now consider Lenovo's ThinkPad W700.

W700-350.jpgThis is the first Lenovo Thinkpad featuring a 17-inch display and that monster screen is just the tip of the iceberg.

Once you've tapped into the impressive base Intel Core 2 Duo Processor T9400 (2.53GHz 1066MHz 6MBL2) using the Windows Vista Business OS with a comfortable 2 GB PC3-8500 DDR3 SDRAM 1067MHz SODIMM Memory (2 DIMM) to handle your most intensive graphic needs, you've still got a host of desktop options to add to this dream-mobile.

Imagine adding an Ultranav + FPR + Pantone Color Sensor + WACOM Digitizer to a notebook-- and then going to the limits with a ThinkPad Blu-ray Recordable Ultrabay Enhanced (Serial ATA).

Lenovo's announcement of the W700 on August 12 tells us they have introduced the "industry's first built-in digitizer and color calibrator to a mobile workstation and combines these innovations with first-in-market technologies such as new NVIDIA Quadro FX mobile graphics and supporting the upcoming Intel mobile quad core processor. Other features such as optional dual hard drives with RAID configurations, up to 8 GB of high speed DDR3 memory, a range of wireless connectivity options and excellent multimedia capabilities including an optional Blu-ray DVD burner/player make the ThinkPad W700 mobile workstation the standard-bearer for power and performance in a mobile workstation."

Lenovo says "The calibrator automatically adjusts the display's color in up to half the time of many external calibrators and with higher accuracy, resulting in the most accurate, true-to-life images in an integrated package. Together with the upcoming Intel mobile quad core processor, multimedia designers and animators now have outstanding quad-core processor performance and true color replication that is critical for realistic digital creations and workflow efficiencies."

The ThinkPad W700 mobile workstation will be available beginning in September with models starting at $2,978. It is available through Lenovo Business Partners and www.lenovo.com.

Posted by flashdeadline at 3:28 PM

The Nikonians On Location #29 - Flash Gels

A short intro to using filters - gels - on flashes with examples of their different uses.

Click here to download Nikonians On Location Podcast #29 (NPC-OL-2008-08-12; 22:45; 20.8MB, MP3 format).
Video supplement available here (NPC-OLV-2008-08-12; 8:12; flash format).

Show Notes: August 12, 2008

Martin Joergensen covers setting up a system for gelling or filtering light from strobes and talks about different ways of using them. Find the blog entry for the Flash Modifier theme on Martin's blog here.

The sound file:

  1. Intro
  2. Rain and overcast
  3. Light painting not happening
  4. Flash modifiers
  5. Flash gels or filters
  6. Managing artificial light
  7. Setting up and shooting
  8. CLS and slaves
  9. Goodbye

Video supplement:

A slideshow supplement showing examples of using gels on strobes.
Click here to view Nikonians On Location Video Supplement #29 (NPC-OLV-2008-08-12; 8:12; flash format)

Music used on today's show:

Thank You by David Modica on Magnatune

[iTunes] Subscribe to the Nikonians Podcast directly in iTunes

[RSS] Add the Nikonians Podcast feed to your RSS reader

[Vote] Vote for us on Podcast Alley!

Questions, Comments, Announcements?

Email Martin at onlocation@nikonians.org, or drop us a line in the Podcast Feedback forum!

Posted by martinj at 1:18 AM

August 11, 2008

Photokina magazine includes Nikonians article

Nikonians co-founder Bo Stahlbrandt (bgs) was invited to share his perspective on the growth of photography and imaging communities on the Internet for the first edition of the World of Imaging magazine and Web site.

WOI-newsletter.jpgThe magazine helps share news and insights about imaging in general and Photokina in particular. It is an "Event Loyalty Media" (ELM) product that is produced in contract by Koelnmesse , the organizer of the Photokina exhibition. You can read Bo's article here.

If you come to Photokina, make sure you visit our Nikonians co-founders J. Ramón Palacios (jrp) and Bo Stahlbrandt (bgs) for a chat at our booth: Hall 2.1 E014.
You can also give us a short ping through the contact form at Nikonians. If you want to schedule an appointment to discuss media or marketing opportunities, you should get in touch with Hendric Schneider.

Posted by flashdeadline at 4:10 PM

August 10, 2008

Nikonians News Flash #99

News-Flash.png

Tune in for your weekly dose of Nikonians News Flash! Chock full of news from your friendly neighborhood Nikonians Community!


Download Nikonians News Flash #99 (NPC-NF-2008-08-10.mp3; 6:00; 5.5MB; MP3 format)

August 10, 2008
In The News:

Free Capture NX 2 upgrade.
Nikon's new CoolPix models.
New 18mm super wide angle lens from Carl Zeiss.

From The Forums:
In the Cafe'
Noted threads to look for are:
"What Would You Do!", and "A cure for NAS".
Forum of the Week:
Nikonians Academy African Safaris

Jessica's Choice Photo:
Gone With The Wind.

Questions, Comments, Announcements?
Email Jessica at newsflash@nikonians.org, or drop us a line in the Podcast Feedback forum!

Posted by odle2 at 1:36 PM

August 8, 2008

Nikon Coolpix P6000 with RAW and GPS

At last the rumours have been validated: The new Nikon Coolpix P6000 with integrated GPS and RAW format is out. Good for us who have been thinking Canon G9 is the only way to go.

Posted by bgs at 10:56 AM

August 7, 2008

Nikon introduces 6 new affordable COOLPIX cameras

Our Nikonians COOLPIX users group members will soon be busy admiring the newest COOLPIX entries introduced by Nikon in advance of Photokina 2008.

Nikon Inc. has announced the launch of six new COOLPIX digital cameras.

The new additions to the COOLPIX product line share features such as the Scene Auto Selector Mode, which automatically selects the right scene mode for the image you are shooting.

Also offered in the new line-up are features such as "Smile Mode" which automatically triggers the shutter when a subject is smiling --- and "Blink Warning" which displays a message when it detects that a subject has blinked.

The features list gets better with each model -- adding TOUCH-SCREEN interfaces, Wi-Fi transmission and GPS capabilities to your options.

Perhaps the most attractive selling point for these new COOLPX models is the price range. The Manufacturer's Retail Price from top to bottom runs at less than $500 U.S. Dollars (USD) for the new P6000 to $250 USD for the S560.

We have the Press Release highlights from August 7, 2008 for your consideration listed below:

P6000.jpg

The COOLPIX P6000 features 13.5 megapixels, a new, built-in global positioning system (GPS) unit, my Picturetown connectivity and the power of Nikon's exclusive EXPEEDâ„¢ image processing concept, the P6000 offers the perfect photographic tool for photo and camera enthusiasts seeking the creative control of a D-SLR in the compact body of a COOLPIX camera.

The P6000 includes intuitive controls via dedicated command and mode dials, providing easy access to shooting controls and exposure mode settings. It offers Programmed Auto [P], Shutter-priority Auto [S], Aperture-priority Auto [A] and Manual [M] modes granting users the ability to tap into the creativity of D-SLR functions while maintaining the simplicity of COOLPIX functionality.

P6000 users can also take full advantage of Nikon's Creative Lighting System with the built-in accessory shoe that supports Nikon's i-TTL flash control, which enables wireless control over one group of remote Speedlights including the newly announced SB-900 Speedlight.

The P6000 features a quality finish and a front panel constructed of solid Magnesium alloy, as well as a comfortable grip and well-placed controls for streamlined performance. The new P6000 camera is compatible with new high-capacity SDHC cards, and utilizes a Nikon EN-EL5 rechargeable Li-ion battery. It also comes bundled with the COOLPIX Software Suite for editing, organizing and sharing images.

The Nikon COOLPIX P6000 will be available nationwide beginning September 2008 at a MSRP of $499.95.

The COOLPIX S710 masters the ease-of-use a compact camera and also successfully incorporates many of the functions creative photographers demand from their traditional SLR cameras like Program, Aperture, Manual and Shutter priority modes. Further expanding the Style series of COOLPIX cameras, the S710 features 14.5 megapixels of ultra-sharp resolution, the precision optics of a 3.6x Zoom-NIKKOR wide-angle glass lens and the contours and fine finish of a stainless steel body.

The Nikon COOLPIX S710 will be available nationwide beginning September 2008 at a MSRP of $379.95.

S610.jpg

The COOLPIX S610 blends elegant design and quality construction with high performance and intuitive controls and features. With 10 effective megapixels, a 4x Zoom-NIKKOR wide-angle lens, Optical VR Image Stabilization technology and automated modes like Active Child Mode, the COOLPIX S610 is perfect for consumers looking for a quality camera equipped with powerful photographic tools.

The Nikon COOLPIX S610 will be available nationwide beginning September 2008 with an MSRP of $279.95.

S610c.jpg

The COOLPIX S610c is the sixth generation of Wi-Fi enabled cameras from Nikon. Nikon continues to streamline the photo-sharing process through wireless technology, making it easier than ever to share and send pictures without the confines of wires, cables or computers. New to this generation of Wi-Fi cameras, the S610c's wireless service is provided by Wayport®, allowing consumers to share their images and videos from over 10,000 locations nationwide including over 9,700 participating McDonald's® restaurants and major hotel chains. As with previous generations of Nikon Wi-Fi cameras, the COOLPIX S610c can also take advantage of users' home wireless networks to email and store pictures on my Picturetown, Nikon's photo storage and sharing service.

The COOLPIX S610c digital camera will be available in Midnight Black nationwide beginning September 2008 with an MSRP of $329.95.

S560.jpg

The COOLPIX S560,offers 10 effective megapixels, a 5x Zoom-NIKKOR lens, Optical Vibration Reduction (VR) Image Stabilization technology, and 15 user-friendly scene modes, the COOLPIX S560 is the perfect camera for photographers looking for a compact, lightweight camera that is user-friendly with great creative power.

The COOLPIX S560 will be available nationwide beginning September 2008 at a MSRP of $249.95

S60.jpg

The COOLPIX S60 introduces an entirely new, 3.5-inch TOUCH-SCREEN LCD and a new graphic user interface that places shooting and playback controls at the user's fingertips.

The COOLPIX S60 will be available nationwide in September 2008 at an MSRP of $349.95.

Posted by flashdeadline at 8:54 PM

ID#72: The Image Doctors

Jason and Rick made their annual trip to the summit of Mt. Evans Colorado, and brought along some new toys, including the Nikon D700.  Hear their account of the shoot and get their first impressions of the new Nikon DSLR.

Looking for an Image Doctors Episode? Check the show archives here.

Download The Image Doctors #72 (NPC-ID-2008-08-07.mp3;1:02:20; 21.5MB; MP3 format)

Show Notes:August 7th, 2008

09:39 D700 First Impressions

19:26  200mm f/2.0 AFS VR Nikkor

24:58  Mt. Evans shoot  See our shots in this thread on the Podcasts Feedback forum.

51:40  New Presets for ACR and NX 2.0

57:34 Photo Prescription: Using AE Lock

[iTunes] Subscribe to the Image Doctors directly in iTunes.
[RSS] Add the Image Doctors feed to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically to you.
[Vote] Vote for us on Podcast Alley!

Posted by drjay32 at 3:59 AM

August 6, 2008

Carl Zeiss matches optical perfection with Nikon bodies

Carl Zeiss has recently announced their newest super wide angle lens. Our Nikonian community members with an appreciation for custom manufactured glass will appreciate their 18mm super wide angle lens for SLR cameras, the Distagon T* 3,5/18.

CZ-lens1.jpg


In terms of quality: You get what you pay for. The suggested list price is $1,450 with the standard lens shade, but the incredible optical results available from lenses manufactured by highly skilled manual work and high-precision measuring technology backed by the Carl Zeiss reputation for quality are a major plus.

Carl Zeiss describes it as: People are the key to Zeiss quality - people with a lot of experience and know-how mount and align the mechanical and optical components piece by piece to create a valuable lens.

Our Nikonians co-founders, J. Ramón Palacios (jrp) and Bo Stahlbrandt were so impressed with the Carl Zeiss F-mount lenses that they co-authored a review, available in a recent edition of our Nikonians eZine (starting on page 35).

The Distagon T* 3.5/18 ZF for Nikon F-mount cameras is a lens that may not perfectly meet the needs of Nikon enthusiasts who expect instant total integration with the autoexposure abilities provided by their cameras. It's a manual lens designed for use by professionals with an understanding of the compatibilities of their film and DSLR Nikons.

With an impressive field of view of 99°, this new, rectilinear lens provides dramatic perspectives for architectural, landscape and close-range photography for photographers utilizing full-frame DSLRs or film-based cameras.

For more information about this new lens, please visit: www.zeiss.com/photo.

Posted by flashdeadline at 3:58 PM

The Nikonians On Location #28 - Classic Cars

Martin Joergensen went on location shooting fast paced race cars at the Copenhagen Historical Grand Prix. Fun with a Nikon D3 and a 300mm f2.8 as well as a couple of D200's with assorted lenses - 24mm, 10-20mm, 17-55mm, 70-200mm - and SB800's on top to soften the sunlight.

Click here to download Nikonians On Location Podcast #28 (NPC-OL-2008-08-06; 26:35; 12.1MB, MP3 format).
Video supplement available here (NPC-OLV-2008-08-06; 10:18; flash format).

Show Notes: August 06, 2008

He mingled with the press photographers and shot the celebreties as well as the not so well known, but most of the time he shot cars passing by at high speeds.

The sound file:

  1. Intro
  2. Gear with horsepower
  3. Getting close
  4. Shooting cars
  5. D3 experience
  6. Tents, inner circle and pits
  7. Second day
  8. Shooting people
  9. Goodbye

Video supplement:

In this picture supplement you will of course see lots of cars - but also people and surroundings.
Click here to view Nikonians On Location Video Supplement #28 (NPC-OLV-2008-08-06; 10:18; flash format)

Music used on today's show:

Tell me a Story by Big Bad Sun on Magnatune

[iTunes] Subscribe to the Nikonians Podcast directly in iTunes

[RSS] Add the Nikonians Podcast feed to your RSS reader

[Vote] Vote for us on Podcast Alley!

Questions, Comments, Announcements?

Email Martin at onlocation@nikonians.org, or drop us a line in the Podcast Feedback forum!

Posted by martinj at 12:14 PM

August 4, 2008

Nikonians now in German

Nikonians (www.nikonians.org), the worldwide home for Nikon users is as of today available in German as well.

The German version of Nikonians is focusing on supporting members in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Access to local photography workshops, photo trips and competitions will be provided as the community rolls out localized support for the german speaking countries.

Posted by bgs at 5:45 PM

Nikon clarifies Capture NX2 upgrade eligibility

Nikonians who purchased Capture NX 1 a month before the announcement of the availability of Capture NX 2 are eligible for a free upgrade.

Capture NX 2 was announced on June 3, 2008. If you purchased Capture NX 1 on or after May 1, 2008 from a Nikon Inc. authorized reseller (Nikon product number 25338), all you have to do is call Nikon at 800-Nikon-UX (800-655-6689) with your product key and be ready to provide a copy of your proof of purchase to receive a Capture NX 2 key code free of charge.

Additionally, if you happen to purchase Nikon NX 1 from a Nikon Inc. authorized reseller (Nikon product number 25338), anytime from now until December 31, 2008, you will still be entitled to receive a FREE Capture NX 2 Upgrade directly from Nikon.

NOTE for those who received their Capture NX 1 with camera purchases
Customers who received a copy of Capture NX with their D3 or D300 are not eligible for the no-charge upgrade but still qualify for the discounted upgrade edition at an MSRP of $109.95.

Posted by flashdeadline at 4:41 PM

Academy meets demand for extra D300 slots in Raleigh

Due to high demand, we've just opened up one more session of our D300 workshop in Raleigh for this Thursday, August 7th.

The first session on Friday was completely sold out, so we added an additional session to meet demand. If you are in the Raleigh area this week, then please consider attending the workshop. You can sign up here: www.nikoniansacademy.com.

New SB-900 Speedlight gains instructor's approval, course updates in the works

Have you picked up the new SB-900 flash yet? It is a thing of beauty and represents another solid leap forward in flash technology. One of the best things about the new flash is the much improved user interface that makes it easier to select the shooting modes.

Now we are able to flip a switch rather than go into a hidden menu to change between wireless commander mode or wireless remote mode. Even with the easier to use interface, it is still a complicated system and we are receiving lots of requests for help with setting it up. We are modifying our iTTL flash workshops to incorporate the SB-900 into the curriculum.

Of course, we'll need a few weeks to rewrite the content, but we've got you covered. Look for a flash workshop coming to your town in the near future.

Also on the instructor's training agenda: the new D700

Speaking of new products, the Nikon D700 is an amazing new camera and we've had a few weeks to work with this new body. The FX sensor and the resulting high ISO performance is nothing short of extraordinary. We love the ergonomics, the usability and the speed. It truly is a professional level camera system and we can't wait to start leading workshops on it very soon.

Death Valley workshop coming soon

How does a few days of shooting the austere landscapes in Death Valley sound? This November we have a special four-day travel workshop planned for one of North America's most amazing landscapes. Join Associated Press Photographer Michael Mariant as he leads you through Death Valley's Dante's View, Badwater, the sliding rocks, and Stovepipe Wells. Michael even has a trip planned to one of his secret locations called the Gnome's Workshop. Sign up now at www.nikoniansacademy.com.

Posted by flashdeadline at 5:41 AM

August 3, 2008

Nikonians News Flash #98

News-Flash.png

Tune in for your weekly dose of Nikonians News Flash! Chock full of news from your friendly neighborhood Nikonians Community!


Download Nikonians News Flash #98 (NPC-NF-2008-08-03.mp3; 8:35; 7.8MB; MP3 format)

August 3, 2008
In The News:

Weekly news from The Nikonians Academy.
Nikon's new Windows codec.
D3 hardware upgrade.
Nikon in Moscow.

From The Forums:
In the Cafe'
Noted threads to look for are:
"Can anyone tell the difference between a film and a digital image?", and "If it were available, would Ansel Adams use digital?".
Forum of the Week:
Underwater Photography

Jessica's Choice Photo:
moth.

Questions, Comments, Announcements?
Email Jessica at newsflash@nikonians.org, or drop us a line in the Podcast Feedback forum!

Posted by odle2 at 3:49 PM

August 1, 2008

Nikon and Microsoft in Contest Brouhaha

Nikon has apparently withdrawn sponsor support for Microsoft's Iconic Britain photo contest due to the software manufacturer's lack of diligence in supporting copyrights of the submitted images.

Led by the website Pro-Imaging, a notice was sent to Microsoft to change the terms and conditions of the submissions sent into the contest. Originally, the images would be drawn from the archives of Microsoft's Live Search - participants could pick any images from that collection, regardless of whether they were under third-party copyrights or not. According to Pro-Imaging, "...implication is that Microsoft have not excercised any care over the Live Search feature with regard to whether the images are under third party copyright or not. By allowing entrants to select such images and post them on the Microsoft website they are enabling the entrants to infringe the copyright of the image creators." (spelling errors are accurate - this was taken verbatim from the web-site being quoted).

The lack of immediate response from the Seattle software maker and the resulting negative feedback compelled Nikon to withdraw from the contest while continuing to honor provision of the prizes being offered.Microsoft eventually relented and agreed to take steps necessary to securing proper rights for each and every image submitted. (via Pro-Imaging)

Posted by covey22 at 8:49 PM

J.D. Power and Associates: Nikon, Canon DSLRs Rank Highest

The 2008 Digital Camera Usage and Satisfaction Study by the prestigious consumer rating firm J.D. Power and Associates finds Nikon and Canon in a tie for the highest rankings in customer satisfaction for the digital SLR camera category. Specifically, the Nikon D series was noted for performing "particularly well in ease of operation, performance, and appearance and styling." Congratulations to Nikon!

Posted by covey22 at 7:54 PM

Nikon D3 Buffer Upgrade Offered

Nikon is offering a hardware upgrade to it's flagship D3 digital DSLR. The improvement doubles the effective buffer of images and makes the camera even more appealing to sports and action shooters. With any luck, there may be some fortunate Olympics shooters this month enjoying the fruits of both full frame and a deep buffer.

Reminscent of the D1X buffer upgrade of 2002, the current offer allows D3 owners to double the image buffer count in continuous shooting; instead of sixteen (16) 14-bit RAW uncompressed images, photographers will now have a thirty-six (36) image count. The improvements will also cascade down to the JPEG formats accordingly.

The upgrade will cost USD500/323 Euros and the service was made available as of Wednesday (30-July-2008) for US owners. The camera will have to be sent in for the service.

Posted by covey22 at 6:32 PM