Nikon just announced the new d700, which will fill in the mid range of Nikon’s pro line that they’ve been lacking for awhile. Some more nice images and details on Engadget.
The 12mp D700 will be shipping with a live view 3-inch display, 51 point auto focus, scene recognition, four-speed active dust reduction, ISO up to 6400, 5 or 8 fps full-res shooting, HDMI out and more.
I‘m a canon user myself, and still waiting for Canon to get me that 5d MK II, but you Nikon user can expect this gem in July for about 3k. Don’t gloat too much though. Canon will be getting us some goodies soon (we hope)
In similar news Nikon has also announced the SB900 flash, and a bit of new glass, including the PC-E Micro NIKKOR 45mm f/2.8D ED and PC-E Micro NIKKOR 85mm f/2.8D
By Gavin Seim: Updated 05/13) – HDR (High Dynamic Range) is really powerful, but often misunderstood. People will throw images into the latest software only to mimic the easy, but often ugly and over processed “HDR look”. That HDR that has become the stigma of the technique. HDR and especially HDR portraits can be challenging, but they are not rocket science. It just takes some time to get the hang of the subtleties. Here’s a few tips that anyone can use for both pictorial and portrait work to mange dynamic range better.
1. Understanding HDR: It’s not a style in itself. A style is something that comes from you. HDR all about light. Sometimes it’s from a single file. Often it means getting various exposures at different lightness levels and then combining them in a way that looks good either manually, or using tone-mapping or fusing, with software like Photomatix and others.
But contrary to what overdone HDR suggests. It’s not about showing ALL the light in a scene. Without shadow, an image is usually flat, chaotic and without focus. HDR about gaining control over all the light in a scene. It’s almost like a bucket filled with light from an entire scene and you can use it however you want.
2. Tripods & Releases: While most HDR rendering software can attempt to line up images, you really want clear consistent frames because stability is key. If there’s no other option, you may have to hand hold and hope for the best. It can work, but a tripod is king and is always the safest route. Even with single image exposures, using a tripod will generally get you better quality. See The Six Keys To Image Quality.
Cable releases are also a great tool. Allowing you to avoid touching the camera while making frames. Good for sequences and long exposures. Besides that, it looks cool to stand there majestically and press the release button.
A PPS Loan award winner from 2010. 3 images blended in HDR software and finished in Photoshop.
3. Auto Bracketing: Most DSLR’s have an auto bracket function that allows you to have -2, 0 and +2 exposure compensation in one quick burst. AB allows you to expose things fast without handling the gear as much. In some cases you may want to manually get a wider exposure range, but I find that 3 images are usually all I need.
Auto bracketing is not only convenient, it’s especially valuable with HDR portraits or moving subjects because you need to capture your sequence as fast as possible without having to manually change settings. But remember that just because your bracketing is not an excuse for poor exposure. Keeping that middle frame dead on will give you a better final result.
A three image bracket blended in Photomatix and refined in Photoshop.
It looks like Nikon’s prepping a new DSLR for the middle of their pro lineup. The D700 is rumored to be announced this August, and available later this year.
This little gem should go for a little over 3k USD, and is rumored to have the same sensor that graces the Nikon D3
This is spy shot of the supposed D700 as reported by Engadget. Head on over there for more gritty details, and stay tune for real facts in the future.
People often ask me how to clean the dust that causes image spots, off their digital camera sensors. There are many more dangerous and or expensive methods, but this usually works for me.
Rocket Air is my recommendation of the week. It’s a hand blower that actually works. Really well! I mean it packs a punch.I just lock my mirror up, and give it some good blasts of air. Unlike canned air this does not run out, and there’s no propellant. Canned air is not recommended for senors, but this thing is great for them.
Aside from cleaning your senors you’ll soon be blowing all kinds of stuff, like the dust out of your keyboard. If your like me you’ll like it so much you’ll start blowing it in your kids face, and shooting air into your mouth to see what different sounds you can make.
It’s all over the net, but you can find Rocket Air here on Amazon for only about twelve bucks. This is one of my favorite handy dandy drawer gadgets.
Updated 07/2009: Revamped & improved article. Added a new segment dealing with movement and blur (towards bottom).
by Gavin Seim: In 2007 I wrote an article about using true HDR techniques with people. Yep, portraits, fashion and wedding images can be utterly amazing using High Dynamic Range. HDR is not just reserved for nature and still life. We’ve been using it at Seim Studios for some time nowand it blows clients away.Heres some of my secret sauce to get you started with HDR portraits and a few of my own images.
What’s HDR All About?
First lets cover basics. If you’re already an HDR master you can skip this part. HDR stands for High Dynamic Range. It’s better seen than described, so other than the images I’ve included in this article, you can see more on my website.
HDR is the combining of light and dark tones of multiple images taken at varied exposure levels and then blended using software like Photomatix, Photoshop, or another HDR program. Photomatix is the most popular among HDR fans and we have a deal worked out with them. You can save 15% with promo code PPS15. Basically this software blending allows the photographer to selectively choose how much light he wants in various parts of the image. You’ll have a light to dark range that’s much higher than that of a normal exposure, thus giving you much more control over the final image.
is my recommendation of the week. It’s a hand blower that actually works. Really well! I mean it packs a punch.I just lock my mirror up, and give it some good blasts of air. Unlike canned air this does not run out, and there’s no propellant. Canned air is not recommended for senors, but this thing is great for them.