Perfect Effects 3 Free

Vimeo Link: http://vimeo.com/39508395


Introducing Perfect Effects 3 Free from onOne Software on Vimeo.

Add a professional look to your images.

• The next generation of PhotoTools 2.6 Free
• Based on the popular, new Perfect Effects 3
• Over two-dozen professional photographic effects
• Live, full-screen effect previews
• Combine multiple effects to create your own unique look
• Includes Perfect Layers for creating layered files
• Works as a standalone application or directly with Photoshop, Photoshop Elements, Lightroom, or Aperture

For download of the free software go to http://www.ononesoftware.com/products/perfect-effects-free/

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Filter Forge 3.0 Released, Includes Many New Features

After a successful beta test, Filter Forge, Inc. today announced the final release of Filter Forge 3.0, an innovative Photoshop plugin allowing computer artists to build their own filters in a visual editor or download any of over 8500 user-submitted filters from a free online library. New features added in version 3.0 include the ability to use multiple source images, faster progressive previews, flexible user interface, support for Bezier curves, new image processing components, and much more. 

Filter Forge is a powerful Photoshop plugin and a stand-alone application for Windows and Mac OS X that allows photographers, web designers, 3D modelers and other computer artists to apply over 3500 ready-to-use visual effects to their images, generate thousands of unique textures, and create custom filters. There are 3 key features that make Filter Forge stand out among similar tools:

• A free online library which currently contains over 8500 user-created textures and effects, making Filter Forge instantly useful for anyone who has no time to learn how to create filters. New filters are added every day. All filters are adjustable and resolution independent, and most of them support seamless tiling, real-world HDRI lighting, and can automatically generate diffuse, specular, bump, and normal maps. To view the filters, visit the Filter Library (http://www.filterforge.com/filters/).
• A visual filter editor that allows computer artists to create their own filters by arranging components such as blurs, gradients, color adjustments, distortions, or blends, into a network to combine their effects. For end-users, the filter internals are hidden behind a simple set of controls, so anyone can immediately benefit from filters without having to learn their inner workings.
• Contributors who submit filters to the online filter library can get a full version of Filter Forge 3.0 for free. A filter that gets popular with the users earns a reward point. Three reward points earn the author a free copy. For more information, visit the reward program page (http://www.filterforge.com/more/freecopy.html/).

Filter Forge 3.0 introduces numerous new features that greatly expand its image-generation capabilities. Among the key additions are the new progressive preview that produces visible results a lot faster, and the ability to use multiple source images which removes a long-standing limitation on a single source image. Other notable improvements include flexible user interface that allows users to resize various user interface areas, an interactive before/after wipe showing the original image and the modified one side by side, more built-in preview images, support for Bezier curves, new image-processing components such as Smudge and Edge Detector, and new scripting API functions for blending modes and Perlin noise. 

Filter Forge is available for Windows and Mac OS X platforms. It can be used as a stand-alone application or as a plugin for Adobe Photoshop and compatible host applications. The free fully-functional 30-day trial version is available at the Filter Forge download page (http://www.filterforge.com/download/). 

Filter Forge is offered in three differently priced editions targeted at entry-level, mainstream and professional graphic artists. Starting November 10, all editions of Filter Forge 3.0 are offered at a special 40% discount. To buy Filter Forge at a discount, visit the Filter Forge ordering page (http://www.filterforge.com/buy/). 

About Filter Forge, Inc: 

Based in Alexandria, VA, Filter Forge, Inc. is a one-product company solely focused on developing Filter Forge. For more information, visit the Filter Forge website (http://www.filterforge.com/).

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Photo Voyages of Trey Ratcliff

For iPhone | For iPad | For Android

Enjoy the awe-inspiring beauty of Trey Ratcliff’s photography on your iPad and iPhone! You will receive 30 free high-definition photos to get you started. You can then choose to get hundreds of more images along with a new image from Trey’s collection delivered to your iPad and iPhone each day!

• Supports HD retina display for the new iPad!
• 30 free HD photos to get you started
• Hundreds of HD photos are available (in-app purchase)
• A new HD photo is delivered each day (in-app purchase)
• Save any HD photo as the background for you iPad and Phone
• Start a slideshow set to the music of your choice
• Link to buy a print copy of the HD photo

HD Photos!

The app is optimized to show you the highest resolution images that you device supports including the retina display on the new iPad (aka, the iPad 3rd generation)!

About Trey Ratcliff

Trey Ratcliff is a photographer, artist, writer and adventurer. His photos and stories capture the beauty of exotic travel destinations and the humor of bizarre situations he often finds himself in. There is always something new, unexpected and beautiful to see. Each day, Trey posts a new photo to his website, StuckInCustoms.com, the #1 Travel Photography blog on the Internet.

Trey is best known as a pioneer in HDR photography. HDR stands for High Dynamic Range, a technique whereby multiple levels of light are captured for a particular scene and then combined into a single photograph. The resulting images are richly detailed and more closely resemble what you recall of the scene in your mind.

Trey’s photo, “Fourth on Lake Austin”, was the first HDR photograph to hang in the Smithsonian. He has been featured on ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX and the BBC, and his photos have accumulated more than 50 million views. His best-selling book, "A World in HDR" sold out on Amazon in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia. Trey has taught many thousands of people the secrets to his techniques via his free HDR tutorial and a more detailed video tutorial, both are available on his website, http://stuckincustoms.com.

Trey is also a successful entrepreneur. His endeavors include popular iOS and Android apps such as 100CamerasIn1 (over 1 million downloads!) and Stuck On Earth (a completely unique travel photography app). In addition he launched Flatbooks.com, which is a rapidly growing eBook publisher.

For additional details about Trey please visit: http://www.stuckincustoms.com/trey-ratcliff/

For iPhone | For iPad | For Android

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Hasselblad launches new Phocus software

Hasselblad has launched Phocus 2.6.6 * - a brand new version of its intuitive Phocus software, plus a new feature-rich Phocus Mobile 2.0 format for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch.

Phocus Mobile enables wireless camera control - and the latest 2.0 version includes a host of new elements plus added access control.

Explained Peter Stig-Nielsen, Hasselblad Product Management Director: “Many discerning photographers across the world are already familiar with the sheer power and performance of this highly intuitive software package and this spring launch of Phocus 2.6.6 and Phocus Mobile 2.0 will make their imaging work more effective. Photographers can be wirelessly linked to a computer running Phocus – and now with the new 2.6.6 version, any number of Phocus Mobile clients can connect to the Phocus server simultaneously.”

Phocus Mobile 2.0 significantly improves options for photographers to show and share their work during a shoot and also includes a 100% zoom function of images in the file browser; new GPS tagging; folder access control and a Demo Mode functionality. And all this is now available as a free download at the App Store.”

Hasselblad says the innovative Phocus 2.6.6 software upgrade “provides uncompromising image quality and allows photographers to work quickly, efficiently and creatively with the world’s most advanced image files.”

Peter Stig-Nielsen added: “There is no question that Phocus 2.6.6 with Phocus Mobile 2.0 offer new functionality and innovations that will expand the options and speed up the workflow for timepressed photographers.”

Features in Phocus include:

• Hasselblad Natural Color Solution (HNCS).
• Sophisticated lens corrections for H and V System lenses.
• Advanced tethered camera control.
• Easy- to-use interface.
• Extensive customization options for individual workflow sce narios.
• License-free software with unlimited installations and no registration issues.
• Live video.
• Scene calibration and reproduction tools.
• Highlight recovery, shadow fill, clarity and dust removal tools.

For more information on the new Hasselblad Phocus upgrades go to:
http://www.hasselblad.com/promotions/phocus-mobile-20.aspx

* for Mac OS only.

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Probably the best gear change you could ever make: The H4D Ferrari Limited Edition

It’s done. Hasselblad has unlocked the mystery of total photographer contentment – and built you a link to it. It’s just a click away at: www.hasselblad.com/ferrari-edition.

For just four hundred and ninety nine of the world’s most aspirational photographers the H4D Ferrari Limited edition camera is a unique opportunity to achieve their best ever gear shift.

Hasselblad has teamed with this legendary supercar brand and engineered a matchless camera to provide the ultimate in quality and performance.  The H4D comes in Ferrari’s own ‘rosso fuoco’ and the camera also sports the legendary Ferrari Racing Shield emblem.

Naturally it boasts all the Hasselblad H4D-40 model features, including our world-acclaimed True Focus technology – and of course automatic access to the most advanced lenses.

The H4D Ferrari Limited edition also ships with an 80mm lens and its own, bespoke-tailored glass display box.

Now Hasselblad can steer you to their newly-launched microsite and put you in pole position for a virtual test drive.

For just 21,499 euros a few hundred photographers will get to own an instant classic. As another motoring icon, Sir Henry Royce, once said: “The quality is remembered long after the price is forgotten.”

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Facebook’s Instagram Acquisition Shows Increasing Importance of Imagery in Social Media Says Punch

Facebook’s acquisition of photo sharing social network Instagram serves as further evidence that the medium of imagery is increasing in importance according to PR, search and social media agency Punch Communications.

London, UK (PRWEB) April 15, 2012-Facebook’s acquisition of photo sharing social network Instagram serves as further evidence that the medium of imagery is increasing in importance, according to PR, search and social media agency Punch Communications.

Imagery has become far more prevalent across social media over the past 12 months. Instagram alone boasted over 32 million users prior to its acquisition by Facebook, whilst Pinterest is now the third most visited social network in the US and is growing at a rapid rate.

Facebook only recently updated its functionality around imagery, now displaying higher resolution images in a separate window, whereas Google+ has made imagery one of its USPs. In addition, Twitter recently updated its own functionality to better support the use of imagery in Tweets, whilst Pinterest has also started a revolution in the way that people share pictures around the web.

Instagram has been a leading photography sharing application for around 18 months, making use of the instant and spontaneous advantages of smartphone applications and combining it with basic image filter functionality, allowing users to customise and share their images with their network in an instant. It is likely that Facebook found this functionality attractive, as well as seeing acquisition as an opportunity to add more users to Facebook.

Philip Keightley, account director at online PR company Punch Communications, said: “The rate at which social networkers interact with content has increased significantly over the past few years, meaning that sometimes images get a message across more efficiently than words. Images can be much more personal and can tell a story more effectively in social media.

“Technologically, smartphones have revolutionised digital image consumption, in terms of the sharing process and also ease of access from the internet. This is predominantly achieved through social media, so Facebook is clearly looking to improve its image offering in order to be better placed to compete with Google+ in that area.”

Punch Communications is an integrated PR, social media and SEO agency. Having grown from founders Pete and Emma Goold in 2003 into a team of more than 20 consultants, Punch is continuing to expand, and encourages any candidates interested in PR, search or social media jobs to get in touch.

For more information, please call 01858 411 600, or visit http://www.punchcomms.com.

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Photo Romania Festival Call For Entries

April 7, 2012 /Photography News/ Photo Romania Festival has returned in 2012 with more than 150 amazing photography events running in Cluj from May 18 to June 18, 2012. This year the festival will include:

• more than 100 exhibitions and multimedia screenings
• photography book launches
• opening receptions
• photography competitions
• artist talks
• photography workshops
• photography fairs
• other cultural events (concerts, theatre plays)

Photo Romania is calling photographers (or groups of photographers) regardless of their age, nationality, themes and styles of photography, to submit bodies of work for solo or group exhibitions. Selected images will be showcased in art galleries, museums, libraries, public space and many other locations from 18 May until 18 June 2012.

Categories:

• Photo series (8 - 20 images)
• Multimedia (a combination of still photography with audio, video, graphics, etc.)

Entry Fee: 10 Euro

Exhibit Prints: 

Printing, framing, and shipping/ repacking fees are the responsibility of the exhibiting artist. For the convenience of those not living in Romania, Photo Romania offers optional fine art printing and framing services at an additional (low) cost to the photographer.

Deadline: May 1st, 2012
 

Artwork Due: May 12, 2012
 

Exhibition Dates: May 18 - June 18, 2012

Submit your work at http://www.photoromaniafestival.ro/call-for-submissions/

2012 Photo Romania Festival Programme:

May 18: Opening reception
May 18 - 19: Photo Romania Marathon
May 21 - 27: Photo Romania Academy (workshops, conferences, screenings, talks)
June 1: Photography events for Children's Day
June 2 - 3: Photography Fair
June 4 - 7: Theatre in Pictures
June 8 - 10: Photo Romania Concerts
June 11 - 15: Photo Romania Competition (Grand Prize: 1500 Euro http://www.photoromaniafestival.ro/concurs/)
June 16: Photo Romania closing party

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New Canon EOS 60Da DSLR Camera For Astronomy Enthusiasts Captures The True Colors Of The Cosmos

LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y., April 3, 2012 – Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, today introduced the EOS 60Da Digital SLR Camera, a long-awaited successor to the EOS 20Da that is optimized for astrophotography. This DSLR caters to astronomers and hobbyists who enjoy capturing the beauty of the night sky by offering a modified infrared filter and a low-noise sensor with heightened hydrogen-alpha sensitivity. These modifications allow the camera to capture magnificent photographs of "red hydrogen emission" nebulae and other cosmic phenomena.

"The EOS 60Da is a testament to the constant desire to meet the needs of every customer, including those in specialized fields," said Yuichi Ishizuka, executive vice president and general manager, Imaging Technologies & Communications Group, Canon U.S.A., "This new camera enables an accurate depiction of a part of our solar system which is hard to achieve with conventional cameras but should be enjoyed and celebrated."
The Canon EOS 60Da camera packs a powerful 18-megapixel CMOS sensor (APS-C) that produces sharp and high-contrast images of astronomical objects, a major enhancement over the EOS 20Da model's 8.2-megapixel sensor. The improved infrared-blocking filter is a modification suited specifically toward astronomy enthusiasts to achieve a hydrogen-alpha light sensitivity that is approximately three times higher than that of a normal Canon DSLR camera. This produces a 20-percent higher transmittance of Hydrogen Alpha line, or H α wavelength, allowing astronomers to capture crisp, clear images of reddish, diffuse nebulae.

Enhanced Features

Crisp images of the stars and planets can be viewed on the EOS 60Da's improved 3.0-inch Clear View LCD screen with 1,040,000 dots for detailed focusing. The flip-out Vari-angle screen allows photographers to adjust the screen for easy viewing without straining even while the camera is mounted to a telescope via a third-party T-ring adapter. Optimized for stargazing with friends or in an educational setting, astronomy enthusiasts can connect the camera to a TV with the provided AVC-DC400ST Stereo AV Video Cable and display the night sky on a TV monitor using the camera's Live View mode. Moreover, the EOS 60Da's Live View mode is equipped with a Silent Shooting feature that eliminates shutter-induced vibration for maximum camera stability when the camera is mounted to a telescope or super-telephoto EF lens.

Enhanced noise reduction on the EOS 60Da sensor offers photographers the ability to experiment with the wide array of ISO settings and increased ISO speeds up to 6400 expandable to 12800. Other features include an intelligent nine-point autofocus system, full manual controls, and RAW, JPEG, and RAW+JPEG image recording capabilities.

Accessories

The EOS 60Da helps capture the wonders of the night sky with its use of Canon's award-winning EF and EF-S lenses along with other EOS accessories. Additionally, the EOS 60Da is packaged with Canon's RA-E3 Remote Controller Adapter, providing the ability to connect a Canon Timer Remote Control such as the TC-80N3 (optional accessory). The TC-80N3 is ideal for controlling time exposures longer than 30 seconds as well as capturing a series of consecutive time exposures that can be composited during post-processing for improved image quality. This is especially useful when the camera body is connected to a telescopeⁱ or an EF super telephoto lens.

Canon has also included an AC adapter kit with the EOS 60Da, allowing the camera to be powered through an AC wall outlet or a battery-powered inverter, ideal for long exposure image or video capture at home or in the field.

Availability

As a specialized product, the EOS 60Da is only available to order from select authorized dealers. The estimated retail price is $1,499.00, body only and it is expected to be available this month.

About Canon U.S.A., Inc.

Canon U.S.A., Inc., is a leading provider of consumer, business-to-business, and industrial digital imaging solutions. With approximately $45.6 billion in global revenue, its parent company, Canon Inc. (NYSE:CAJ), ranks third overall in U.S. patents registered in 2011† and is one of Fortune Magazine’s World’s Most Admired Companies in 2012. Canon U.S.A. is committed to the highest levels of customer satisfaction and loyalty, providing 100 percent U.S.-based consumer service and support for all of the products it distributes. Canon U.S.A. is dedicated to its Kyosei philosophy of social and environmental responsibility. To keep apprised of the latest news from Canon U.S.A., sign up for the Company’s RSS news feed by visiting www.usa.canon.com/rss.

###

† Based on weekly patent counts issued by United States Patent and Trademark Office.
All referenced product names, and other marks, are trademarks of their respective owners.
Availability, prices, and specifications of all products are subject to change without notice. Actual prices are set by individual dealers and may vary.
ⁱ Independent third-party accessories are required to connect the EOS 60Da DSLR or any Canon EOS camera to a telescope.

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Tamron introduces world's first*1 full-size, high-speed standard zoom with built-in image stabilization - SP 24-70mm F/2.8 Di VC USD (Model A007)

With class-leading resolution and Tamron's proprietary VC (Vibration Compensation)

April 5, 2012, Saitama, Japan - Tamron Co., Ltd. (President & CEO: Morio Ono / Headquarters: Saitama City), a leading manufacturer of optical equipment, announced the introduction of the SP 24-70mm F/2.8 Di VC USD (Model A007), the world's first^*1 full-size high-speed standard zoom lens equipped with VC (Vibration Compensation) image stabilization and USD (Ultrasonic Silent Drive)^*2, with resolution at the top of its class. The Canon mount will be released in Japan on April 26, 2012, with the sales dates of Nikon and Sony^*3 compatible mounts to be announced later.

SP 24-70mm F/2.8 Di VC USD (Model A007)

Product Features

• World's first^*1 full-size, high-speed standard zoom with built-in VC (Vibration Compensation). Even when shooting in low-light conditions with a slow shutter speed to render sharpness, Tamron's acclaimed VC allows for stable handheld camera work, to more fully enjoy the benefits of this high-speed zoom lens.
• Uses specialized high-grade glass in the three LD elements, three Glass Molded Aspherical Lenses, one Hybrid Aspherical Lens and two XR (Extra Refractive Index) glasses, delivering top-of-the-class quality images suited to this high-grade lens. Using a rounded diaphragm^*4, the lens achieves gorgeous blur effects.
• Features USD^*2 (Ultrasonic Silent Drive) to power a speedy AF drive together with a continuous manual mechanism.
• This high-speed standard zoom lens has a wide-end focal length of 24mm that expands the photographic area.
• The lens adopts the new technology including the latest optical design, VC (Vibration Compensation) image stabilization and USD (Ultrasonic Silent Drive), all in a lighter and more compact package.
• Moisture-resistant construction helps prevent water from penetrating the lens.

*1 For high-speed standard zoom lens compatible with full frame size SLR cameras. Current as of April 5, 2012. (Source: Tamron).
*2 USD (Ultrasonic Silent Drive) is Tamron's proprietary ultrasonic motor drive.
*3 The Sony mount does not include VC, because the body of Sony digital SLR cameras includes image stabilization functionality.
The product name for Sony cameras is "SP 24-70mm F/2.8 Di USD" without the VC designation.
*4 This rounded diaphragm retains a nearly circular shape even when taken two stops down from its fully open state.

Specifications

Model:	A007
Focal length:	24-70mm
Maximum aperture:	F/2.8
Angle of view (diagonal):	84゜ 04'-34゜ 21' (with full-size SLR cameras) 60゜ 20'-22゜ 33' (with APS-C sized sensor digital SLR cameras)
Lens construction:	17 elements in 12 groups
Minimum focus distance:	0.38m (15.0 in)
Maximum magnification ratio:	1:5 (at f=70mm: MFD 0.38m)
Filter size:	Φ82mm
Length*1	108.5mm (4.3 in)*
Entire length*2	116.9mm (4.6 in)*
Diameter:	Φ88.2mm (3.5 in)
Weight:	825g * (29.1 oz)
No. of diaphragm blades:	9 (rounded diaphragm)
Minimum aperture:	F/22
Standard accessories:	Flower-shaped lens hood
Compatible mounts:	Canon, Nikon, Sony

- Specifications, appearance, functionality, etc., may be changed without prior notice.
*Length, entire length and weight values given are for the Nikon mount.
*1: Length is the distance between the mount face and the tip of the lens.
*2: Entire length is the distance between the tip of the lens and the tip of the protrusion.

VC (Vibration Compensation)

VC (Vibration Compensation) is Tamron's proprietary image stabilization system. Tamron's VC is a three-coil system, whereby three driving coils activate the shake-compensating VC lens group electromagnetically via three ceramic balls. The VC lens elements are held in place only by contact with the ceramic balls, achieving smooth movement with little friction. This provides a stable viewfinder image with excellent tracking performance. And as the VC lens may be moved in parallel using only the motorized control, the mechanical structure has been simplified, enabling the creation of a more compact lens.

New VC system (moving coil method)

Tamron's original VC image stabilization mechanism utilized a moving magnet system whereby a heavy magnet was positioned near the moving VC lens element. In the new VC unit the positions of the magnet and the coil are reversed, because of this the VC optical lens element is attached to the coil. The new VC mechanism employs a moving coil mechanism with a lightweight coil, and the lighter coil reduces the load on the drive system. Thus, the lighter, more compact new VC unit contributes to the lens's overall light weight and compact size.

Because the 24-70 mm F/2.8 Di VC USD is a high-speed zoom lens with maximum aperture of F/2.8, its VC system must drive a lens that is larger and heavier than other zooms. Therefore, the shape, size and layout of the drive coils are all designed to obtain sufficient thrust. The result is a full-size, high-speed zoom that provides the same high level of compensation effect.

About the ultrasonic motor

In the ultrasonic motor, a piezoelectric element arranged in a ring formation generates ultrasonic vibrations in a metallic ring stator, and the vibration energy is used to rotate a metallic ring rotor that is attached to the stator. The rotation energy is in turn transferred from the metallic ring rotor to operate the focus lens.

Notice of Classification Code Change for Nikon Mounts

Since the introduction by Tamron of the first Nikon mount lens featuring an internal AF motor, the AF28-300mm F/3.5-6.3 XR Di VC (Model A20), all Nikon mount lenses with the internal AF motor had used the classification code "NII." Lenses using a coupler system* without an internal AF motor were designated as "N." Because future Nikon lenses will have the internal AF motor as a standard feature, Tamron has decided to simplify the designation and consolidate all Nikon mount lenses as "N," eliminating the "NII" designation for future models. This classification code change will be effective beginning with the 18-270mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD (Model B008).

The "N" classification lenses with coupler systems are: SP AF200-500mm F/5.6-6.3 Di (Model A08); and SP AF180mm F/3.5 Di (Model B01).

*Coupler system refers to a system that uses a shaft to harness the AF motor built into the camera body to operate the lens.

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Sigma Corporation of America’s 50-150mm F2.8 APO EX DC OS HSM now available

Sigma Corporation of America’s 50-150mm F2.8 APO EX DC OS HSM now available

Newly designed telephoto zoom lens with Sigma’s own Optical Stabilizer system at street price of $1099

Ronkonkoma, NY, March 30, 2012 – Sigma Corporation of America, a leading researcher, developer, manufacturer and service provider of some of the world's most impressive lines oflenses, cameras and flashes, is pleased to announce that its newly upgraded 50-150mm F2.8 APO EX DC OS HSM telephoto lens is now available for the street price of $1,099.

The 50-150mm F2.8 APO EX DC OS HSM telephoto lens is the successor to the 50-150mm F2.8 APO EX DC II HSM. The updated lens now features Sigma’s own proprietary Optical Stabilizer (OS) technology, which offers the use of shutter speeds approximately four stops slower than would otherwise be possible. The lens design utilizes an inner-focusing and inner-zooming system that provides convenient handling and this, along with the OS feature, makes it favorable for high-performance, handheld, close-up photography. Additionally, the Hyper Sonic Motor (HSM) ensures quiet and high-speed auto focusing, while allowing full-time manual focus capability.

The Sigma 50-150mm F2.8 APO EX DC OS HSM Canon mounts will be available next week, while the Nikon and Sigma mounts are expected to be available by the end of April.

“This lens is a great addition to our lineup of telephoto lenses, and will be a fantastic tool for portrait, landscape and nature photography,” said Mark Amir-Hamzeh, president of Sigma Corporation of America. “This is our tenth telephoto lens with Optical Stabilizer technology and provides another option for photographers looking to produce high-quality images.”

Six SLD glass elements provide exceptional corrections for all types of aberrations and provide high-quality imagery throughout the zoom range. It also has a rounded, nine-blade diaphragm that creates an attractive blur to the out-of-focus areas of the image.

The lens’ Super Multi-Layer Coating reduces flare and ghosting and ensures sharp and high contrast images even at the maximum apertures. The addition of Sigma’s 1.4x EX DG APO and 2x EX DG APO teleconverters produce a 70-210mm F4 autofocus telephoto zoom lens and a 100-300mm F5.6 autofocus telephoto lens, respectively.

For information about Sigma Corporation of America, visit www.sigmaphoto.com. For more information about Sigma’s lenses, visit http://www.sigmaphoto.com/shop/lenses.

About Sigma Corporation

For more than 50 years, Sigma Corporation’s expertise and innovation has driven the company’s core philosophy of “knowledge, plus experience, plus imagination,”with anemphasis on producing high-quality, high-performance photographic technology at moderate prices. This family-owned organization is the largest, independent SLR lens manufacturer in the world, producing more than 50 lenses that are compatible with most manufacturers, including Sigma, Canon, Sony, Nikon, Olympus, Pentax and Panasonic. Sigma Corporation also produces digital SLR cameras and high-definition digital compact cameras. The company is headquartered in Japan, with offices strategically located throughout Europe, Asia and North America. For information, please visit www.sigmaphoto.com

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123RF.com Corporate Social Responsibility Initiatives

YouTube link: http://youtu.be/Z61mT4wmdSU
 

by 123royaltyfree on Apr 3, 2012 - This is 123RF.com's video on Corporate Social Responsibility. Join us in our effort to help save mother earth. For more information, please visit http://www.123rf.com/csr/

Category: Education
Tags:csr, caring, giving, donation, help, environment, conservation, education, aid

 

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Nikon upgrades my Picturetown, its image sharing and storage service

TOKYO - Nikon Corporation is pleased to announce the latest version of my Picturetown (http://mypicturetown.com), Nikon's image sharing and storage service, with a host of new functions.

This latest version provides greater collaboration with Facebook, allowing users to post links to shared albums directly to Facebook, use their list of Facebook friends to send links to shared albums, and post to or play Motion Snapshot* files from Facebook. Motion Snapshot is a feature that proposes a new form of imaging expression. It is built into Nikon's latest advanced cameras with interchangeable lenses, the Nikon 1 J1 and V1. In addition, new functions have been added for Gold Account members (those currently paying a fee for additional storage space), including one that allows users to password protect shared albums.

• *In Motion Snapshot mode, simply pressing the shutter-release button records a still image and about a second of high-resolution, slow-motion movie footage beginning before and ending after the time the shutter-release button was pressed. With playback of movie footage at 0.4x normal speed, the still image, and background music, Motion Snapshot allows users to express impressive moments that show slight changes in expression, the entertaining actions of children or pets, the rustling of tree leaves, or fluctuations in nature.

In August of last year, Nikon celebrated the fourth anniversary of the my Picturetown service. With the development of new functions and services, and improvements to those with which members have become familiar, Nikon and my Picturetown continue to propose new ways of enjoying digital photos.

• my Picturetown

Primary new my Picturetown functions

1. Post links to shared albums on Facebook Users can post links to shared albums on Facebook. This allows users to quickly and easily share albums containing a large number of photos with their Facebook friends without uploading the photos directly to Facebook.
   
   • Post to and play Motion Snapshot files from Facebook
     Users can post links to album pages for Motion Snapshot files recorded with Nikon 1 cameras to Facebook. When friends click on the link, they are transferred to the album page where they can play the Motion Snapshot files. This allows users to share Motion Snapshot, a new form of imaging expression proposed by Nikon that combines a still image with movie footage, with close family and friends.

     
     Dedicated album page
2. Use your list of Facebook friends to send links to shared albums When sharing my Picturetown albums, the user's list of Facebook friends can be brought up to select friends as recipients. A link to the shared album is then posted on selected friends' Facebook.
   
3. More functions for Gold Account* members Users can protect albums shared via Facebook or email with a password, allowing them to control who can view the photos in the album. Features for more secure sharing of albums, including the ability to set permissions for downloading photos from shared albums as well as permissions for downloading photos at their original size, have also been added.
   
   • *Members currently paying a fee for additional storage space.

Other features

• Links to shared albums can also be posted to Twitter or sent via e-mail
• New design templates for shared albums have been added
• Facebook app (an application that allows users to view photos and shared albums posted to Facebook)

Overview of the my Picturetown service

Service name	my Picturetown http://mypicturetown.com/
Site upgrade activation	February 17, 2012
Types of accounts	Free account (no charge, up to 2-GB storage) Gold account (fee charged*, up to 200-GB storage in units of 20 GB each) *Membership fee ¥350/month (tax included) for each 20-GB unit of storage space *Membership fee varies by country or region

• *Products, brand names and service names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.

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Mag+ Launches Tablet Publishing Contest for Magazines, Music and Film, Comics, Books, Catalogues and Creative Portfolios

"Magnify Your World" Offers Cash Prizes, iPads and Global Exposure to Influential Leaders in Six Creative Industries

New York, New York -March 7, 2012: The revolution will be digitized. Are you ready? Whether marketing a business, a book, a band, a magazine, even a movie or your own work, tablet publishing must be part of your promotional strategy in 2012. Today, Mag+, one of the world leaders in easy-to-use digital publishing platforms for touch screen tablets, motivates all creatives to engage with iPad and tablet publishing with the "Magnify Your World" contest. Win one or more of eight cash prizes, several iPads, exposure to industry luminaries in their fields and the possibility of being featured in a Mag+ international marketing campaign.

Entrants can submit their digital publishing passion projects in one of six creative categories to be eligible to win $1,000 and the chance to be awarded $5,000 as the Best-in-Show winner. The public will also vote via social media for a People's Choice Winner, who will also win $1,000. Every month, a Mag+ "Pick of the Month" will be showcased in a brief video and receive an iPad. The open entry period lasts until June 1. An international jury of experts will choose the final winners. Winners will be announced June 20 and featured in an upcoming Mag+ marketing campaign.

The exposure to well-connected industry leaders cannot be overlooked. The winner of Mag+'s last contest, New Zealander Natasha Mead, saw her entry MILK, a DIY fashion magazine exclusively for the iPad, secure her a job with Urbanity in the US.

"Mag+ understands how designers want to work, and using these tools has given me the opportunity to create relevant interactive content without ever compromising the aesthetic, says Mead. "I love using inDesign with Mag+ and the ability to use these tools has given me a huge advantage in my career."

The contest categories are as follows. Click to read more on each and perhaps see a sample from one of Mag+'s existing apps:

• BEST IN SHOW $5,000:-Chosen by a jury from the 7 categories below.
• BOOKS $1,000: any type of book for the general public
• BROCHURES & CATALOGUES $1,000: created for corporate use including brochures, 
annual reports, catalogues, media kits 

• COMIC BOOKS $1,000: graphic novels, comic books
• EDITORIAL $1,000: magazines, newsletters, newspapers, blogs, online magazines
• MUSIC & MOVIE $1,000: bands, filmmakers, DJs, theatres, venues, albums,
documentaries
• SELF-PROMOTION $1,000: promotion of services, experience or portfolio for students, 
designers, photographers, writers, PR/ad/interactive/design firms, law firms, etc.
• PEOPLE'S CHOICE $1,000: (Note: NOT NECESSARY TO WIN): Social category where 
the winner will be chosen through public voting. 


About Mag+

Mag+ (www.magplus.com) is the most flexible and efficient platform for publishing creative content on touch screen tablets. Mag+ premiered on the first iPads in April 2010 with
 the award winning Popular Science+ application and now supports more than 100 apps, including those from Outside, IKEA and Maxim. With its streamlined production system, powerful backend and feature-rich design framework, Mag+ is ideal for anyone - from magazine and book publishers to catalogue marketers and design agencies - wanting to bring beautiful, immersive content to the millions using this new generation of digital devices.

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Hasselblad Cameras Ship with Adobe Photoshop Lightroom

Hasselblad and Adobe announce an agreement to make medium format photography easier and more accessible to the world’s photographers.

Hasselblad today announced an agreement with Adobe Systems Incorporated that, beginning on the 12th March 2012, all newly purchased medium format Hasselblad H4D cameras will include a fully functional copy of Adobe® Photoshop® Lightroom® software at no extra charge. Under this agreement, Hasselblad is creating new opportunities for all lovers of medium format photography as well as for aspirational 35mm professionals, advanced amateurs and enthusiasts to perfect, search, process and organize their images in a single solution regardless of their experience or skill level.

Chris Russell-Fish, Hasselblad Global Sales and Marketing Director said: “Integrating the Adobe platform with Hasselblad is a ground-breaking step. Changing platforms is always a challenge for timestarved photographers and digital operators but now all users can have the excellence of a Hasselblad image file married to the functionality and ease of use of Adobe Lightroom.”

Hasselblad customers who buy new medium format H4D cameras will receive Lightroom software with their new camera equipment at no additional cost.

Adobe spokesperson Tom Hogarty, principal product manager for Lightroom said: “We are excited that photographers who purchase a new Hasselblad H4D camera will now easily be able to combine it with the power of Lightroom software. The world of imaging continues to evolve quickly, so it is increasingly important to offer customers innovative and practical software options to refine, showcase and manage their images.”

The Hasselblad and Lightroom plan does not mean that Hasselblad’s Phocus software is being phased out.

Said Russell-Fish: “We will continue to support our proprietary Phocus software. This new agreement is about providing choice for our customers. Lightroom has the advantage of familiarity with photographers, digital operators and enthusiasts worldwide. Phocus still offers high-end imagists some highly specialized tools and remains an integral element of our Multi-Shot cameras as well as our Phocus Mobile application, which enables wireless connectivity for the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch.

We are also working on solutions to tethering and batch processing challenges, and integration of those solutions is not far off.”

Hasselblad will run a worldwide programme of workshops and studio days based on medium format capture and Lightroom software.

Adobe, Lightroom, and Photoshop are either registered trademark or trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and/or other countries.

 

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2012 WORLD OPEN OF PHOTOGRAPHY™

2012 WORLD OPEN OF PHOTOGRAPHY™ 

LAUNCHES $50,000US GLOBAL SEARCH FOR TOP PHOTOGRAPHERS

Vancouver, Canada  (February 29, 2012)  The worldwide search for the greatest photographers of our generation has officially begun. It is comprised of two major components: the online SOLO (single-image) competition and the pinnacle LIVE event in Vancouver, Canada.

The 2012 World Open of Photography™(THE OPEN) is a $50,000 global search to discover the undiscovered, rediscover the established and bring the very best real-life photographers in the world to the forefront.

“There is a new generation of photographers who are changing the game,” says event creator Doug Perry of media production firm W1. “In this age of rising individual creativity we’re seeing incredible photographers who are out there pushing the boundaries of visual art every day. THE OPEN was created to seek out and discover these artists and connect them to a global audience.”

Today, social media plays a major role in bringing talented photographers into the spotlight. THE OPEN leverages the power of multiple social platforms to seek out and elevate the profiles of its participating photographers. The public curates the online SOLO competition gallery through voting and sharing, the most-loved artists continually moving to the forefront. 

Half of the 200 finalists are chosen by the public, and half are chosen by a panel of the sharpest eyes in the business to ensure the very best images are captured.

Following the global online SOLO competition, attention turns to the pinnacle LIVE event on September 28, 2012 in Vancouver, Canada. Six of the world’s best photographers will be flown to Vancouver, Canada to unleash 7-minute choreographed shows of the best work of their careers. The shows are produced on a massive digital screen with concert-level audio. One photographer will be awarded Best of Show. $50,000US is shared between the winners of the SOLO and LIVE competitions.

THE OPEN is developed by award-winning media production firm W1 of Vancouver, Canada. W1 is renowned for creating bold, original events that discover artists and athletes. W1-produced events have awarded over $1,000,000 in prize money to artists and athletes and drawn a collective live audience of more than 2,000,000 people. Its television specials are distributed to 122 countries.

W1 developed the THE OPEN as the evolution of the renowned Pro Photographer Showdown, a major annual live photography competition in the action-sport industry. W1 developed the Showdown (1998-2006) into a ten-screen digital mega-production that Transworld Media dubbed “The Sundance Festival of Photography.” The Showdown has sold out every year in its 14-year history. THE OPEN expands its reach beyond its foundation of action-sport by also including the genres of street, people and nature. It reaches out to artists in over 100 countries.

“We decided the time was right to blow the doors wide open and launch a truly global search for the greatest photographers of our time. We are as inspired to show the work of the most-published legends as we are with completely undiscovered artists whose careers haven’t yet taken flight.” says Perry.

The live event format is unique and very powerful. The artists spend months preparing their shows, taking the time to choreograph career-defining productions. The shows are typically comprised of 120-160 images designed to take the audience on epic journeys. As 2-time Pro Photographer Showdown winner Blake Jorgensen describes: “These shows are cool because normally your photography is diced up, and then goes to different places – it’s chosen by photo editors and art directors. The photographer himself has very little choice in how the photography is represented, so having a show where you get to creatively display your whole life’s work is pretty much the best thing you can ever do as a photographer.”  (source: Pique Newsmagazine)

THE OPEN is designed to create career-building opportunities for photographers. The online SOLO competition connects with 50,000 creative industry professionals including a broad range of photo editors and creative directors from around the world. The site also enables any photographer to sell gallery-quality prints of their images to be shipped anywhere in the world.

The online SOLO competition runs through August 1, 2012. The World Open of Photography LIVE event is scheduled for September 28, 2012 in Vancouver.

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Established in 1993, W1 is an award-winning media production firm located in Vancouver, Canada. It is best known for creating the World Ski & Snowboard Festival in Whistler, BC. W1 has produced over 250 events and 400 concerts. Its productions are credited with driving over $100 million in economic activity (Canadian Sport-Tourism Alliance).

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