The Luminous Landscape - What's New

6 September, 2010 - 40 Megapixel Pentax 645D First Look Report & Video

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Sun, 5 Sep 2010 13:54:33 CDT

The Pentax 645D has been a long time coming. But this brand new 40 Megapixel 645 camera is now shipping in Japan and should start to become available in the rest of the world within the next few months.

Recently LuLa corespondent Nick Devlin spent several hours closely examining the camera with Pentax Canada's Bill Gouge, while Michael Reichmann filmed their discussion.

Nick's First Look Report is now online, as well as a 15 minute long video interview with Bill.

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"Awesome video presentation.

I have learnt so much more after looking through this on the weekend. The tip about pushing blacks and fill light in the Basic Module was worth the price alone. My images of a recent trip to the Australian Outback are popping and punching with delight!

Thanks Michael and Jeff – I really appreciate you taking the considerable time to share your in-depth knowledge and insights."

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3 September, 2010 - Six New Lightroom 3 Tutorial Videos Posted

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Thu, 2 Sep 2010 21:52:59 CDT

We have added six new video files today to our new Lightroom 3 Video Tutorial; Numbers 38 through 43, which are found in zipfiles 27 through 30.

This will be the last time files are added before the final videos are completed on or before September 15th.

- Slideshow
- Web
- Keywords & Painter
- Metadata
- Metadata changes made outside of Lightroom
- XMP sidecar Files

This is your last chance at the 10% off Pre-Publication Sale price.

If you've already purchased our LR3 tutorial, just log onto your account on the LuLa Store and download them.

BUT FIRST – Please Read the New Table of Contents PDF.

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"These tutorials have made my understanding of much of the digital world so much easier.
It is far easier to watch these two experts and learn than trying to understand from some of the 'encyclopedias' that are on the market, and at a price that is excellent value for money."

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2 September, 2010 - Canon Expo 2010 New York

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Wed, 1 Sep 2010 21:57:01 CDT

Once every five years Canon holds a technology exposition. The latest took place in New York City, opening yesterday, September 1st.

This event is for Canon's customers and partners (as well as selected media), and includes business, education and government participants. Attendance is by invitation only.

I spent the day at the show, and while there was only one new product announced – the Canon XF100 and XF105 video cameras, there was an impressive array of expo type future products on display.

I have just posted a brief overview of the show and also a 2 minute video that tries to give a taste of what it was like.

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31 August, 2010 - Lightroom 3.2 and Camera Raw 6.2 Available

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 07:23:31 CDT

Adobe has just released Lightroom 3.2 and Camera Raw 6.2. These are available for download here. There is support for a number of new cameras, including the Canon EOS 60D, Fuji FinePix HS10, Panasonic DMC-FZ100, Panasonic DMC-FZ40 (FZ45), Panasonic DMC-LX5, Pentax 645D, Samsung NX10, Samsung TL500 (EX1), Sony A290, Sony A390, Sony Alpha NEX-3, Sony Alpha NEX-5, Sony SLT-A33, Sony SLT-A55V.

There are also more than 120 new lens profiles available as part of the free download update.

What's very gratifying to note is that many of these new cameras aren't even shipping yet, which means that these manufacturers are working closely with Adobe to provide early samples for profiling.

One manufacturer notable by the absence from this list is Nikon with the D3100. What's the matter guys, didn't you get the memo?

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And speaking of Lightroom, if you want to learn it from two of the industry's leading educators, Jeff Schewe and Michael Reichmann, there's no better way than our new Lightroom 3 Video Tutorial.

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My friends at Phase One are running a medium format workshop in Iceland this week. Kevin Raber is keeping it updated with commentary and snapshots. You can follow it on the PODAS blog.

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Those of you familar with the work of large format nature photographer Clyde Butcher will be interested in catching a live video interview with him on Fine Art Photography Weekly this Wednesday at 1:30 PM Pacific time, at http://smibs.tv/live.

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28 August, 2010 - Eight New Lightroom 3 Tutorial Modules Just Published

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 08:32:28 CDT

We have just made available seven new videos to our new Lightroom 3 Video Tutorial videos 30 through 37, within Zip files 23-26.

These include...

- Print 1: Page Setup, Settings & Resolution
- Print 2: Print Sharpening & Color Management
- Print 3: Page Panel, Print to JPEG, Picture Packages
- Identity Plate
- Lightroom 3 & CS4 - a gotcha!
- Roundtrip to Photoshop (Soft Proof)
- Merge to Panorama with Photoshop
- Sync Develop Settings

If you've already purchased our LR3 tutorial, just log onto your account on the LuLa Store and download them.

BUT FIRST – Please Read the New Table of Contents PDF.

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26 August, 2010 - Canon 60D Announced Along With Six New L Series Lenses

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 07:05:57 CDT

'Tis the season for new product announcements. Photokina is just around the corner and all of the major manufacturers seem hell-bent on announcing their latest offerings a month before the show even opens. (Can't let the other guy beat us to the punch, can we?)

Nikon announced the D3100 along with several lenses last week, and Sony began this week with four new camera (A33, A55, A560 and A580). There have also been about 712 new point-and-shoot (but who's counting)?

Today, it's Canon's turn with the announcement of the 60D and six new L series lenses.

The Canon 60D is the replacement for the 50D and will be available at the end of September for about US $1,100. It features an 18 Megapixel sensor, an articulated high-res LCD, 5.3 FPS shooting rate, and in-camera raw to JPG conversion – something first seen a couple of years ago on the Nikon D60 and D90, and before that, in 2006, in the Pentax K10D.

Of interest to those looking for a video DSLR, like other Canon, Nikon and Panasonic DSLRs the 60D shoots 24P.

(Hello Sony – can we please dump the ersatz 30P using 60i PsF and have real 30P and especially 24P on your cameras? Interlaced is so 20th Century).

The six new L series lenses (Canon's best) include an 8-15mm Fisheye f/4L, (wow); a 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS L, an upgraded 300mm f/2.8L IS, an upgraded 400mm f/2.8L IS, and third generation 1.4X and 2X extenders.

You can find out more on the Canon USA, Canon Canada, and Canon Europe sites.

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Voigtlander 25mm f/0.95 for Micro Four Thirds

Cosina, who sell their products internationally under the venerable Voigtlander brand, has just announced that they have formally joined the Micro Four Thirds group.

Their first offering is a brand new 25mm f/0.95 lens, which should become available in October for around US $1,000. This is just 1/10th of the cost of the world's only other current f/0.95 lens, the amazing Leica Noctilux.

I would expect many of their other excellent and reasonably priced lenses to become available in M4/3 mount in the days ahead. This is a major boost for the format.

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24 August, 2010 - Sony A55 In The Field Preview Report

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 00:35:06 CDT

Sony today is introducing three new DSLRs and three new lenses. These include the A560, A55 and A33, as well as a Zeiss Distagon T* 24mm F2, a DT 35mm F1.8 SAM and an 85mm F2.8 SAM.

I had an opportunity to work for several days last week with the exciting new A55, and have just published my Sony A55 Preview Field Report.

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Phase One and Mamiya have announced the long-awaited vertical grip for the DF cameras. You can find out more about it on the Phase One site. The V-Grip Air should be available at the end of September for US $1,290, with the optional Profoto wireless receiver at $199.

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22 August, 2010 - Sony NEX VG10 HD Camcorder / 14MP Stills Camera Field Report

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 14:57:36 CDT

Convergence is happening – like it or not. Just about every new DSLR model has HD video, and now Sony has introduced the world's first interchangable lens, APS-C sized sensor camcorder, the Sony VG10.

Along with a small group of web and print journalist I spent part of last week in Jackson Hole, Wyoming and Yellowstone National Park working with the VG10 and its included E mount 18-200mm lens.

My Sony NEX VG10 HD Camcorder / 14MP Stills Camera Field Report is now online.

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21 August, 2010 - Five New Lightroom 3 Video Tutorials Added

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 14:17:56 CDT

We have just made available five new videos to our new Lightroom 3 Video Tutorial in Zip files 20, 21 & 22.

This is the final hour on the Develop Module.

- Lens Correction
- Effects
- Camera Calibration
- Spot Removal
- Sync & Auto-Sync

If you've already purchased our LR3 tutorial, just log onto your account on the LuLa Store and download them.

BUT FIRST – Please Read the New Table of Contents PDF.

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19 August, 2010 - ID-Release, a Model Release Manager

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 09:09:54 CDT

There are a vast number of useful apps for the iPhone, but one that pro photographers may find of use is ID-Release, a model release manager. Contributor Jim Martin today provides us with his review.

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I have been shooting near Jackson Hole, Wyoming and Yellowstone National Park this past week with the exciting new Sony VG-10 and 18-200mm lens. The VG-10 is the world's first camcorder with a large sensor (APS-C) and interchangable lenses. It is also a still camera with a 14MP sensor as well as being a camcorder.

How did it fare? Watch for my field report by the weekend.

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15 August, 2010 - More Than 90 Minutes of New LR3 Training Videos Now Online

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 16:47:26 CDT

We have just made available more than 90 minutes of new video segments to our new Lightroom 3 Video Tutorial.

New topics which have changed dramatically since LR2 and which are now covered in depth, include Sharpening and Noise Reduction.

If you've already purchased our LR3 tutorial, just log onto your account on the LuLa Store and download them.

BUT FIRST – Please Read the New Table of Contents PDF.

You will learn that we have restructured the files and the ZIPs that they are found in. There are now multiple video files per ZIP. Also, if you've already downloaded ZIP #15, please do so again, because it now contains new material.

THEREFORE– Please Read the New Table of Contents PDF.

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If you haven't yet discovered the most comprehensive learning tool available for Adobe's Lightroom, now's the time to do so while it's still priced at -10%.

And remember, if you previously purchased the LuLa Guide to Lightroom 2 you can get an additional 10% off through the use of a special coupon code. More in formation can be found here.

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Earlier this year, Sean Reid of Reid Reviews surveyed photographers about they would like to see happen with the evolution of the Leica DRF (digital rangefinder) camera. Readers may recall that I looked at this same topic in an essay called An Open Letter to Leica and Mark Dubovoy also contributed ideas in an essay called Leica, A Different View.

Sean has just published a summary and analysis of the survey results and the new article on his site titled Thoughts About a Future Leica DRF. It provides engaging reading for anyone who is interested in the future of the DRF camera. Reid Review is a paid subsciption web site and accepts no advertising.

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13 August, 2010 - Canon XF300/305 Professional Camcorder Review

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 16:02:35 CDT

One of the hottest topics in the DSLR world are video capable still cameras. But, real video cameras are still very much in use by cinematographers who produce commercial films and videos.

Canon makes not just consumer camcorders, but also professional models, competing in this arena with Sony, Panasonic and JVC. But for the past three years they have been the last hold-out to produce a memory card based pro-grade camera. Their pro camcorders until last month were all tape based (Remember videotape?).

But now the Canon XF 300 and XF305 camcoders are shipping and they have been blessed by the BBC as certified for full broadcast use, a first for a just-released camera and also for one at this price point – about the same as a top pro rank DSLR.

We have been working with these two camrras for the past month, and our in-depth review of the Canon XF300/305 is now online.

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11 August, 2010 - Forum Update Now Complete

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 18:41:23 CDT

Tuesday's Discussion Forum update was completed in the evening and looks to be stable.

Please let us know of any problems encountered. More new stuff soon!

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10 August, 2010 - Forum Upgrade with More Coming

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Mon, 9 Aug 2010 15:24:18 CDT

Regular readers may have noticed here and on the site's forum during the past year or so mention of changes that will be coming to LuLa.

Our development process has now reached the stage where we will be starting to roll out some pretty exciting new features, starting today (Tuesday) with new Discussion Forum software.

The main site and Store will be unaffacted today, but the Forum will likely be down for several hours on Tuesday afternoon (Eastern Daylight Tme). If all goes well it will be up and running again by evening.

Big deal, you say. Forum software is forum software. Right? Actually not, because in this case your forum registration will be the key to a broad range of new personalized information services which will be rolled out over the next few months.

Stay tuned, as they say on TV. I think you're going to like what you see.

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UPDATE

Adobe has just released updates to Lightroom and Camera Raw. These provide bug fixes as well as additional support for quite a few new cameras.

You can find out more and download the Lightroom 3.2 update here and the Camera Raw 6.2 update here.

And of course, if you want to learn how to use Lightroom 3 in depth, our new 10 hour live training video is what you may need.

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9 August, 2010 - Sinar ArTec Hands-On Review

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Sun, 8 Aug 2010 16:21:54 CDT

The Sinar ArTec has been available for a couple of years, but only with a proprietary back mount. Now, Sinar has released a version able to work with just about any Phase One, Leaf, or Hasselblad back.

I recently had the opportunity of working for the new ArTec for a couple of weeks and my hands-on review is now online.

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6 August, 2010 - Six New Lightroom 3 Tutorial Videos Just Added

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Thu, 5 Aug 2010 16:04:24 CDT

We have just made available six additional video segments to our new Lightroom 3 Video Tutorial.

- Quick Develop
- Develop: Histogram & Crop
- Develop: Basic Panel
- Develop: Tone Curve
- Develop: HSL & Color
- Develop: Black & White

If you've already purchased, just log onto your account on the LuLa Store and download them. If you haven't yet discovered the most comprehensive learning tool available for Adobe's Lightroom, now's the time to do so while it's still priced at -10%.

And remember, if you previously purchased the LuLa Guide to Lightroom 2 you can get an additional 10% off through the use of a special coupon code. More in formation can be found here.

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4 August, 2010 - Winterscapes Of The Alaskan Arctic

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Tue, 3 Aug 2010 18:38:40 CDT

Where will you be shooting next winter? How about Alaska where the temperature will be about -30C (at this temperature Fahrenheit and Celsius are the same). A far cry from the +30C that many of us in the North East are feeling right now.

Our newest photographic travel essay is by Ben Hattenbach and is titled Winterscapes Of The Alaskan Arctic. Think cold, and enjoy.

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30 July, 2010 - Three New Lightroom Videos Published

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 19:49:09 CDT

We have just published three new video segments in our new Lightroom 3 Video Tutorial; Files 8, 9 & 10 are now available. These cover Import, Export, and Publish Services.

We have also replaced the original seven files to change the audio codec to AAC for those who had playback issues, and also to allow import to an iPad more easily. If you have had audio issues you may wish to redownload these.

The Table of Contents in File #40 and the downloadable Contents PDF reflect these changes.

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28 July, 2010 - Composing With Color - Part 3

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 17:26:46 CDT

Our regular columnist Alain Briot today publishes Part 3 of his series – Composing with Colour.

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24 July, 2010 - We're Overwhelmed!

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 16:57:16 CDT

Thank you everyone for your purchases of our new tutorial video – The Luminous Landscape Guide to Lightroom 3. Your response has been literally overwhelming.

The good news is that the server is holding up well and people are reporting not having any download delays. The bad news is that our customer service staff is simply overwhelmed with upgrade coupon requests from previous LR2 tutorial purchasers.

We are doing our best to issue these electronic coupons as quickly as possible, but unlike the rest of the process, it's handled manually and thus takes some time.

If you've e-mailed requesting a discount coupon we ask for your patience, and thank you for your ongoing support! – Michael

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22 July, 2010 - LuLa Guide to Lightroom 3 Training Video Now Available

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 16:59:53 CDT

No need to say much more. It's finally here – The Luminous Landscape Guide to Lightroom 3.

We have just published roughly the first two hours of this, the most comprehensive training guide to Lightroom ever produced. The complete training video will run more that nine hours when completed. New segments will be added every week for the next month or so until all nine hours and 40 segments are online.

The price of US $49.95 is currently being discounted by 10%, until the full tutorial is online. And, if you already own our Lightroom 2 tutorial we are offering an additional10% discount. (You must request a discount coupon before ordering).

Full details are available on this page. We also have a brief streaming preview available, and for the first time we are making available a free 10 minute full HD Video segment of the training video as a complimentary download so people can see for themselves what this training video is all about.

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16 July, 2010 - Plustek Optic Film 7600i-Ai Film Scanner Review

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 20:08:04 CDT

Most photographers are shooting digital these days, but some still shoot film, and many have large slide and negative collections.

The choice of quality scanners and software grows smaller each year, but in today's exclusive review Mark Segal looks at an excellent choice – the Plustek Optic Film 7600i-Ai Film Scanner.

His review is in two parts – an executive summary online and a comprehensive and in-depth review available as a free downloadable PDF.

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NOW AVAILABLE

The Luminous Landscape Guide
to Capture One Pro

Thank´s for one of the best tutorials I´ve seen so far!
It´s much easier to listen and learn when there is an educated discussion going on
between two very knowledgeable guys!

Find out more and watch our sample training video.

...

14 July, 2010 - NEX VG10 Video Camera Announced

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 09:09:31 CDT

Sony has announced the NEX-VG10, a hybrid video / stills camera that uses the same APS-C sized sensor used in the recently introduced NEX still cameras. It will become available in September at a US price of $2,000, including an 18-200mm lens.

Pretty cool, you say. But, when you read the specs you'll find that the camera can only shoot video in 1080/60i mode. Yes – interlace mode only. No progressive. And no 720 mode. ?????

Memo to Sony: No one wants interlaced video any more. It's old technology from more than 50 years ago. All computer monitors and current TVs are progressive devices. At least the VG10 should have had 30P. 24P would have been very nice as well and might have made creative film makers looking for narrow DOF excited. But, 60i? Fail!

Though the VG10 can shoot 14MP stills, Sony has eliminated raw mode. So the question has to be asked, who is this camera for? It's video modes seem crippled as do its stills modes.

I'll let you know when I get one for testing – if Sony is still speaking to me after this rant.

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12 July, 2010 - Gear For Trecking Photography

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 18:04:29 CDT

What does the well dressed and well equipped trecking photographer wear and use? Find out in our latest essay by Bernard Languillier.

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10 July, 2010 - Saturday - LuLa Gallery in Toronto Print Sale

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Fri, 9 Jul 2010 17:24:48 CDT

A Reminder....

The Luminous Landscape Gallery is closing. It's been a fun three years since it opened, and I thank everyone who visited for your interest and support.

The gallery has served primarily as a teaching space and print studio. It also has functioned as a gallery whenever I was working there and in town, but given my travel commitments this hasn't been often enough to justify keeping it open.

On Saturday, July 10, 2010, from 11am until 3pm I will be having a print sale. This will consist of approximately 30 large matted and framed prints that are currently on display on the gallery walls, as well as a number of large format unmatted and unframed prints.

For those that are interested, I will be continuing my print studio and teaching activities out of my new studio space near Creemore, Ontario. Details to be announced. I may also have gallery shows from time to time at other Toronto area galleries, as I would in the days prior to my Carlaw gallery.

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5 July, 2010 - Finally Here: 10-bit LCD Graphic Monitors

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Sun, 4 Jul 2010 15:41:06 CDT

If you can't view it properly, you can't print it properly. That's a mantra that I and many other fine art printers subscribe to. But, is the latest $299 monitor special from Best Buy the way to go?

Possibly for some, but since the discontinuation and eventual demise of the famous Sony Artisan the search has been on for the next candidate for monitor nirvana.

Our regular contribotor Pete Myers today shares with us his experience with and impressions of the Eizo Nanao ColorEdge CG243W in his report titled – Finally Here: 10-bit LCD Graphic Monitors.

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NOW AVAILABLE

The Luminous Landscape Guide
to Capture One Pro

Thank´s for one of the best tutorials I´ve seen so far!
It´s much easier to listen and learn when there is an educated discussion going on
between two very knowledgeable guys!

Find out more and watch our sample training video.

...

3 July, 2010 - LuLa Gallery in Toronto Closing & Print Sale

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Sat, 3 Jul 2010 07:57:03 CDT

The Luminous Landscape Gallery is closing as of July, 2010. It's been a fun three years since it opened, and I thank everyone who visited for your interest and support.

The gallery has served primarily as a teaching space and print studio. It also has functioned as a gallery whenever I was working there and in town, but given my travel commitments this hasn't been often enough to justify keeping it open.

On next Saturday, July 10, 2010, from 11am until 3pm I will be having a print sale. This will consist of approximately 30 large matted and framed prints that are currently on display on the gallery walls, as well as a number of large format unmatted and unframed prints.

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28 June, 2010 - Leica S2, First Impressions

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 21:43:27 CDT

The Leica S2 has been out for many months, and there have been a number of reviews (including my own First Impressions report from Germany last September).

Now my associate, Mark Dubovoy, has had a chance to use the S2, and to compare it with his current primary systemS, the Phase One DF with P65+, and also a Leica M9. How does the S2 shape up against the world's highest resolution digital back and also the S2's littler brother? Find out in Mark Dubovoy's Leica S2 – First Impressions.

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NOW AVAILABLE

The Luminous Landscape Guide
to Capture One Pro

Thank´s for one of the best tutorials I´ve seen so far!
It´s much easier to listen and learn when there is an educated discussion going on
between two very knowledgeable guys!

Find out more and watch our sample training video.

...

25 June, 2010 - Voigtlander Nokton 50mm f/1.1 - A Field Report By Nick Devlin

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 19:26:28 CDT

Back in the day – when ISO 400 was fast – high speed lenses were something to be lusted after. But now, with ISO 1600 delivering excellent quality, and some cameras capable of greater than ISO 100,000, they have lost their luster. Or have they?

For some the appeal of ultra-fast lenses is not so much their light gathering power, but rather their shallow depth of field. One of the fastest lenses currently available at affordable prices for the Leica M9 is the Voigtlander Nokton 50mm f/1.1.

Today Nick Devlin provides us with his field report on this lens, based on a shoot in Olympic National Park this past May.

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JUST RELEASED

The Luminous Landscape Guide
to Capture One Pro

Special: 10% Off Until July 1

Find out more and watch our sample training video.

...

22 June, 2010 - Leica M9 as Landscape Camera - Six Months Later

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 17:40:34 CDT

About six months ago I write about using the Leica M9 as a landscape camera, and how when it comes to a trade-off between weight, bulk and image quality the M9 offers a great deal to compensate for the fact that it really wasn't designed for this application.

My friend and occasional shooting companion Jack Perkins was intrigued by what I'd written and decided to make the jump from medium format to the M9 for much the same reasons. Today he shares with us his thoughts on the transition in The Leica M9 as Landscape Camera – Six Months Later.

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Panasonic AG-AF100 Specs Revealed

Following recent developments in hacking the Panasonic GH1's video capability, which I wrote about here a few days ago, Panasonic has revealed a bit more about their upcoming Four Thirds pro video camera, the AG-AF100, seen below. (Coincidence? Could be).

The specs are mouthwatering for anyone looking for a large sensor HD camcorder. You can read them in this download PDF.

With Sony promising a similar device based on the new NEX format it could well be that the days of the video DSLR are numbered. Not because of their image quality (which is remarkably good – with cinema style DOF), but because they are really such lousy video devices. Panasonic's AG-AF100 looks like it plans on bridging that gap. I can't wait.

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Now Available

The Luminous Landscape Guide
to Capture One Pro

Special: 10% Off Until July 1

Find out more and watch our sample training video.

...

18 June, 2010 - The Panasonic GH1 Video Hack

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 18:10:41 CDT

The Panasonic GH1 has been a huge success for that company. I reviewed it here when the camera first appeared last July, and have been shooting with it regularly since. Next to the Leica M9 it's my favourite travel camera.

The GH1 has been constantly back-ordered since the beginning, and remains extremly popular, and even though there have been several follow-on models, the GH1 is still the lead Panasonic Four Thirds camera, particularly because of its video capability.

But, what Panasonic giveth, Panasonic taketh away. The GH1's 1080P/24 HD video mode is flawed, and while the camera shoots really excellent 720P, its full-HD mode suffers from a poorly implemented video codec.

As a consequence Canon with its 5D MKII and 7D has run away with the video DSLR marketplace, even though the GH1 is in many ways a superior camera, at least operationally.

But users are forever resourceful, and there is now a hack for the GH1's firmware that allows for proper 1080P/24 video of exceptional quality. You can read all about it in my latest article titled The Panasonic GH1 Video Hack.

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Rangefinder camera photographers might be interested in the "First Impressions" review of the new LEICA 35/1.4 M Summilux ASPH LENS that Sean Reid, of Reid Reviews, has just published. He's also now working on a review that compares this new lens to several other fast 35 mm lens options for the Leica M9. Reid Reviews is an independent subscription site that accepts no advertising.

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Now Available

The Luminous Landscape Guide
to Capture One Pro

Special: 10% Off Until July 1

Find out more and watch our sample training video.

...

16 June, 2010 - The Luminous Landscape Guide to Capture One 5 Pro

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 18:59:11 CDT

It's here – our five and a half hour long live video tutorial on Capture One 5 Pro. This is the world's first in-depth training on this remarkable raw image processing program – the choice of pros around the world.

Walter Borchenko is the world's undisputed expert on Capture One, and together with Michael Reichmann they explore virtually every feature of Capture One. It's like having the two of us sitting by your side.

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Reid Reviews is an independent subscription site that accepts no advertising and is aimed directly at professional and serious amateur photographers.

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Special: 10% Off Until July 1

Find out more about...

The Luminous Landscape Guide to Capture One Pro

...and watch our sample training video.

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14 June, 2010 - Update on Profiling Issues With Apple Computers, Epson Printers & Photoshop

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 07:43:12 CDT

Mark Dubovoy has written an update to his posting on the problems of printing custom profiles with Apple computers, Epson printers and recent versions of Photoshop. Adobe appears to have a solution in the works.

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The much delayed RED Scarlet and Epic cameras have been delayed again. You can read more here.

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13 June, 2010 - Samsung EX-1 / TL500 Hands-On Review

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 17:12:41 CDT

So you think that Canon and Panasonic dominate the high-end pocket camera market? You'd be right, till now– but there's a new kid on the block, and he looks tough.

Samsung's just-released EX-1 (TL500 in some markets) is a very stong competitor to the Canon G11 and Panasonic LX3. Read my just published hands-on review of the Samsung EX-1 to find out how it stacks up.

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9 June, 2010 - Photographing Waterfalls

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Tue, 8 Jun 2010 16:39:02 CDT

After sunsets, waterfalls may be the most popular landscape subject. But, that doesn't mean that shooting them effectively is easy – far from it.

Today Mark Dubovoy gives us his thoughts on and techniques for compelling waterfall photography.

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8 June, 2010 - Lightroom 3 Released

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Tue, 8 Jun 2010 06:53:53 CDT

Adobe has today (finally) released Lightroom 3. You can download it from the Adobe on-line store for your country. It should also show up at retailers shortly as well.

Ian Lyons has his usual excellent summary online of what's new in LR3.

Jeff Schewe and I have just completed filming our exhaustive live video tutorial. It will run close to ten hours in length and will drill down into every aspect of how the program works, as well as illustrate best practices. It will be the most detailed and in-depth tutorial on Lightroom 3 available. Look for it here in the weeks ahead.

Oh yes, and our multi-hour tutorial video on Capture One should become available here very soon as well.

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"Video Journal 19, one of the best. Interesting and relevant topics, knowledgeable engaging guests, and a host that gently guides the conversation through terrain I want to explore. And more, it's beautifully shot in a clean, no tricks style that keeps the conversation in focus. Well done all! This one is worth twice the price".

– paul b. kramarchyk

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1 June, 2010 - The Best Noise Reduction Plug-In Yet!

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Mon, 31 May 2010 17:10:31 CDT

The world is a lot less noisy than it used to be. The photographic world, that is.

In the days of film, ISO 400 was noisy in B&W, and in colour ISO 800 grain looked like golf balls. The early days of digital were not that much better.

But in recent years we've grown accustomed to ISO 400 as being almost noise free, and some pro cameras now allow shooting at over ISO 100,000.

But there are still a lot of times that noisy images need to be cleaned up, and a new king of the hill appears to have emerged, in the form of Topaz Labs DeNoise 4.1. Mark Segal's exclusive review is now online.

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27 May, 2010 - Reviewing Art Wolfe's New Seminar Series

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Thu, 27 May 2010 08:05:10 CDT

Art Wolfe is possibly the best known nature and landscape photographer working today. He is also a friend, and a sometime shooting companion.

Art is in the midst of a North American speaking tour, The Art of Composition, and last week Trevor Peterson attended his NY talk and now has his review online here.

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I spent a week doing a landscape shoot in Olympic National Park in Washington state earlier this month. I have now started a portfolio page which will be updated regularly as I post new images to the site's Home Page.

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Sean Reid is one of the most prolific writers in the field on topics related to the products that serious photographers are interested in. On his subscription site, Reid Reviews, he has just published an in-depth look at six medium-fast rangefinder lenses for the Leica M9.

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25 May, 2010 - Sony NEX-5 First Impressions Review

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Mon, 24 May 2010 15:20:47 CDT

The Sony NEX-5 is that company's entry into what I am now calling the MARVIL marketplace, a moniker that I just invented and which stands for Mirrorless Reflex Viewfinder Interchangeable Lens.

I've now been working with the NEX-5 for nearly two weeks. How does it stand up against the competition from Panasonic, Olympus and Samsung? Is the the MARVIL camera that we've been waiting for?

My first impressions review is now online.

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– paul b. kramarchyk

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23 May, 2010 - Changes at Lu-La

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Sat, 22 May 2010 14:08:34 CDT

This week marks the eleventh anniversary of this site. There are a number of changes to report and a heads-up on some coming developments.

Mark Dubovoy and Chris Sanderson have joined Michael Reichmann, the site's founder, in becoming partners in The Luminous Landscape Inc. Mark is both a nuclear physicist and venture capitalist by profession, and is as well a very fine and widely exhibited and collected fine art landscape photographer by avocation. He is also a respected photographic educator and magazine author, and has been a regular contributor and reviewer for this site for several years.

Chris is, as many of you know, the producer / cameraman / editor of this site's numerous videos and tutorials, and has been with us since almost the beginning. Previously Chris enjoyed a 30 year career as an award winning professional film and video director.

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I would like to announce that I will be closing my gallery / print studio in Toronto shortly. There are a couple of reasons for this, including the move of my studio to near Creemore, Ontario, where I will be working and teaching from now on during the summer months.

Beginning this winter I will also be spending several months each year in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico where I also expect to do teaching and workshops.

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You can expect some more significant changes to Lu-La in the weeks ahead. No – we have not been bought by Google, Microsoft or any other conglomerate. We remain independent and are beholden to no one besides ourselves.

Rather, there are some exciting changes that we have been working on for almost a year now that will start to become visible by July. These will dramatically expand our content reach as well as our community involvement. Much more than a cosmetic make-over, I assure you.

I look forward to sharing these pages with you and continuing our adventure together in the photographic community in the years ahead.

Stay tuned. – Michael

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19 May, 2010 - Sony HX5 Field Review

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Tue, 18 May 2010 14:29:19 CDT

Sony has been on a bit of a roll recently when it comes to their smaller cameras. I've been shooting with their shirt-pocket-sized HX5 for the past couple of months and my field review is now online.

I have just returned from a week's shoot in Olympic National Park, and the site's Home Page now has another image from that trip. I worked mainly with the Phase One 645 DF camera, five lenses and a P65+ back. I'll be publishing an extensive portfolio from there, here online before too long.

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"If a picture is worth a thousand words, a video must be worth a thousand pictures.

Just to let you know that I found your Lightroom Tutorial most helpful in understanding, not only which buttons to push, but the gestalt behind the program. Especially helpful was the orgainzation.

All in all the best $40.00 I have spent recently".

– Jim Cassatt

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11 May, 2010 - Sony Announces NEX-5 and NEX-3 EVIL Cameras

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Tue, 11 May 2010 08:51:49 CDT

Sony has joined Panasonic and Olympus in the EVIL camera markerplace with the announcement of their NEX-3 and NEX-5 cameras. I have more details on my preview page, along with some thoughts on where this fits into the scheme of things.

I also expect to have my hands-on field review of the Sony NEX-5 here before the end of the month.

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DXO has announced DXO Optics Pro for both Windows (and this time Mac simultaniously). Several new cameras are supported, including the the Canon 550D and Sony Alpha DSLR-450. The Elite edition adds supports for the Canon EOS 1D Mark IV and Nikon D3s, along with a large number of new lens modules.

As the current leader in automated raw file lens correction it will be interesting to compare DXO Optics Pro to Adobe's new auto lens correction capabilities in both Camera Raw and Lightroom 3. I expect to have a comparative review once all are on the market at the same time.

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9 May, 2010 - Photographing the Eyjafjallajokull Volcano in Iceland

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Sat, 8 May 2010 22:50:00 CDT

The Eyjafjallajökull Volcano in Iceland has certainly caught the world's attention, especially after disrupting air traffic in Europe for almost a week.

But as photographers we always want to consider the imaging opportunities inherent in any major natural event, and volcanoes are among the most visually exciting.

Today well known Irish landscape photographer Peter Cox provides us with his first-hand experience and suggestions in Photographing the Eyjafjallajökull Volcano in Iceland.

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– paul b. kramarchyk

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6 May, 2010 - Canon Tilt-Shift Lens TS-E 24/3.5L Version II - A Review

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Wed, 5 May 2010 14:51:18 CDT

The new Canon 24mm/TS has only been available for just a few months, but along with the 17mm/TS it is developing quite a reputation. Canon's wide angle lenses never were one of its strengths, but with these two lenses the game is newly afoot.

Today we have an exclusive review of the Canon Tilt-Shift Lens TS-E 24/3.5L Version II by Harold M. Merklinger, a respected scientist, and one of the world's authorities on lens movements.

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It's been some months since I last hit the road with my camera, (so to speak), and so before I start suffering from withdrawal symptoms I'm heading off today to British Columbia and Washington State for about a week of shooting with a few friends, mostly in Olympic National Park.

I may be online and posting new content from time to time, but that will depend on my access to WiFi and our shooting schedule.

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And finally, a friendly reminder that our ability to keep publishing this site is dependent on revenues from your purchases of our videos, the Video Journals as well as the training videos. This is our sole source of income.

Your support is greatly appreciated. Thank you.

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1 May, 2010 - Panasonic TM700 Camcorder Review / Leica Accessories

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 18:04:44 CDT

Video DSLRs are hot. But camcorders keep improving as well, and for anyone looking to have a very high quality video camera for under $1,000, the new Panasonic TM700 has a lot to offer. Our in-depth review is now online.

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Do you own a Leica M8 or M9? If so, Mark Dubovoy's latest suggestions on a few must-have accessories may be just what you're looking for.

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– Jim Cassatt

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28 April, 2010 - Canon X300 Printer Review

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 16:43:06 CDT

Canon has a new series of high-end photo printers on the market, called the X300 series. How do these stack up against the best from Epson and HP?

Scott Martin is widely experienced with all three brands, and today gives us his in-depth review of the new Canon printers and how they compare.

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Care to see what else is coming in Lightroom 3 when it ships? Have a watch of this video from Lightroom Product Manager Tom Hogarty. I think you'll be both pleased and impressed.

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– Jim Cassatt

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25 April, 2010 - Leica S2 Review Update : iPad Reads Raw Files

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 16:45:06 CDT

My friend, and well known Australian photographer, educator and magazine editor Nick Rains, has just completed his tests of the Leica S2.

Leica has also just announced a firmware upgrade for the S2, and Nick kindly provides us today with his brief impressions of the S2, what the firmware upgrade has accomplished, as well as what has been left unresolved.

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Another friend, well known London photographer and lecturer Drew Gardner has just completed working with kids in the townships of South Africa, teaching them about photography. Drew asked if I would link to his blog, which I am more than happy to do, as this appears to be a very worthwhile undertaking.

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A small number of iPad Camera Connection Kits (USB adaptors and SD card readers) became available over the past few days, and to everyone's amazement (at least mine) the iPad is able to read all raw camera files that the Mac (OSX / iPhoto / Aperture) can handle.

This is great news, and makes the iPad an ideal travel / storage / backup / review device for photographers working in the field.

The only bad news is that the main shipment of these adaptors won't be available for another couple of weeks.

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23 April, 2010 - Ricoh GRX. Where Does It Fit?

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 17:36:11 CDT

Ricoh has always made fascinating if somewhat quirky cameras. Today, Sean Reid gives us his take on where the GRX-A12 fits in the current camera taxonomy.

Sean has also just published a comprehensive user review of the GRX-A12 on his subscription site, which I can highly recommend.

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The most recent winner in our Lightroom 3 contest is Jenny Sampson of Berkeley, CA . Congratulations Jenny. She wins a boxed copy, once it ships, of LR3 worth $300.

How did she win? Simply by purchasing one of our tutorials or Video Journals. Find out more.

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Readers who purchase our current Lightroom 2 tutorial
will be eligible for a discount on our future Lightroom 3 tutorial.

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19 April, 2010 - Photographing the Aurora

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 16:46:50 CDT

Have you ever photographed an aurora, or even seen one?

Mark Dubovoy travelled to Northern Canada a couple of months ago for just this purpose, and came away with shots of a quite spectacular display.

As a physicist by profession he can't resist explaing what causes the aurora, as well as how best to photograph one when you have the opportunity. His new tutorial is titled, naturally enough, Photographing The Aurora.

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Fancy a photographic workshop in Tasmania this coming December? If so consider this one being put on by my friend (and frequent contributor to this site) Nick Rains. Nick is the Editor of one of Australia's leading photographic magazines, and a very fine photographer and teacher.

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– Jim Cassatt

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14 April, 2010 - Imageprint 8 Review

mreichmann@luminous-landscape.com — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 17:16:01 CDT

It's been a while since I've had a review of the Imageprint RIP on this site. Two version ago, in fact. Now, Imageprint 8 is here, and contributor Markus Zuber has his exclusive review available.

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Looking for your next great photographic adventure? How about a NAMIBIA PHOTOGRAPHIC SAFARI with John Paul Caponigro.

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The great convergence is now starting to gather steam. Both Panasonic and Sony, two major forces in the broadcast as well as prosumer / consumer video fields, announced large sensor video cameras at the NAB show this week.

Panasonic AG-AF100

Panasonic's AG-AF100 is based on its Micro Four Thirds still camera format while Sony's as yet unnamed entry has a full 35mm sensor and and Alpha lens mount.

Let's hope that Panasonic's design engineers are better than their illustrators – because what they're showing above looks like a camcorder from 1975.

What both of these entries (due late 2010 / early 2011) bring to the market is cinema style depth of field because of their large sensors, something that current 1/4" , 1/3" and 1/2" video cameras can't offer.

One of the reasons that movie makers tolerate the horrendous ergonomics and woeful feature set of today's video DSLRs is the wonderfully shallow DOF which they offer. I believe that once this new generation of large sensor cameras become available over the next 6-12 months, the days of Combocams being used in professional production will be numbered.

Speaking of which, if you're a fan of the popular Fox TV series House, you might want to watch the season's finale episode on May 17 as it was shot entirely with a Canon 5D MKII.

And on the subject of Canon, with the Panasonic and Sony large sensor video camera announcements this week, Canon is left as the only major company in the field to not have announced an entry. Let's hope that they don't take as long as they did with their first solid state video camera offerings (3 years late), the just announced HPX 370/371.

Sony's 35mm Alpha Camcorder

Update:

FreshDV has an interview with the Pansonic product manager, shot on the floor at the NAB show. It provides insights into the new AF100 Micro Four Thirds video camera (delivery December – $6,000) and a better though still brief look at the camera's design.

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– paul b. kramarchyk

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