Only as Good as Your Equipment?

The above Nikon Facebook post has created quite a stir in the last few days. Check out all the comments here : http://www.facebook.com/nikon/posts/10150316773294620

New Flickr Android App

Flickr has unveiled its first official Android app, two years after releasing an iPhone app.

The new Android app is described as a “shoot-and-share” app that lets users shoot with the in-app camera, enhance the photos with various filters and then simultaneously upload the photos to Flickr and share them instantly with friends on Facebook, Twitter, Tumbler, via email, blogs and more, all straight from the app.

By hitting the market now, Flickr for Android could take some air out of Instagram’s upcoming Android debut.

More info here :

https://market.android.com/details?id=com.yahoo.mobile.client.android.flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photosession

Lightroom 3.5 and Camera Raw 6.5 Now Available

Adobe has just released a free update for users of Lightroom, along with a Camera Raw update.

Lightroom 3.5 includes bug fixes, new camera support and new lens profiles.

Generally it's a good idea to upgrade however if you shoot tethered to a Mac platform running OS 10.7 with a Canon 5D, Rebel XT or 20D, you can no longer shoot tethered with this update.

More info here : http://blogs.adobe.com/lightroomjournal/2011/09/lightroom-3-5-and-camera-raw-6-5-now-available.html

Something New from Canon?

A big announcement from Canon is scheduled for November 3. An "historic global announcement" is what Canon is calling it. Will it be the long anticipated and in the eyes of many, long overdue 5D Mark III? Who knows, but given the location of the press conference (Hollywood), it will most likely be the much rumored EF and PL mount camcorder with a Super 35mm sensor.

UPDATE  : Canon is now asking technology journalists to save the date of October 26 for a big announcement in New York City regarding EOS cameras and PIXMA printers. Interesting times ahead!

Almost New!

We currently have a plethora of used Nikon and Canon gear. There are some real bargains to be found and all of our used equipment is carefully inspected by our trained staff and comes with a 90 day functionality warranty.

Come by Camera West in Walnut Creek or Rancho Mirage and see what we have to offer.

Dear Photograph

Check out this wonderful website which allows you to share with others a picture from your past, set in the same spot in the present.

http://dearphotograph.com/

Thanks Robert for the link!

Leica S2 Demo Day

This afternoon was the Leica S2 Demonstration Day here at Camera West in Walnut Creek and our good friend and Leica specialist Tom Brichta introduced us to Leica's new S2 product specialist Ben Ross.

Ben & Tom brought a few S2s for our customers to hold and shoot and see first hand the amazing images this 37.5 megapixel camera produces. We tethered one of the cameras to our 27 inch iMac so everyone could see the results as they were shooting. Everyone enjoyed cropping into each image and seeing amazing clarity, unmatched by any other digital camera out there.

For those of you who could not join us today, no worries. We usually have an S2 here at Camera West and would love to put one in your hands.

It's not often - if ever - that you get to see four S2s sitting on a counter so we had to take a photo!

Art & landscape photographer Dianne Tanaka takes a photo as Leica S2 product specialist Ben Ross looks on.

We tethered one of the S2s to our 27 inch iMac to show customers the fine detail that comes with each S2 image.

Photojournalist & good friend of Camera West Steven Foon photographs Hal and Anna Marie Maagdeberg with his Leica  M9.

Looking at some S2 images on the iMac. 

Ben Ross goes over some of the features of the S2 with customer Bo Mathisen (left).

Leica specialist Tom Brichta shares a light moment with customers Dianne Tanaka and Anna Marie Maagdeberg. 

New System from Nikon

Nikon unveiled a new compact system camera tonight called the Nikon 1. The system, which consists of two compact camera bodies, which both use new 10-megapixel sensors in a new Nikon-designed CX-format (13.2x 8.8mm) — is aimed at consumers and prosumers and includes four lenses: a 10mm f/2.8, 10-30mm f/3.5-5.6, and 30-110mm f/3.8-f/5., and 10-100mm f/4.5-5.5 “power zoom” lens.  The J1 will retail at $649 and the V1 at $899. Available next month.

Get the details here : http://www.nikonusa.com/index.page

I See Spiders!

A customer came in yesterday with his Canon 5D Mark II looking a bit troubled. He says to me, "I'll bet you've never seen this before", as he gets a flashlight out and shines it into the viewfinder of his camera. I figured a cracked eyepiece..wrong.

A spider. A dead spider trapped inside the viewfinder. Can you imagine seeing that each time you compose a photo?

We're guessing that it was in the camera when it was assembled. Can't think of any other way it could have found it's way in there.

Lens Crashes into a House

Petaluma (CA) police are trying to track down the owner of a camera lens that apparently fell from the sky earlier this month, damaging a local family’s home.

Debbie Payne, 55, said she found the Canon 24-105mm zoom lens outside of her home on Friday, Sept. 2, after hearing a loud crash that shook the two-story house, left a hole in her roof and sliced through two window screens.

She said the noise was loud enough to startle her next-door neighbor, who quickly spotted a piece of the camera lens next to a truck parked in his driveway.

Officers are now tracking the lens’ serial number and working with the Petaluma Airport and the Federal Aviation Administration to determine whether the part may have fallen from a plane.

Payne said she didn’t see any aircraft near her home at the time of the incident. “It would have killed someone, had there been someone underneath the lens,” she said.

Photo-Chopping Nature

An award-winning Swedish nature photographer has admitted doctoring some photos, authorities say. A photo of a rare lynx by Terje Helleso came into question when Gunnar Gloerson, a conservationist for the Swedish Association for Hunting and Wildlife Management, examined the photo. His suspicions were raised when the winter coat on the lynx did not match the July greenery. Gloerson also questioned claims by Helleso that the photographer has seen 150 lynx in nine months, when Gloersen had only seen 15 in 52 years of wildlife study.

On Saturday, Helleso admitted to the photo manipulations.The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, which named Helleso its nature photographer of the year in 2010, said it would review whether Helleso would be allowed to retain his title.

By the way — when Helleso received his award in May of this year, he stated, "We nature photographers should never forget the responsibility we have with our images, from both a documentary and artistic perspective."

Helleso stole this image...

...and placed it in this award winning image

Leica S2 Demonstration Day

Don't miss this opportunity to get a hands on demonstration with Leica's amazing 37.5 megapixel S2 camera. Leica will have their new S2 specialist here at Camera West in Walnut Creek to answer all of your questions. It will be a great opportunity to shoot with the S2 and see just how beautiful the images are straight out of the camera.

No need to RSVP. Just show up between 1 and 5pm on Wednesday September 21.

Nikon Creative Lighting Workshop

A great time was had by all the participants of the Nikon Creative Lighting Workshop Saturday evening.

Paul Van Allen, a Nikon USA National Training Specialist brought his tips, tricks and props to Camera West in Walnut Creek. 40 participants got a hands on opportunity using Nikon's versatile wireless flash capabilities to shoot in very creative ways, water drops, strawberries, gum balls, flowers and even a cheese grater.

A workshop participant back lights a flower with a Westcott Softbox

Paul Van Allen goes over the flash control available in camera

Paul shows his two light setup for shooting strawberries in a fish tank

Camera West's Robert Specter drops strawberries for the participants to shoot

Everyone went home with a better understanding of wireless flash photography and some great images

Capturing 9/11

When a disaster strikes, you run away from the danger. Not so for firefighters, law enforcement, medical first responders and … journalists.

On this 10 year anniversary of 9/11, Reuters videographers Mohammed Awad and Soren Larson share their thoughts and experiences filming the horrific events in New York City on September 11, 2001.

http://in.reuters.com/video/2011/09/10/capturing-9-11-stories-from-reuters-vide?videoId=221411057&videoChannel=101

The 2011 Leica Hall of Fame Award

Steve McCurry, a member of Magnum Photos and frequent contributor to National Geographic is the recipient of the 2011 Leica Hall of Fame award.

Dr. Andreas Kaufmann, chairman of the supervisory board of Leica Camera AG, explains why Steve McCurry was chosen as the first awardee of the Leica Hall Fame Award : "More than almost anyone else, Steve McCurry has recorded the terrible consequences of war and persecution and has thus had decisive influence on our perception of world affairs for decades. For his work, he deserves our thanks and recognition."

Most will remember this image by McCurry that graced the cover of National Geographic.

Check out more of his work in this video produced by Leica.

http://www.vimeo.com/28448318