Photography News

Nik Software, the maker of high-end, high performance plugins for photo editing tools has released the latest version of their Viveza product, version 2.0. Viveza 2 allows photographers to selectively adjust lighting and color with precise selection controls without the need for layer masks or in-host selections.

Viveza 2 is available now and retails for $199.95. Upgrades are available for $99.95 and free if you purchased the previous version after September 22, 2009. [MORE]

Griping about the gripping of your mouse for hours at a time as you edit photos? Jelfin may have the solution with the new Gel Mouse, an ergonomically designed ball-shaped that is "ensconced in a soft, luxe gel covering that hugs the entire surface area and sets a new standard for comfort".

"Jelfin has kept both eyes on the ball with the introduction of the world’s first ball-shaped, gel-cushioned mouse, the Jelfin Mouse. Jelfin’s intelligent new design fits perfectly the curvature of your hand, providing a more natural and comfortable feel than a traditionally for longer periods of time at the computer and put less tension on wrist and forearm. One part cushiony stress-relief ball, two parts cool computer mouse, Jelfin is undeniably soft and tactilely enticing to the touch."

The corded USB mouse is available in five vibrant colors: cobalt blue, crimson red, cadmium yellow, electric green and hot pink. It's available now for $34.95 from Amazon.com.

Nik Software is helping to train current and future customers on the joys of photo-editing with their software tools. Beginning today, they are offering three webinars per day, Monday-Friday via their niksoftware.com website.

"Webinars cover basic installation, usage tips and other information to help photographers achieve maximum success with the Nik Software product line. To further enhance the learning experience, attendees can pose questions to the educators during the webinars." [MORE]

The LaCie company has revealed their hot new LaCinema Mini HD media center. The device allows you to copy and store your images and video on its internal harddrive and display in full 1080p on a HD ready television. This will allow photographers new and creative ways of presenting portfolios to their clients, even in their own homes.

The LaCinema Mini HD is currently available in Europe in the 500GB model and expected to be available worldwide during the first quarter of 2010. It retails for $299. [MORE]

Casio has unveiled their new photo frame, the "Digital Art Frame" which takes your photos and displays them as work of art using a new "snapshot to painting conversion" technique. It will recognize facial features to insure your loved ones and subjects remain recognizable in the resulting art.

It is slated for Spring of 2010 and its current design is a 10.2" screen, 2 GB internal memory and can receive images via SD/SDHC or through a wireless network connection. [MORE]

Casio today announced four new cameras for their EXILIM series, the high-speed 10.1 megapixel EX-FH100 and three 14.1 megapixel models: EX-H15, EX-Z2000 and EX-Z550.

The EX-FH100 will shoot up to 40 9MP images per second and sports a 10X optical zoom.

The 14.1MP trio of camera feature the new "Engine 5" processor which Casio boasts increases processing speed by 30%. [MORE]

Olympus announced several cameras at CES, including the Stylus TOUGH-3000 model that is "as smart as it is durable". New to Olympus is the integration of the popular SD card (up to 32 GB) - finally. The TOUGH-3000 will retail for $229.99 and will be available this spring. [MORE]

Three new pocket zoom cameras from Olympus were announced at CES, the 7x Stylus-7040 and Stylus-7030 and the 5x Stylus-5010. The 14 megapixel cameras feature HD Video and SD card compatibility. Look for them in February 2010 for $249.99 for the 7040 and $199.99 for the other two. [MORE]

Entry level photographers have two new cameras to choose from in Olympus' FE line. The FE-4020 and FE-47 short-zoom cameras feature 14 megapixel resolution, SD compatibility, in-camera art filters and more. The 5x FE-47 will be available this month for $119.99 and the 4x FE-4020 ships in February for a street price of $149.99. [MORE]

Vivitar, now owned by Sakar International, announced their 2010 line of budget friendly digital cameras at CES this week. Read on for full details on these models! [MORE]

Delkin announced their newest speed jump in CF card technology, the 420X Compact Flash PRO series. The cards reach speeds up to 63MB/second and are available in 8GB, 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB. [MORE]

Owners of Canon's EOS-1D Mark IV, EOS 5D Mark II and EOS 7D cameras now have the option of transmitting their shots immediately via wireless network connection using one of three new devices designed specifically for these models.

The WFT-E2 II A, WFT-E4 II A and WFT-E5A transmitters provide "professional photographers with a range of innovative wireless connectivity options for all photographic disciplines".

Additionally the units can link more than one camera, allowing for simultaneous synchronized shots from different angles.

The "E4" and "E5A" are available immediately for $699.99 while the "E2" is slated for first quarter 2010 and the price is not yet set. [MORE]

Tripod manufacturer Induro has announced a new line of tripod heads that take a departure from traditional pan- or ball-heads. A gimbal head "has some unique characteristics enabling it to do things other heads can’t. The camera and lens, because of this unique weightless state, can be tilted up or down and stay in that position without the need to be locked in place."

Three new gimbals are offered, ranging from $200 to $489. [MORE]