NIKON IMAGE SPACE App Updated

This is a free application for Nikon's photo sharing service, "NIKON IMAGE SPACE." This service brings your photos even closer to you and increases your enjoyment of the pictures you've taken. The app is the result of persistent sophistication of three simple functions--reviewing, organizing and sharing. It delivers greater convenience, more comfort and enhanced smartness to the photo lives of all photo lovers.

The Lomography New Petzval 58 Bokeh Control Art Lens

Bokeh Like a Boss – Using the Bokeh Control Ring on the New Petzval 58, you’re totally free to determine the strength of the swirly bokeh in your photos. You can now get the characteristic swirly bokeh effect in ways it has NEVER been possible before. This revolutionary component is the first of its kind on a Petzval lens!

Lara Jade, Cheap Camera Challenge

Featuring Lara Jade - world-renown fashion photographer - takes on the cheap camera challenge...we have a professional mode, haute couture clothing and a makeup artist...but we've taken the camera cheapness to a whole new level! The An Pan Man camera (Bread Superman camera) has a stunning 0.3-megapixels and awful features. Add that to the fact that Lara is only in Hong Kong for a layover - she has 6-hours to get 6 different images from 3 different looks - and we have an epic-fashion-photoshoot-on-the-cheap challenge!

Lara Jade's website: http://larajade.co.uk

Lara Jade on Twitter: https://twitter.com/LaraJade_

Part of the "Pro Tog, Cheap Camera Challenge" series. Pro photographers from around the world take on the challenge to use one cheap camera to produce some creative stuff. But just what will happen?

Image Credits:
Image “Top of Rock Cropped” by Wikimedia user “Dschwen” (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Image “Hongkong Evening Skyline” by Wikimedia user "Roy Niekerk” (CC BY-SA 2.5)
Image “London Skyline” by Wikimedia user “Mewiki” (CC BY-SA 3.0)

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NASTY CLAMPS

A while ago, I got my hands on couple of Nasty Clamps for review, and I have not been able to put them down since. The Nasty Clamps are a very simple idea that is extremely well executed and also made right here in Oregon.

What they are is a very strong spring clamp mounted on the end of an articulation arm made up of medium sized segments. At the end of the assembly there is a standard ¼ 20 male mounting thread and locking ring to keep whatever you mount on it tight and stable.

I took the Clamps out for a spin with me on a location shoot at a local radio station where I was meeting my client to take some head shots. We set up in the conference room with a standard portable backdrop and started taking some shots. After getting the traditional staple shots we moved around the room working on some environmental portraits. I wanted to work with the large table in the center of the room but setting up my flashes on it with stands either brought the light way too high or without the stands way too low. That is when I busted out the Nasty Clamps to see what I could do with them in this situation.

I mounted one of my flashes on the ¼ 20 thread and then clamped it to the back of one of the rolling office chairs next to my subject. Then I placed a Rogue XL Pro Lighting Kit to the mounted flash. I have to admit that I did not think that the Clamp would hold the weight of the flash and the modifier, but it did and was rock solid through all of my position adjustments. Once I began shooting it was very easy to make adjustments to the Nasty Clamp and its’ long multi segmented arm gave me a fantastic range of movement to get my light in just the spot I wanted it to be in, and better yet, it kept it there!

The Nasty Clamp itself is made out of high quality metal with a black coating over it and the tips are coated in a thick rubber like material that gives it exceptional gripping power. The arm assembly is made up of numerous segmented joints that have a ball and socket like interface that has just the right amount of resistance to keep the arm from slipping when objects are mounted to it.

The more I take the Nasty Clamps out with me the more I find uses for them. They come in very handy for holding accent flashes that are tucked away in awkward places. They have totally earned a permanent spot in my bag every time I go out to shoot.  I cannot recommend the Nasty Clamp enough for an everyday item in your bag especially if you are a location shooter.

For more information on the Nasty Clamps and their other products check out their site at www.nastyclamps.com.

An Update on Flickr Wall Art

We’re sorry we let some of you down.

About a month ago, we introduced Flickr Wall Art to allow our members to order printed photos on wood or canvas. Over the past few weeks, we’ve received a lot of feedback from the community and beyond — while some expressed their excitement about the new photography marketplace and the value it would bring, many felt that including Creative Commons-licensed work in this service wasn’t within the spirit of the Commons and our sharing community.

We hear and understand your concerns, and we always want to ensure that we’re acting within the spirit with which the community has contributed. Given the varied reactions, as a first step, we’ve decided to remove the pool of Creative Commons-licensed images from Flickr Wall Art, effective immediately. We’ll also be refunding all sales of Creative Commons-licensed images made to date through this service.

Subsequently, we’ll work closely with Creative Commons to come back with programs that align better with our community values.

The Wall Art service will continue to be available, but will not tap into Creative Commons-licensed images. You’ll still be able to order Wall Art from your own photostream, as well as the work of Flickr’s licensed artists, who are part of the Flickr Marketplace. If you want your work to appear in the Flickr Marketplace, you can sign up here to be considered and a member of the Flickr curation team will reach out if your work is a good fit.

From the beginning, we’ve worked hard to foster a community of creators. It’s our deep commitment to the Flickr community that inspires us everyday. Please continue to share your ideas and feedback.

Bernardo Hernandez
VP of Flickr

Flash Facts – Bounce Flash

One flash rule to remember is that the larger the light source, the softer the light. The smaller the light source, the harder the light. This means that the larger soft light will have softer edges in the shadows and the smaller hard light will have a more defined edge at the shadows. This technique also works very well with ceilings.

One very easy way to turn the small light from your shoe mounted flash into a large soft light source is to bounce your flash light off of a nearby wall. You do this by having the person you are photographing move near a wall or large solid surface, then you rotate your shoe mounted flash so that it is facing the opposite wall and not directly at your subject.

When you fire the flash it is going to bounce off of the wall that it is aimed at and turn into a much larger light source, thus creating a softer edge for your shadows.

One thing to keep in mind when using this technique is the color of the wall. The color of the wall is going to influence the color of the light hitting the subject. By this I mean that if you have a white wall to bounce your flash off of it is not going to be that big of a deal, but if the wall is, let's say red, then that will tint your light with red.

There are a few different way to counteract this light tinting problem. The two easiest way is by either changing the white balance of the flash, or by changing the light from the flash with a colored gel. The exact color and white balance combinations will depend on the color of the area, the wall, and also by what color you want the light to be.

Depending of the color of the surface I will usually start with the white balance for color correction. When it is warm or cool colors changing the white balance is the easiest. I suggest you correct the white balance in camera during the shoot, but you can change it in post as well.

Phase One Delivers A-series cameras - for the Fine Art of Photography

Phase One today begins shipping the first A-series medium format camera systems. Blending the best of Phase One and ALPA technology through highly-integrated precision components, these cameras are designed to capture outstanding images with greater ease, convenience, and fun.

The three Phase One A-series models include the A250, A260 and A280. They are based on the ALPA 12TC mirrorless camera body, plus a Phase One medium format IQ2 Aseries digital back -- the 50 megapixel CMOS-based IQ250; the long-exposure-capable 60 megapixel, full frame IQ260; or the highest-resolution 80 megapixel full frame IQ280. Each model comes with the 35mm Rodenstock Alpar lens. There are two optional lenses available, including the ultra-wide 23mm, and the all-round 70mm, ALPA HR Alpagon, both offering perfect edge-to-edge sharpness and the ability to resolve full frame medium format sensors.

Exclusive to the Phase One A-series are the models' factory configured in-camera lens calibrations, making the need to create and apply color cast correction profiles (LCCs) optional. One can simply attach an A-series lens and start shooting.

A-series features:

• The three A-series Rodenstock Alpagon/Alpar lens profiles are factory calibrated, configured and preloaded on the new IQ2 A-series digital backs to get the most out of each medium format sensor. Using the new firmware and A-series camera mode, photographers simply select the lens used and corrections are then automatically processed in camera and when importing to Capture One Pro 8.1.
• A new version of Capture Pilot permits checking the selected A-lens directly from an iOS device. Once images are captured, they are wirelessly displayed in Capture Pilot, to validate focus, exposure and composition.
• The A250 can stream Live View wirelessly to ease focusing and composition. With the ALPA smart device holder, one can mount both iPhones and iPads directly on the camera.
• Each model is serviced as a complete system, with a 5-year warranty. For optimal raw processing and image editing, the Phase One A-Series systems ship with Capture One Pro 8.1 as well as Capture Pilot 1.8 for remote viewing. Camera accessories include: release cables, lens shades, straps, covers, a special A-series transport case designed by F-Stop Gear, and an iPhone and iPad holder to attach devices in waist-level mode.

For camera specifications and more details, please see: www.phaseone.com

CHRISTMAS DISCOUNTS IN NEW PHOTTIX ONLINE STORE

What’s New?  Phottix Mitros and Mitros+ Flashes for Sony (ISO Shoe)

 

After considerable development and testing Phottix is happy to announce the newest addition to the Phottix Mitros+ family: The Phottix Mitros TTL Flash for Sony (ISO Hot Shoe) and thePhottix Mitros+ TTL Transceiver Flash for Sony (ISO Hot Shoe).



Use the Mitros+ on-camera as a key or fill light, as well as control and trigger other Mitros+ flashes or compatible flashes using Phottix Odin Receivers. The Mitros+ also offers a built-in Phottix Odin Receiver and Strato II Receiver.

Features

• GN: 58 Sony-Compatible TTL Flash
• Built-in: Phottix Odin Transmitter and Receiver, and Strato II Receiver
• Sony-compatible Master/Slave IR Triggering Modes
• High Speed Sync
• AF Assist Light
• External Battery Port, 3.5mm Sync Port
• Quick Flash Mode

Jump over to the Phottix Online Store for more details. Use code XMAS2014 at checkout to save 10% on your holiday orders.

Speaking of the Photix Mitros and Phottix Odin – I spy my little eye celebrity photographerMatthew Jordan Smith shooting with both Phottix products in a video recently released by Gary Fong.

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Now in Silver – A New Phottix Luna Beauty Dish

The Phottix series of Luna Beauty Dishes and Softboxes have been very popular. We’re adding a new silver interior 85cm Phottix Luna Beauty Dish to the line-up. Silver beauty dishes add more contrast and “pop” to an image and are great for fashion photography.

With Luna interchangeable speed rings (Bowens mount included), the Luna series modifiers can be used on many different studio lights, or with the Phottix Mitros series flashes when combined with the Phottix HS Speed Mount II.

Jump over to the Phottix Online Store for more details. Use codeXMAS2014 at checkout to save 10% on your holiday orders.

---

Phottix VLED Video Lights Available

 

The Phottix VLED Video Light are available in three sizes, with 168, 198 or 260 LEDs these are the perfect continuous lighting solution for video cameras or DSLRs. With the included battery adapters, popular camera batteries from Canon, Nikon, Panasonic and Sony can be used to power the VLED. The VLEDs can be combined vertically or horizontally to create larger banks of light.

Output Specs
VLED 168, Output: 1050 Lumens
VLED 198, Output: 1250 Lumens
VLED 260, Output: 1600 Lumens

Jump over to the Phottix Online Store for more details. Use code XMAS2014 at checkout to save 10% on your holiday orders.

---

Phottix Varos H-Mount Plate and Strap

Mounting flashes by the hot shoe can cause some issues. When using umbrellas the light from a vertical flash does not hit the center of the umbrella as it is much taller. This cuts down on the effectiveness of the umbrellas as a lighting modifier.

Phottix comes to the rescue with the new Phottix Varos H-Mount Plate and Strap. Using this kit with a Phottix Varos Umbrella Adapter allows flashes to be mounted horizontally, more in line with the center of a reflective or shoot through umbrella. Included are the H-Mount Plate and Velcro Strap, a 3/4″ lug threaded in 1/4×20 and 3/8″ and a locking ring.

Jump over to the Phottix Online Store for more details. Use codeXMAS2014 at checkout to save 10% on your holiday orders.

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Phottix Hot Shoe Gel Set

Using gels with hot shoe flashes can be challenging. How can you attach them? With Velcro tabs or gaffer tape or some other inelegant contraption.

Enter the Phottix Hot Shoe Gel Set. This set includes a plastic gel mounting bracket that easily attached to most hot shoe flash heads using a Velcro strip. Easy use any of the 30 included gels with hot shoe flashes. The black/silver attachment can be used a barndoor/flag or a bounce card.

Jump over to the Phottix Online Store for more details. Use code XMAS2014 at checkout to save 10% on your holiday orders.

PROFOTO HSS IS HERE.

Up until now, HSS solutions have been either consistent but lacking in speed and power, or fast and powerful but inconsistent. Today, we release Profoto HSS – a new solution that has all of the benefits and none of the limitations.

High-Speed Sync (HSS) is the technical term for syncing flash with shutter speeds shorter than the so-called x-sync, typically 1/250 of a second. It is a useful tool for controlling ambient light and for freezing action. But there used to be limitations.

Current solutions for speedlights give you a fairly even exposure. But it does so at the expense of speed and power. Previous solutions for larger flashes were faster and more powerful. But the exposure could differ as much as 2 f-stops in a single shot.

Profoto’s new solution for the B1 Off-Camera Flash has all of the benefits and none of the limitations. The B1 itself is about ten times as powerful as the average speedlight and fast enough to keep up with your camera. With the new Profoto HSS upgrade installed, you switch to HSS Mode with a simple button-press. You will then be able to shoot at shutter as fast as 1/8000 of a second.

But it does not stop there. Profoto HSS is a unique, patent-pending technology, providing an extremely fast series of flash pulses. What this means in practice is that you get an extremely consistent exposure with no measurable variation over the image.

In other words, Profoto HSS is fast, powerful and consistent. This will open up a whole new world of light shaping possibilities for you. For instance, you can now shoot with a large aperture in bright conditions to get a shallow depth of field and get that perfect deep blue sky. Or capture super crisp action in mixed light conditions without getting motion blur from ambient light. Etcetera, etcetera.

Needless to say, Profoto HSS works for both Canon and Nikon and has been tested for all common camera models.

Also note that you can use Profoto HSS both with and without TTL. Or do both! Shoot with TTL first to get a technically perfect exposure, and then switch to Manual Mode with the same readings and settings and do whatever creative adjustments you feel like doing. It is a huge time saver. Plus you can leave that light meter at home!

Profoto HSS is available through a simple firmware upgrade.

Click here and download it for free.

Note that you will need to do download separate upgrades for the B1 Off-Camera Flash and the Air Remote TTL-C and Air Remote TTL-N, and then upgrade both flash and remote.

Once installed, HSS Mode is activated with a simple button-press. There is no need to change the flash bulb or messy stuff like that.

Setting Up The Shot - Miranda Off the Shoulder

Camera - Nikon D300
Lens - Nikon 50mm f/1.8G AF-S
Exposure - 1/250 @ f/9
Focal Length - 50mm

Lighting - Nikon SB-700
Light Modifier(s) - 43" Optical White Satin with Removable Cover Collapsible Umbrella
Trigger - Nikon SU-800

This is one of my typical one light set ups. I used a 43" Optical White Satin with Removable Cover Collapsible Umbrella high to camera left to let the light fall off on the opposite side of her face. To help with some separation from the background I feathered the light to give just a hint of light to the background to give it a slightly different tone. I had the subject move away from the wall in order to get just the right amount of light on the back ground.

Camera Raw 8.7.1 is now available

 Camera Raw 8.7.1 is now available as a final release for Photoshop CS6 and Photoshop CC. This release includes support for the Sony ILCE-A7M2 and also includes a bug fix related to support for the Samsung NX1 camera.  DNG Converter 8.7.1 is provided for customers using versions of Photoshop older than Photoshop CS6.

As mentioned here, updates to Camera Raw 8 for Photoshop CS6 only include new camera support, lens profile support, and bug fixes.  The new features listed in the release notes are only available in Photoshop CC.

Release Notes

New Camera Support in Camera Raw 8.7.1

• Sony ILCE-A7M2

New Lens Profile Support in Camera Raw 8.7

Mount	Name
Canon EF	Canon EF 24-105mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM
Canon EF	Canon EF-S 24mm f/2.8 STM
Canon EF	Tokina AT-X 12-28 F4 PRO DX
Leica M	Zeiss Distagon T* 1,4/35 ZM
Nikon F	Tokina AT-X 12-28 F4 PRO DX
Nikon F	Tokina AT-X 70-200mm F4 PRO FX VCM-S
Sony Alpha	Tokina AT-X 166 PRO DX II 11-16 F2.8

Bug Fixes:

• Fixed issues with chromatic aberration specific to the Samsung NX1.

Please note – If you have trouble updating to the latest ACR update via the Creative Cloud application, please refer to the following plugin installation:

http://helpx.adobe.com/x-productkb/multi/camera-raw-plug-in-installer.html

Download Links

DNG Converter 8.7

Mac – http://www.adobe.com/support/downloads/detail.jsp?ftpID=5858

Win – http://www.adobe.com/support/downloads/detail.jsp?ftpID=5864

Phottix Updates

Hello Phottix Friends

The end of the year is drawing near and Phottix has some hot deals in the newly revamped Phottixstore.com. From now until December 31, 2014, receive 10% off everything atPhottixstore.com by using the code XMAS2014 at checkout.

---

What New?  Phottix Mitros and Mitros+ Flashes for Sony (ISO Shoe)

After considerable development and testing Phottix is happy to announce the newest addition to the Phottix Mitros+ family: The Phottix Mitros TTL Flash for Sony (ISO Hot Shoe) and thePhottix Mitros+ TTL Transceiver Flash for Sony (ISO Hot Shoe).Use the Mitros+ on-camera as a key or fill light, as well as control and trigger other Mitros+ flashes or compatible flashes using Phottix Odin Receivers. The Mitros+ also offers a built-in Phottix Odin Receiver and Strato II Receiver.

Features

• GN: 58 Sony-Compatible TTL Flash
• Built-in: Phottix Odin Transmitter and Receiver, and Strato II Receiver
• Sony-compatible Master/Slave IR Triggering Modes
• High Speed Sync
• AF Assist Light
• External Battery Port, 3.5mm Sync Port
• Quick Flash Mode

Jump over to the Phottix Online Store for more details. Use codeXMAS2014 at checkout to save 10% on your holiday orders.



Speaking of the Photix Mitros and Phottix Odin - I spy my little eye celebrity photographer Matthew Jordan Smith shooting with both Phottix products in a video recently released by Gary Fong.

---

Now in Silver - A New Phottix Luna Beauty Dish

The Phottix series of Luna Beauty Dishes and Softboxes have been very popular. We're adding a newsilver interior 85cm Phottix Luna Beauty Dish to the line-up. Silver beauty dishes add more contrast and "pop" to an image and are great for fashion photography.

With Luna interchangeable speed rings (Bowens mount included), the Luna series modifiers can be used on many different studio lights, or with the Phottix Mitros series flashes when combined with the Phottix HS Speed Mount II.

Jump over to the Phottix Online Store for more details. Use codeXMAS2014 at checkout to save 10% on your holiday orders.

---

Phottix VLED Video Lights AvailableThe Phottix VLED Video Lightare available in three sizes, with 168, 198 or 260 LEDs these are the perfect continuous lighting solution for video cameras or DSLRs. With the included battery adapters, popular camera batteries from Canon, Nikon, Panasonic and Sony can be used to power the VLED. The VLEDs can be combined vertically or horizontally to create larger banks of light.

Output Specs
VLED 168, Output: 1050 Lumens
VLED 198, Output: 1250 Lumens
VLED 260, Output: 1600 Lumens

Jump over to the Phottix Online Store for more details. Use codeXMAS2014 at checkout to save 10% on your holiday orders.

---

Phottix Varos H-Mount Plate and Strap

Mounting flashes by the hot shoe can cause some issues. When using umbrellas the light from a vertical flash does not hit the center of the umbrella as it is much taller. This cuts down on the effectiveness of the umbrellas as a lighting modifier.

Phottix comes to the rescue with the new Phottix Varos H-Mount Plate and Strap. Using this kit with a Phottix Varos Umbrella Adapter allows flashes to be mounted horizontally, more in line with the center of a reflective or shoot through umbrella. Included are the H-Mount Plate and Velcro Strap, a 3/4" lug threaded in 1/4x20 and 3/8" and a locking ring.

Jump over to the Phottix Online Store for more details. Use codeXMAS2014 at checkout to save 10% on your holiday orders.

---

Phottix Hot Shoe Gel Set

Using gels with hot shoe flashes can be challenging. How can you attach them? With Velcro tabs or gaffer tape or some other inelegant contraption.

Enter the Phottix Hot Shoe Gel Set. This set includes a plastic gel mounting bracket that easily attached to most hot shoe flash heads using a Velcro strip. Easy use any of the 30 included gels with hot shoe flashes. The black/silver attachment can be used a barndoor/flag or a bounce card.

Jump over to the Phottix Online Store for more details. Use codeXMAS2014 at checkout to save 10% on your holiday orders.

---

Connect with Phottix

Keep up with all the latest news from Phottix. Join our social networks and get the newest info as well as see the great work done with Phottix products.

- Subscribe to the Phottix Journal Blog by RSS
or Email
- Join the Phottix Facebook Fan Page

- Follow us on Twitter

- Connect with us on flickr and join the Phottix Photos Group

Setting Up the Shot - Wild Sierra

Camera - Nikon D2X
Lens - Nikon 50mm f/1.8G AF-S
Exposure - 1/250 @ f/6.3
Focal Length - 50mm

Lighting - LP180
Light Modifier(s) - 28" Octobox
Trigger - Pixel Opas

Single light set up with a LumoPro LPXXX inside a 28" Octobox. The main light is set so that it is able to be feathered in for the background light as well. The amount of light that hits the back wall is controlled by the distance between the subject and the wall.

Setting up the shot - High Key Ash

Camera - Konica Minolta 7D
Lens - Tamron 90mm f/2.8
Exposure - 1/45 @ f/2.8
Focal Length - 90mm

Lighting - Brand X strobe
Light Modifier(s) - 60" Westcott shoot through umbrella, and large diffusion panel.
Trigger - Pocketwizard



For this shot I set up a large diffuser for the background and placed a strobe behind it to blow out the background and also to give some back light through her hair.

For the key light I used another strobe shooting through a Westcott 60" shoot through umbrella.
With her looking down her hair fell forward a bit and i increased the power from the light behind her to let the back light eat up some of her hair.

I wanted to capture a high key image of Ashlee and the honesty in her expression.

Mixing it up with Manual focus.

Every now and again I love to bust out my old M42 lenses and throw them on my Nikon. These old lenses have great image quality, are sharp as hell, and are loaded with personality. Beyond their attributes they tend to be very inexpensive as well

To get these lenses to work with any DSLR camera all you need is an adapter ring. I got mine for about twenty dollars on eBay. There are a few different versions of the M42 lens adapters. The one that I picked up is the most simple version. It is one machined piece of metal with a Nikon F mount on one side and then a threaded 42mm female thread in the front center of the adapter ring.



There is only one issue with this set up and that is some of the lenses cannot focus as close as they were designed to on film camera. To overcome this I bought a set of three macro ring adapters. They work by putting the lens farther away from the sensor and increase the minimum focus distance. This works brilliantly and as they are only machined aluminum they too cost next to nothing on eBay.


Most newer higher end cameras will allow you to place manual focus lenses onto their bodies with an appropriate adapter. You will control the aperture manually but most camera functions will work without a problem. On my Nikon cameras TTL will also function with out any problems.


The focus lock light will also work with this set up on most higher end Nikon camera. It is incredibly helpful to make sure that you have your focus correct and as sharp as possible. Just make sure that you check your camera's manual to make sure that it is a supported function with manual focus lenses mounted.



Using macro extension rings with your M42 lenses will allow you to get into macro photography with out the cost of buying a macro lens. Just make sure that you have a good sturdy tripod to keep everything steady. This situation would also benefit by using your camera timer to trip the shutter or any other method of remote triggering your shutter.


By using some old M42 screw mount manual focus lenses on your DSLR you will have a very inexpensive way to freshen up the way that you shoot and have more lens options in your bag.

Flash Facts - TTL Cords

A very versatile and often overlooked tool that can cost next to nothing is a simple TTL cord. With this cord you can get your flash off of your camera and still maintain your flash and camera communication.

One great trick that you can manage with a TTL cord involves High Speed Sync and a TTL flash unit. There are many companies out in the market that offer TTL flash units for the major camera brands and for the most part they are very capable and affordably priced.


These lower priced units normally do not offer off camera High Speed Sync functions but they are are capable of High Speed Sync when mounted on camera. So, what can you do to take these flash units off camera and still retain the High Speed Sync function? That’s right: use a TTL cord!

When using a TTL cord the flash is essentially still directly connected to the camera and will function just like it is still sitting on the camera body. Thus you will be able to use High Speed Sync with a TTL cord.

Theses TTL cords come in varying lengths from three feet to over twenty feet. If you need to you can also couple them together for longer lengths. If you are shooting an event one well used trick is to use a short TTL cord to connect your camera and flash and then hold the flash in one hand off of your camera to add some depth to your event lighting.

Another great use is with the longer cords. The flash end of the TTL cord will often have a ¼ x 20 thread on the underside of it so that it can be threaded onto a light stand or umbrella/softbox mounting bracket. With a long enough cord you are able to have your flash way off camera and still maintain all camera/flash communications.

With an affordable price, small profile, and large functionality for your flashes, TTL cords are a staple in my kit and an item that photographers should carry with them.

A note to manufacturers about batteries.

Just about every photographer on the planet that uses small flash units carries one type of battery  with them at all times: AA’s. It can be frustrating to keep on hand a stock of several different size batteries let alone having your kit fully stocked with different sizes. Call me lazy but I want to keep things as simple as possible and use one style of power cell.

I think that there are many photography product companies out there today that are just missing the mark with their products by just one point, and that is the type of batteries their devices are powered by.

I understand the need and desire to produce products that are as compact and portable as possible, but I do not think that any photographer on the planet would object to increasing the size of said product to accommodate AA batteries.

It drives me completely batty having to carry multiple types of batteries with me. So, manufacturing companies let’s just pretend that  AAA, CR123a, Coin, and any other size batteries that you can think of just do not exist. There are only AA batteries.

Flash Facts - 0

Hey there kids, I am going to be starting a new ongoing series here on the Vanished Twin Blog. Can you guess what it is going to be called?

That's right Flash Facts is going to be all about your flash. Both on camera and off.

So, stay tuned for some fun and exciting tips and tricks and good old fashioned learning.

Sony announces Alpha 7 II in the US

Sony Electronics, a worldwide leader in digital imaging, has today introduced another exciting addition to its full-frame α7 lineup, the α7II camera (model ILCE-7M2).

The new mirrorless model is the world’s first full-frame camera to feature 5-axis image stabilization1, allowing it to compensate for camera movement in five different directions to produce extremely sharp handheld images. The α7II camera is equipped with a 24.3 effective megapixel 35mm full-frame sensor, and adds 30% faster AF responsiveness, enriched video shooting capabilities, redesigned ergonomics and more.

“The new α7II is simply the latest example of the impressive innovation we’re bringing to the industry, particularly in the mirrorless space” said Neal Manowitz, director of the α interchangeable lens camera business at Sony. “We’re continuing to push the boundaries of what can be accomplished with a full-frame sensor, consistently delivering ‘world’s first’ technologies that no other cameras – DSLR or otherwise - can accomplish.”

New Image Stabilization Technology

The innovative 5-axis image stabilization on the new α7II detects and corrects camera shake along five axes during shooting, including angular shake (pitch and yaw) that tends to occur with a telephoto lens, shift shake (X and Y axes) which becomes noticeable as magnification increases, and rotational shake (roll) that often affects shots at night or when recording video. The 24.3 MP full frame sensor moves to accommodate all of these types of shake, with stabilization equivalent to up to 4.5 steps faster shutter speed of correction2.

Additionally, the 5-axis stabilization works cooperatively with Sony α lenses with optical steady shot (OSS) to provide maximum stabilization and clarity, while also performing admirably with Sony α A-mount lenses and third party lenses3 without on-board stabilization. Effects of the stabilization can be previewed via live-view on the LCD or OLED viewfinder of the camera.

Speedy, Accurate Autofocus with Hybrid AF

The new α7II employs a 117-point focal plane phase detection AF sensor with 25 contrast detection AF points, with approximately 30% faster AF responsiveness and 1.5 times more accurate subject tracking than the original α7 model4 thanks to a series of new algorithms for detecting subject distance and predicting motion. Additionally, AF and now automatic exposure (AE) is provided while tracking subjects during high-speed continuous shooting at up to 5 fps.

Enriched HD Video Functionality

The new full-frame camera shares the powerful BIONZ X image processing engine with several other high-end Sony cameras, and adds a variety of advanced video functionality including the addition of XAVC S5 codec, which records video at a high data rate of 50 Mbps with advanced compression for impressive video quality.

For the professional and prosumer customers, the α7II adds picture profiles for convenient in-camera tone adjustments and supports the S-Log2 gamma function which preserves a wide dynamic range. It also includes Time Code (useful for editing), Rec Control (for synced recording with external recorder) and dual video recording.

Design, Controls, Wi-Fi® and New Accessories

Ergonomically, compared to the original α7, the α7II model has a larger shutter button that has been moved closer to the front of the camera for optimal finger position. It is constructed with sturdy magnesium alloy on the top, front cover and internal panels for a sturdier, more solid feel in the hand, and boasts about a 40% faster start-up time compared to the α7 camera.

The new α7II camera is Wi-Fi® and NFC compatible and fully functional with Sony’s PlayMemories application available for Android™ and iOS platforms. New accessories designed for use with the new α7II include the VG-C2EM vertical grip and LCS-ELCB soft carrying case.

New α A-Mount 70-300mm F4.5 – F5.6 G SSMII Telephoto Zoom Lens

Sony has also introduced a new telephoto zoom lens for it’s α A-mount line, the 70-300mm F4.5 – F5.6 G SSMII (model SAL70300G2). Ideal for outdoor sports and wildlife photography as well as tightly cropped portraits, the lens features approximately 4x faster AF tracking than the current lens model 70-300mm F4.5 – F5.6 G SSM. It also has Nano AR coating to minimize flare and ghosting and improve rendering, and is dust and moisture resistant.

Successors to the α A-Mount 24-70mm F2.8 ZEISS and 16-35mm F2.8 ZEISS

Sony has also announced the development of the α A-Mount Vario-Sonnar T* 24-70mm F2.8 ZA SSM II and the Vario-Sonnar T* 16-35mm F2.8 ZA SSM II lenses. The second generation of these acclaimed lenses will improve upon the speed of AF tracking, reduce flare and ghosting and incorporate a dust and moisture resistant design.

Pricing and Availability

The Sony α7II full-frame mirrorless interchangeable lens camera will be available beginning on December 9th as body-only for about $1700, or as a kit with the 28-70mm F3.5 – F5.6 OSS zoom lens (model SEL2870) for about $2000.

The new 70-300mm F4.5 – F5.6 G SSM II telephoto zoom lens for α A-mount cameras will be available for about $1150 in February 2015.

Pricing for the Vario-Sonnar T* 24-70mm F2.8 ZA SSM II and the Vario-Sonnar T* 16-35mm F2.8 ZA SSM II lenses has not yet been determined, however target ship timing is Spring 2015.

Among 35 mm full-frame interchangeable-lens cameras, according to Sony research as of November 2014.
Based on CIPA standards. Compensates for angular shake (pitch and yaw). Measured using a Sonnar T* FE 55mm F1.8 ZA lens, with long exposure noise reduction off.
Some lenses are not compatible with 5-axis image stabilization.
Compared to the α7. Based on Sony’s internal metrics.
An SDXC memory card with a Class 10 or higher speed rating is required for XAVC S recording.

RadioPopper Photogenic Receiver

The Photogenic Receiver allows remote triggering and remote power control of most Photogenic brand lights. Simply attach the RP Photogenic Receiver to the port on the bottom of your Photogenic light and you're all set. The Photogenic Receiver is powered directly from the light and requires no batteries. The Photogenic Receiver is configured using a digital display on the front of the receiver.

-No batteries required

-Stop accurate power control

-Assigned to one of 4 groups/zones

-Supports all 16 RadioPopper channels

The Photogenic Receiver works with all PowerLight and Solair series Photogenic lights except those lights with manual sliders at the rear.

A Jr2 Transmitter is required to control power levels of the attached Photogenic light, though it may be triggered by any RadioPopper transmitter (Jr2, PX, JrX, Nano).