by Richard Lynch
Many DSLR cameras have more than one color space (reflecting the gamut of color it can capture). You can change this based on what you establish as a workflow and how you want to handle color. You will want to consult your manual to find out how to make the change.

Let’s look at how to change color space on a Nikon D70 as an example:
1. Press the Menu button on the left of the camera back.
2. Scroll down to Shooting Menu and press the right arrow.
3. Scroll to Optimize Image and press the right arrow.
4. Scroll to Custom and press the right arrow.
5. Scroll to Color Mode and press the right arrow.
6. Scroll to your desired space.
7. Click the right arrow to accept.
The color space you choose should be one that you can incorporate logically into your workflow.

No. 1 Selling Consumer Photo Software Offers Fun, Unique Ways to Capture Stories

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Sept. 24, 2007 — Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) today announced the immediate availability of Adobe® Photoshop® Elements 6 software, a major upgrade to the No. 1 selling consumer photo-editing software*. Available for Windows®, Photoshop Elements combines power and simplicity for consumers to find, view and easily infuse creativity and personality into their photos. This landmark release helps consumers at all experience levels achieve outstanding results and provides interactive options for sharing unique creations via print and Web.

In addition, Adobe today announced Adobe Premiere® Elements 4 software, a complete home video-editing solution (see separate press release). Available separately or together in a single retail package, Photoshop Elements & Adobe Premiere Elements give photo and video enthusiasts more creative ways to organize, edit, create and share digital photos and home movies.

“Photoshop Elements is the one-stop-shop for consumers to go faster and farther with their photos,” said John Loiacono, senior vice president of Creative Solutions at Adobe. “We’re helping people flex their editing muscle, without breaking a sweat. We’ve redesigned the user experience to more prominently showcase photos, direct consumers to features that help turn photos from good to great in just seconds and inject a dynamic element into their creations.”

Make Photos Look Their Best
Photoshop Elements software helps enthusiasts achieve desired results quickly and easily. New Photomerge® technology helps address the challenge of capturing the perfect group photo by combining the best facial expressions and body language from a series of shots to create a single cohesive group shot. The new Quick Selection Tool reduces a once time-consuming select-and-adjust task to a single click. Photographers at all grades – beginner to expert – can choose from one of three edit modes, each geared toward a different experience level. A new Guided Edit mode helps walk users through the steps of improving a photo. Photoshop Elements 6 streamlines editing with clean, uncluttered screens that draw focus to where it belongs, with new tabs providing simple access to the many capabilities of the program. Tight integration with Adobe Premiere Elements and a shared Organizer, with a common database

New Photoshop Elements Packs Powerful Editing Punch
accessible from either application, allow users to do more with their photos and videos with speedy performance and easy import, tagging and retrieval tasks. Additional enhancements include an improved conversion tool that dramatically converts color images into elegant, nuanced black-and-whites.

Share Photos In Fun, Unique Ways
Photoshop Elements 6 offers users more creative sharing possibilities, including online galleries based on Adobe Flash® which provide an interactive experience for friends and family to enjoy. With a variety of settings and themes, these galleries can be easily accessed via the Web and help bring moments and memories to life. Animated slideshows, e-mail and printed creations available in Photoshop Elements such as photo books, scrapbook pages, cards and CD/DVD labels deliver high-impact sharing options, and also require no previous experience.

Pricing and Availability
Adobe’s digital imaging and digital video products are available immediately at www.adobe.com and online retailers including, Amazon.com. The products will also be available at Best Buy, Staples, Costco, Fry’s, Circuit City, Office Max, Office Depot, Microcenter, J&R, Buy.com and NewEgg.com. Photoshop Elements 6 and Adobe Premiere Elements 4 for Windows are available separately for an estimated street price of US$99.99 each. Photoshop Elements for the Macintosh platform is expected in early 2008. Adobe Photoshop Elements 6 & Adobe Premiere Elements 4 for Windows is available as a bundle at an estimated street price of US$149.99. Information about the other language versions, as well as pricing, upgrade and support policies for other countries is available on www.adobe.com/go/pse6. For more information, customers can call 1-800-492-3623.
*Source: The NPD Group (April 2002 to March 2007) based on units sold.

Epson Stylus Photo R1900 with groundbreaking technology for smoother images and colour control
Incorporating revolutionary colour processing technology and UltraChrome™ Hi-Gloss2 Ink, the Epson Stylus Photo R1900 offers a new level of quality for photo enthusiasts, who demand the big picture.

03 October 2007 – The Epson Stylus Photo R1900 incorporates the latest developments from Epson to provide durable, superior quality, Hi-Definition photos up to A3+ on a wide range of media. It includes groundbreaking image processing algorithms to manage colour combinations and ensure beautiful prints. It also features a new formulation of Epson UltraChrome Hi-Gloss Ink technology. UltraChrome Hi-Gloss2 represents the evolution of photographic printing, offering a wider colour gamut, natural skin tones and consistent colour with a smooth gloss finish.

In addition to cyan, magenta and yellow inks, UltraChrome Hi-Gloss2 features matte black, photo black, red, orange and gloss optimiser. The new orange ink replaces the blue ink previously used with UltraChrome Hi-Gloss. It allows Epson to offer significant enhancements in colour reproduction for natural skin tones. Output also features more vivid oranges and an expansion in the red colour gamut. The magenta and yellow inks have been reformulated and contribute to accurate blue and green tones. The resin coating of the gloss optimiser and colour inks has been redesigned to create even smoother and glossier prints. The individual ink cartridges mean only the colour that is used needs to be replaced.

The eight-colour inkset featured in the Stylus Photo R1900 creates a staggering 18,446,774 trillion colour combinations. To calculate which combination should be used to deliver the tones and colours required for the images, Epson has developed new Look Up Table (LUT) technology in partnership with one of the world’s leading centres of colour science, the Munsell Color Science Laboratory of the Rochester Institute of Technology. In conjunction with the Micro Piezo™ print head the Epson LUT technology decides how much of each colour is used to translate a RGB source file into a print. The mathematical algorithm effectively optimises colour matching to ensure the printed image is consistent with the original photograph. The end result is prints with smooth gradations, reduced graininess, wide colour gamut and low colour inconstancy*; all of which combine to create clear and beautiful, Hi-Definition photographic images.

Other printing technologies in the Stylus Photo R1900 include Epson’s Variable-sized Droplet Technology. The smallest droplet of 1.5pl is used for areas where fine detail is required and bigger droplets where larger blocks of colour are needed.

The flexibility of the Stylus Photo R1900 is further enhanced with its increased media support. It will print onto glossy, matte and fine art paper in cut-sheet and roll format. It prints directly onto printable CD’s and DVD’s. For printing photos without a computer photographers can connect their digital camera or picture viewer using Pictbridge. The comprehensive software package includes Epson Print CD and Epson Creativity Suite including Epson Easy Photo Print, FileManager, Web to Page and Camera RAW Plug-in.

Mark Robinson, Senior Product Manager, Epson UK commented, “The new Epson Stylus Photo R1900 is a truly advanced printing system that is easy and fun to use. The extensive research and development required to develop Epson Micro Piezo inkjet printers and ink technologies is fully illustrated in the launch of the Stylus Photo R1900. The UltraChrome Hi-Gloss2 Ink works in harmony with the Epson LUT technology and Epson paper to deliver outstanding photo quality for sale, for display and for archiving.”

Epson Stylus Photo R1900 key features summary:

• Print Hi-Definition durable photos and album pages on various media up to A3+
• Achieve vivid colours and natural skin tones with Epson UltraChrome Hi-Gloss2 ink
• Advanced colour processing for smooth and accurate colours with Epson LUT technology
• Achieve a range of photo finishes with Epson glossy, matte and fine art papers in cut-sheet and roll format
• Personalise inkjet printable CDs and DVDs Prints are lightfast for 80 years** on Epson Premium Glossy Photo Paper
• Borderless printing at a resolution up to 5760 x 1440dpi for stunning Hi-Definition photos
• Print photos on A3+ at 1440 x 720dpi (Photo Mode) in only 106 seconds***

Efficient printing with individual ink cartridges, only replace the colour used

Enhanced connectivity with Dual Port USB 2.0 Hi-Speed

Bundled with sophisticated photo software including Camera RAW plug-in for Creativity Suite for fast, easy printing of camera RAW files

Epson Stylus Photo R1900 RRP including VAT £399.99 – available November 2007
(from www.dpreview.com)

Today Pentax have announced the SMC Pentax DA 18-250mm F3.5-6.3ED AL Lens.
SMC Pentax DA 18-250mm F3.5-6.3ED AL LensMain Specifications
Lens mount: PENTAX KAF mount
Lens construction: 16 elements in 13 groups
Angle of view: 76° ~6.5° (when mounted on a PENTAX digital SLR camera body)
Number of diaphragm blades: 7
Minimum aperture: F22 ~ F45
Minimum focusing distance: 0.45m (1.48ft)
Filter size: 62mm
Maximum magnification: 0.28X
Dimensions & weight:
75mm (maximum diameter) x 85.5mm (length)
(3.0 inch x 3.4 inch);
16.0 oz (455g) (without lens hood)
SMC Pentax DA 18-250mm F3.5-6.3ED AL Lens News Release
Pentax Announces smc Pentax DA 18-250mm F3.5-6.3ED AL [IF] High-performance Zoom Lens

PENTAX Imaging Company is pleased to announce the smc PENTAX DA 18-250mm F3.5-6.3ED AL [IF] interchangeable zoom lens designed for exclusive use with PENTAX digital SLR cameras. With an approximate 14X zoom ratio covering from wide-angle to super-telephoto ranges, this versatile lens handles a great variety of applications from wide-angle landscapes to close-up sporting events and wildlife photography.

The lens will ship in October for US $499.95.

PENTAX Imaging Company is an innovative leader in the production of digital SLR and compact cameras, lenses, flash units, binoculars, scopes, eyepieces and mobile printers and scanners. For more than 80 years, PENTAX technology has developed durable, reliable products that meet the needs of consumers and businesses. With headquarters in Golden, Colorado, PENTAX Imaging Company is a division of PENTAX of America, Inc.

SMC PENTAX DA 18-250mm F3.5-6.3ED AL [IF] ZOOM LENS FACT SHEET

High zoom ratio
Mounted on a PENTAX digital SLR camera body, this zoom lens offers approximate 14X zoom ratio that covers the range from 27.5mm wide angle to 383mm super-telephoto in the 35mm format. Without the need for lens changes, it can be used for a wide variety of applications — ranging from such standard applications as landscape photography, snapshots and portrait at frequently used focal lengths, to specialized applications like sports and wildlife photography at the super-telephoto range.

Superb image description assured by extra-low dispersion (ED) and aspherical optical (AL) elements
Incorporating two extra-low dispersion (ED) elements and two aspherical (AL) elements, this lens effectively compensates for the adverse effects of various aberrations, assuring outstanding image description.

Digital SLR exclusive design
This lens is exclusively designed for use with PENTAX digital SLR cameras, with its image circle perfectly proportioned to their image sensor size (23.5mm x 15.7mm). Since the coating, curvature and position of all optical elements are optimized for the characteristics of digital images, the lens effectively minimizes annoying flare and ghost images in the resulting images.

Minimum focusing distance
An extra-short minimum focusing distance of 0.45 meters over the entire zoom range
Inner-focus (IF) mechanism to avoid lens extension during focusing.

Posted by Darren in our Lenses category on October 02, 2007