Creative Cow has launched a series of podcast totorials for the DSLR user who is shooting video. Hosts Richard Harrington and Robbie Carman are planning to cover topics specific to DSLRs and current episodes include topics like understanding frame sizes, frame rates and memory cards. The episodes currentlt seem to be targeted towards the newcomer to video, rather than the seasoned pro.
The podcasts are free to download on iTunes.
The Telegraph reports the final “retirement” of Kodachrome film as the last machine capable of processing it ran out of developing chemicals last Thursday. Dwayne’s Photo, a small family business in Parsons, Kansas, was the last place Kodachrome could be developed. Kodak announced in June 2009 that it would stop making the chemicals needed for the process, but had committed to supply Dwayne’s until the end of 2010.
First launched in 1935, it has been in use for 75 years, and has been superseded by digital technologies over the last decade. Many photographers will remember the excitement generated by the processed slides arriving, often weeks or months after the images were captured. R.I.P. Kodachrome.
Scuba Diving magazine has called for entries to it’s 2011 photo competition. The four entry categories are macro, wide-angle, behavior and, a new category for 2011, Divers. Prizes on offer include a liveaboard cruise on the Dancer fleet Sundancer II as well as holidays to the Caymans, Bonaire, Utila and the Philippines/Indonesia, and the winning images will be featured in the August 2011 magazine issue.
The deadline for the 2011 Scuba Diving Photo Competition is 22 April 2011, full rules and entry forms are available on the Scuba Diving magazine site.
Sealux has released images of their new housing for the Panasonic AG-3DA1 3D camera. Called the PP3DA1, it is made of aluminum and all major camera functions are operable with it. There will be two ports available, one for the standard lens and one for the wide-angle lens, and it can be used an external monitor.
It is priced at 9240 Euro, and is expected to be available soon.
dpreview reports that Samsung has announced the release of the NX11 EVIL camera. This new camera adds i-Function lens compatibility and a new grip for improved ergonomics. In addition, it will have a 3.0” AMOLED LCD, for reduced glare in bright conditions, and 30fps video at 720p. The camera is partnered by an18-55mm i-Function lens and Samsung has also announced the release of two new i-Function lenses: A 20mm f2.8 pancake and a 20-50mm zoom.
The camera is expected to retail at $649 and to ship in February.
43 Rumours has released pictures and specifications of the Olympus E-PL2 EVIL camera. The official launch is expected at CES on 6 January. It features the same sensor as the E-PL1, but has a number of refinements, for underwater use the key one being the ability to take pictures at up to ISO 6400. Other new features include: A direct movie button, a High resolution 3.0″ LCD (460K Dots) and a new external Bluetooth module called “PENPAL”. This can attached to the hot-shoe to send pictures to your Android or Windows mobile phone and share pictures on Flickr, Facebook and other social networks.
The camera is to be supplied with a new 14-42mm f3.5/5.6 MSC (Movie & Still Compatible) kit lens, and to be available from February. Price is not yet announced.
New World Publications has announced that Stan Waterman’s autobiography Sea Salt is now available as a download from iTunes. It can be read on iPad, iPhone and iPod touch. The original print bersion of the book had three reprintings, and is now out of press.
It costs $19.99 and is available to download from iTunes.
Wetpixel moderator Shawn Heinrichs has posted the English language version of “The Pledge”, a short film which attempts to persuade people not to eat shark fin soup, onto Vimeo. The video combines powerful footage of swimmers, sharks and shark finning, with the message that it is better to say “No”.
The video is a joint project between Shark Savers and WildAid and has been translated into many languages.
Asian Diver has announced details of the 2011 Asian Diver Expo (ADEX), which will be held from 22-24 April 2011 at the Suntec City Convention Center in Singapore. The 2011 exhibition will feature over 200 exhibitors from over 30 countries and are celebrating and supporting turtle conservation projects as a theme. Among the speakers at this years event are Wetpixel moderator Shawn Heinrichs, Brian Skerry, Amos Nachoum, Leandro Blanco and Pascal Lecocq.
Also at ADEX 2011 is the Voice of the Ocean underwater photography competition. It features categories for photography, videography, artwork and youth entries. For this year, there is also a special category for images featuring turtles. The finalists will be judged live during the Expo. Full details, rules and entry requirements are on the ADEX website and all entries are to be submitted by 1 February 2011.
A review of RE:Vision Effects’ Twixtor plug-in by Steve Douglas. This plug-in for Apple’s Final Cut Pro and Adobe Creative Suite 5 allows for the time remapping of footage, or in simpler terms: Slow or fast motion.
“With the majority of test clips I used, the results when speeding up a clip produced far less stutter and considerably smoother motion, for slow motion the results can be just stunning.”