Thursday, April 15th, 2010

2010 NAB Show report, Las Vegas

Last week, I decided that it would be interesting to check out the NAB Show, an annual tradeshow in Las Vegas put on by the National Association of Broadcasters.

As a NAB Show newbie, I wasn’t sure what to expect; I knew that it would be different from the dive shows I typically attend, but I wasn’t prepared for just how different it ended up being. Everything was shiny, slick, and professional, and there were quite a few people wearing suits. I didn’t see any flip flops or swimsuits, and no one was serving rum from beneath fake tiki huts…

Wednesday, April 14th, 2010

Review: Sea of Light by Richard Salas

Sea of Light by Richard Salas is a gorgeous coffee-table book celebrating the marine biodiversity of California’s Channel Islands through spectacular underwater photographs. It will appeal to underwater photographers of all stripes, in addition to any diver in love with the unique cold water habitats of California.

Click the link below to read the full review.

Tuesday, April 13th, 2010

DivePhotoGuide’s iPad first impressions

Our friends over at Dive Photo Guide, Jason Heller & Matt Weiss, have gone and made a video about what the iPad means for the underwater photographer. They go over some neat things such as watching your podcasts (like DiveFilm.com) in high definition using the video app, showing off photos using the photo app or maybe even using the zinio app to read your favourite magazines (about diving or photography of course).

We also have a review in our own forums from Wetpixel moderator TheRealDrew and if you would like to discuss the iPad from the underwater photographer’s point of view you can check out this thread.

Monday, April 12th, 2010

Canon 7D video ISO sweet spots

This is very interesting. One of our readers pointed out a video demonstration that shows the noise characteristics of video shot by the Canon EOS 7D digital SLR. It shows that video can be quite noisy unless the camera is set an ISO that is a multiple of 160 (what many have said is the “native” ISO of Canon CMOS sensors).

I highly recommend clicking through and watching the video, as it is quite illuminating.

Sunday, April 11th, 2010

Canon 7D underwater housings: Aquatica vs Nauticam

Ross Gudgeon (AKA “Gudge”) has written up an informative comparison review of Aquatica and Nauticam underwater housings for the Canon 7D.

The timing for this article is good; both housings are priced ~~similarly (Aquatica: $2800, Nauticam: $3200)~~ at $2,800 (street price), and we’ve gotten a lot of mail from people who have been paralyzed with indecision as they waffle over which one to get. If you have opinions about either housing, please click through and share them with us!

Sunday, April 11th, 2010

Nauticam underwater housing renderings for Canon Rebel T2i / 550D

Nauticam has release a few renderings of their upcoming underwater housing for the Canon Rebel T2i / 550D digital SLR.

Notable changes from their prior housings include an ISO button / piano key located near the shutter release, and a standardized play lever by the left handle (where it is also located in their Nikon housings). The Rebel series SLRs do not have separate dials for aperture and shutter speed, but the addition of ergonomic access to the ISO button means that in future housings, all three exposure controls will be accessible without removing one’s hands from the handles.

Saturday, April 10th, 2010

Issue 3 of Underx Magazine now available

The 3 issue of the free Brazilian underwater photography magazine, Underxmag, is now available for download in PDF format.

This issue highlights Tonga, Açores and the Alagoas Wrecks of Brazil.

Head over to the Underx magazine website to check it out.

Wednesday, April 7th, 2010

X-Ray Mag April 2010 Issue now available for download

Issue 35 of X-Ray Mag is now available for download. The April 2010 features a cover story by Wetpixel Editor and Publisher Eric Cheng, about his incredible encounters with the sperm whales of Dominica. You can get a free PDF copy of the magazine over at the X-Ray Mag website.

Tuesday, April 6th, 2010

Screen play for yet untitled movie, tentitively titled, “A Lawyer”

When entering photo competitions (or when uploading images to websites), you should always find and read the fine print to see what rights you have just granted. In general, responsible photo contests should only have rights to use your images in conjunction with the contest itself (e.g. announcement of winners in publications and online, for promotion of future contests, etc.). But many contests, especially those run by larger organizations, state that they can use any entry however they want, in perpetuity. In most cases, the language is boilerplate and may not be something an organization intends to take advantage of; Regardless, you should only enter contests and upload images if you are comfortable with the language.

Those of you who are more into dramatic recreations might want to click through to read our screen play about a fictional negotiation between Promotions Person and Mr. Lawyer, written by Wetpixel moderator TheRealDrew.

Tuesday, April 6th, 2010

Last call for Scuba Diving magazine’s 2010 photo contest

Scuba Diving Magazine’s has issued a last call for their 2010 photo contest, which ends this coming April 20. Prizes have been donated from various dive operators and equipment manufacturers.

The contest costs $10 to enter (per image), and is only for U.S. residents who don’t live in Arizona, New Jersey or Vermont. Note that there is some controversy around the rights of imagery in this contest; as always, you should read the fine print carefully and only enter if you feel comfortable doing so. There is a long discussion about such issues in our forum, which includes an illuminating screenplay about lawyers written by Drew Wohl, one of our moderators.

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