Lightroom 4.4 is now available as a final release on Adobe.com and through the update mechanism in Lightroom 4. The goal of this release is to provide additional camera raw support, lens profile support and address bugs that were introduced in previous releases of Lightroom.
Changes to Existing Camera Support:
Lightroom 4.4 includes a correction to the demosaic algorithms for Fujifilm cameras with the X-Trans sensor. This specifically impacts the following cameras:
Fujifilm X-Pro1 (*)
Fujifilm X-E1 (*)
Fujifilm X100S
Fujifilm X20
(*) Based on user feedback, the default sharpening amount applied to Fujifilm X-Pro1 and Fujifilm X-E1 raw files has been increased between Lightroom 4.4 Release Candidate and the final Lightroom 4.4 release.
Lightroom 4.4 includes a correction to the demosaic algorithms for Fujifilm cameras with the EXR sensor. This correction applies only to raw images captured using the “EXR HR” mode with the following cameras:
Fujifilm X10
Fujifilm XF1
Fujifilm X-S1
Fujifilm S200EXR
Fujifilm HS20EXR
Fujifilm HS30EXR
Fujifilm F550EXR
Fujifilm F600EXR
Fujifilm F770EXR
Fujifilm F800EXR
Adjusted Nikon default white balance for the following camera models:
NikonD2X
NikonD2Xs
NikonD2Hs
NikonD200
NikonD40
NikonD50
NikonD80
- Fix default aspect ratio support for Fujifilm X-E1 raw files.
Rather than do my usual 1st impressions post I decided to wait a bit and integrate the iPhone 5 (AT&T, 32GB Black) into my daily routine before writing a review.
What did I notice first?
The 1st couple things I noticed with the iPhone 5 was the fact that it definitely felt lighter than the previous iPhone models. The next thing I noticed was a definite feel of faster speeds overall. Apps ran faster, internet functions were faster, it just feels faster. After that It was great having a taller screen with a 5th row of App icons. When you do your restore your icons will be restored to their respective pages/folders, but on each page you’ll have an empty row at the bottom. Also folders can contain 20 Apps instead of 16 Apps. I quickly took advantage of this by consolidating App folders and screens.
What about the bigger screen?
Aside from the App management I mentioned above, it didn’t take long to get accustomed to the larger display. The Apps I use most have been updated or are being updated daily to take advantage of the taller display. Like speed, you get accustomed to more screen real estate pretty quickly. It wasn’t until a couple of days ago when I look at my sister’s iPhone 4 that it really dawned upon me how much larger the display actually is. I like it, it’s great.
What about battery life?
I’ve read mix reviews on battery life and it appears that I’ve lucked out in this area. Not only is my battery life good, but it’s noticeably better than my iPhone 4s. I have not problem getting through full a day on a single charge. Since I charge my iPhone, iPad, etc. every night, having a battery that lasts from the time I wake up til the time I go to sleep is all I need. One thing I will say is that I can see battery life sucking for those in either an area that doesn’t have 4G LTE or or weak coverage. Your iPhone 5 is going to constantly look for LTE service or try to connect to it unless you turn this feature off. Otherwise your iPhone 5 will work harder trying to connect and therefore drain the battery faster. So far I’ve been in areas with AT&T 4G LTE coverage so my battery life has been fine.
What about 4G LTE Speed?
My iPhone 5 is on AT&T and my new iPad is on Verizon. AT&T’s 4G LTE service in Detroit went live (much to my surprise) the day before the iPhone 5 was available. I was shocked to see my iPhone 5 display the LTE symbol at the top of the display. The speed is definitely FASTER than their faux 4G on the 4s. However, my iPad always tests faster on Verizon than my iPhone 5 does on AT&T. I tested both in Detroit and San Francisco and the speeds on Verizon were about double in both cities. Not sure if that’s a iPhone vs. iPad limitation, but those are the only two 4G LTE devices I have.
What about the new Lightning connector?
My 1st thought was “boy that’s small”. The new connection dwarfs the old 30 pin connector. Small is good the transition is going to be frustrating for a while. While Apple will undoubtedly use the new connector on everything mobile they make from here on out, I like many of you have a large connection of devices, docks, cables, etc. based on the old connector. As of the date of this review I hadn’t received my 30 pin to Lightning adapter yet. So I can’t speak to compatibility issues with that adapter yet (I’ll have to review it separately). At this point I’m going to need to have both cables with me for at least another 6 months to a year. I have no reason to upgrade my iPod touch to the new one and there won’t likely be a new full size iPad until 2013.
What about the cameras?
The rear camera is still an 8MP camera which is fine by me. However, Apple advertises that it does better in low light. Honestly I can’t really tell a difference between the two on my limited low light testing. IMHO smartphone cameras in general have a long way to go to please me with low light photography.
It’s mostly about iOS 6
If you look at most of the things that Apple touts when it comes to the iPhone, many of those benefits are iOS 6 benefits and not specific to the iPhone 5. Things like the new panorama feature, Passbook, etc. are available to users that upgrade their existing iOS devices.
Any problems?
The problems that seem to be making the news are: purple haze from the camera, Apple Maps, scratches and battery life. I’ve already addressed battery life above. I have yet to see a single one of my shots with any kind of purple haze. However, I don’t take a lot of shots directly at the sun . I handle my devices with care most of the time. I put the iPhone 5 in a case as soon as I could and before that I carried in my holster and not in my pocket. To date no scratches. That doesn’t mean that it doesn’t scratch easily. It does, I just haven’t had any scratches yet. Lastly I’ve been burned by the new Apple Maps too, but that’s not really an iPhone 5 thing as much is it is an iOS 6 thing (See: iOS6 Maps Got You Down?). I also don’t use the built-in Maps app enough for it to be a problem since I use Navigon for my turn-by-turn voice GPS directions and it works great in iOS 6 and iPhone 5. My only issue initially was finding a decent case and having to switch holsters since the iPhone 5 with a case wouldn’t fit in my existing holster. More on my choices of case and holster in a separate post. Reason being, I bought a case that I’m not totally thrilled with and the one I really want hasn’t arrived yet. The only other problem that not many people seem to talk about is the fact that the iPhone 5 uses a new “nano” SIM instead of the “micro” SIM of the iPhone 4 and 4s. This means that you can’t just pop your pre-paid, international, etc. micro SIM out of your iPhone 4/4s and put it in an iPhone 5. Nor can you take your new iPhone 5 nano SIM and put it in a different phone without some sort of nano SIM to micro SIM tray. This will surely frustrate users that move their SIMs between devices until there are solutions out there that let you cut down/shave micro SIMs and trays that let you put the smaller SIM in a larger SIM holder. The good news about the Verizon iPhone 5 is that it has a nano SIM slot that is factory UNLOCKED! This means that you could take your Verizon iPhone 5 abroad and put in a local nano SIM to save money on international roaming.
The Bottom Line – Should you upgrade?
As usual these changes are “evolutionary”, not revolutionary. Faster processors, more ram, thinner body, better cameras, faster internet, bigger displays, better battery life are really what we would expect at this point. The iPhone 5 is a NICE upgrade, but not a game changer. All of these little enhancements make for a better iPhone than any of its predecessors. If you have an iPhone 4s then there’s little reason to upgrade (especially if you have to pay more because of your contract) to an iPhone 5. However, if you’re new to iPhone, on an iPhone 4 or earlier and you are eligible for upgrade pricing then the iPhone 5 is definitely worth upgrading to. Be prepared to also buy new cables/adapters, cases, etc. The combination of new faster hardware and iOS 6 makes the iPhone 5 a great choice.
Lightroom 4.1 is now available as a final release on Adobe.com and through the update mechanism in Lightroom 4. The goal of this release is to provide additional camera raw support, lens profile support and address bugs that were introduced in previous releases of Lightroom. In addition, Lightroom 4.1 introduces the following new features:
The ability to process HDR TIFF files. (16, 24 or 32-bit TIFF files) This can be useful if you have merged multiple exposures into a single 32-bit image using Photoshop’s HDR Pro. Using the new basic panel controls can be a very effective and straightforward method of achieving an overall balance across the tonal range.
Additional Color Fringing corrections to help address chromatic aberration. Click here to learn more
Save photobooks created in the Book Module as JPEG files
Publishing photos to Adobe Revel is now accessible via a Publish plugin
Bugs Corrected in Lightroom 4.1
The following bugs that were part the Lightroom 4 releases have been corrected. The team appreciates the very detailed feedback the community has provided on Lightroom 4 and we’re excited to correct a number of issues experienced by our customers. These issues have been FIXED:
Point Curve adjustments made in Lightroom 3 have been restored.
Edit-in functionality has been restored to external applications including Adobe Photoshop and Nik plugins
Addressed performance issues in Lightroom 4, particularly when loading GPS track logs, using a secondary monitor, and the controls within the Develop module.
Ability to update DNG previews and metadata for more than 100 photos has been restored.
This update allows for improved viewing of subfolders and stacks in folders with a large number of photos.
It was possible that a layout of a saved book could be lost after quitting Lightroom 4.
Adjustments made in the Develop module were not properly being reflected to photos that have been laid out in the Book Module
Postscript Type 1 Fonts do not appear in the Font menu within the Book module.
Clarity adds grey tinting to 100% white tones.
Known Issues in Lightroom 4.1:
Double byte fonts such as those found in Chinese and Japanese characters are not being exported to PDF or when published to Blurb.
The Revel Publish Service will delete photos from a carousel. This occurs when the customer asks Lightroom to delete the carousel and then cancels out of the confirmation dialogue box.
New Camera Support in Lightroom 4.1
Canon EOS 1D X
Canon EOS 5D Mark III
Canon EOS 60Da
Canon PowerShot G1 X
Fuji FinePix F505EXR
Fuji FinePix F605EXR
Fuji FinePix F770EXR
Fuji FinePix F775EXR
Fuji FinePix HS30EXR
Fuji FinePix HS33EXR
Fuji X-Pro1
Leaf Credo 80
Leica M Monochrom
Leica X2
Nikon D4
Nikon D800
Nikon D800E
Olympus OM-D E-M5
Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF5
Pentax K-01
RICOH LENS A16 24-85mm F3.5-5.5
Samsung NX20
Samsung NX210
Samsung NX1000
Sony Alpha NEX-F3
Sony Alpha NEX-VG20
Sony Alpha SLT-A37
Sony Alpha SLT-A57
New Lens Profile Support in Lightroom 4.1
Lens Mount
Lens Name
Canon
Canon EF 35mm f/2
Canon
Sigma APO 50-150mm F2.8 EX DC OS HSM
Canon
Tokina AT-X 107 AF DX Fish-Eye 10-17mm f/3.5-4.5
Canon
Tokina AT-X PRO FX 16-28mm f/2.8
Canon
Tokina AT-X PRO FX 17-35mm f/4
Leica
LEICA APO-SUMMICRON-M 50 mm f/2 ASPH.
Nikon
Nikon AF-S Micro NIKKOR 60mm f/2.8G ED
Nikon
Nikon AF Micro-NIKKOR 60mm f/2.8D
Nikon
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 28mm f/1.8G
Nikon
Tokina AT-X 107 AF DX Fish-Eye 10-17mm f/3.5-4.5
Nikon
Tokina AT-X PRO FX 16-28mm f/2.8
Nikon
Tokina AT-X PRO FX 17-35mm f/4
Nikon
Sigma APO 50-150mm F2.8 EX DC OS HSM
Nikon
Sigma 85mm F1.4 EX DG HSM
Olympus
Sigma 19mm F2.8 EX DN
Olympus
Sigma 30mm F2.8 EX DN
Pentax
Sigma 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 II DC OS HSM
Pentax
Sigma 17-50mm EX DC HSM
Sigma
Sigma APO 50-150mm F2.8 EX DC OS HSM
Sony
Sigma 12-24mm F4.5-5.6 DG HSM II
Sony
Sigma 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 II DC OS HSM
Sony
Sigma 19mm F2.8 EX DN
Sony
Sigma 30mm F2.8 EX DN
Sony
Sigma 150mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM APO Macro
Thank You
A big thanks to everyone who submitted bug reports, posted entries in the U2U forums and blogged their issues so that we could improve the Lightroom 4 experience in this update. Thank you.
Camera Raw 7.1 is now available on Adobe.com and through the update mechanism in Adobe Photoshop CS6. Camera Raw 7.1 adds new Defringe controls to help address chromatic aberration. Defringe is available as part of the Lens Correction panel. Camera Raw can also now read 16-bit, 24-bit, and 32-bit HDR files. Supported HDR formats are TIFF and DNG. Photoshop CS6 customers can upgrade to Camera Raw 7.1. Customers of previous versions of Photoshop can utilize DNG Converter 7.1 for raw file support for newly added cameras.
New Camera Support in Camera Raw 7.1
Canon EOS 1D X*
Canon EOS 5D Mark III*
Canon EOS 60Da
Canon PowerShot G1 X*
Fuji FinePix F505EXR*
Fuji FinePix F605EXR*
Fuji FinePix F770EXR*
Fuji FinePix F775EXR*
Fuji FinePix HS30EXR*
Fuji FinePix HS33EXR*
Fuji X-Pro1
Leaf Credo 80
Leica M Monochrom
Leica X2
Nikon D4*
Nikon D800*
Nikon D800E*
Olympus OM-D E-M5*
Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF5
Pentax K-01*
RICOH LENS A16 24-85mm F3.5-5.5
Samsung NX20*
Samsung NX210*
Samsung NX1000*
Sony Alpha NEX-F3
Sony Alpha NEX-VG20*
Sony Alpha SLT-A37
Sony SLT-A57*
* denotes that the camera model was supported in DNG Converter 6.7
New Lens Profile Support in Camera Raw 7.1
Lens Mount
Lens Name
Canon
Canon EF 35mm f/2
Canon
Sigma APO 50-150mm F2.8 EX DC OS HSM
Canon
Tokina AT-X 107 AF DX Fish-Eye 10-17mm f/3.5-4.5
Canon
Tokina AT-X PRO FX 16-28mm f/2.8
Canon
Tokina AT-X PRO FX 17-35mm f/4
Leica
LEICA APO-SUMMICRON-M 50 mm f/2 ASPH.
Nikon
Nikon AF-S Micro NIKKOR 60mm f/2.8G ED
Nikon
Nikon AF Micro-NIKKOR 60mm f/2.8D
Nikon
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 28mm f/1.8G
Nikon
Tokina AT-X 107 AF DX Fish-Eye 10-17mm f/3.5-4.5
Nikon
Tokina AT-X PRO FX 16-28mm f/2.8
Nikon
Tokina AT-X PRO FX 17-35mm f/4
Nikon
Sigma APO 50-150mm F2.8 EX DC OS HSM
Nikon
Sigma 85mm F1.4 EX DG HSM
Olympus
Sigma 19mm F2.8 EX DN
Olympus
Sigma 30mm F2.8 EX DN
Pentax
Sigma 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 II DC OS HSM
Pentax
Sigma 17-50mm EX DC HSM
Sigma
Sigma APO 50-150mm F2.8 EX DC OS HSM
Sony
Sigma 12-24mm F4.5-5.6 DG HSM II
Sony
Sigma 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 II DC OS HSM
Sony
Sigma 19mm F2.8 EX DN
Sony
Sigma 30mm F2.8 EX DN
Sony
Sigma 150mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM APO Macro
Camera Raw 7.1 Release Notes
These items have been FIXED in Camera Raw 7.1:
Keyboard shortcuts for the point curve channel on Windows were not functional.
Local corrections are not refreshing after applying lens corrections. This occurs on both TIFF and JPEG files with noise reduction disabled.
Point curve adjustments made to a single R,G, or B channels in the Tone Curve tab can be reset a channel curve is adjusted.
Photoshop and Bridge show different values for the image resolution in certain images. Photoshop and Bridge are not changing the image resolution, but displaying different values.
Applying keywords to multiple files can sometimes cause errors when writing the keyword metadata to file. This can occur when the “Save Image Settings in” preference within Camera Raw is set to the Camera Raw database.
My colleague Julieanne Kost has been doing a daily series on her blog where she's been outlining the small, but important enhancements in Lightroom 4 that could easily be overlooked. These are the kind of enhancements that would probably never make the brochure, but will impact our use of Lightroom 4 everyday. I thought she did such a fantastic job that I copied them and posted them below. However, you shouldn't let that stop you from checking out her blog directly. She has a TON of Lightroom and Photoshop information there. See Julieanne's blog here.
Enhancements to the Library Module
• In the Folder panel, you can now move and/or delete multiple folders at one time.
• In the Collection panel, Option -drag (Mac) | Alt -drag (Win) a collection to duplicate it. More specifically, if the collection is loose (it’s not in a Collection Set), Option -drag (Mac) | Alt -drag (Win) until a thicker line appear between two items (indicating that the collection will be duplicated), and release. To duplicate a collection within a Collection Set or to duplicate the collection into a different Collection Set, Option -drag (Mac) | Alt -drag (Win) the collection on top of the Collection Set icon (watch for the highlight) and release.
• Stacking is now available in Collections.
• At the top of the Filmstrip bar, the selected image’s folder or collection is displayed. (This is really handy when in other modules.)
• The Flag attribute is now global.
Terry's Soapbox WARNING! – If anyone has ever attended one of my Lightroom sessions at Photoshop World or other workshops you'll know that I've made it a point to say that "I didn't like the way Flags worked in LR 2 and LR 3." If we go back to LR 1 when you flagged an image with a Pick Flag, that flag would be present no matter where that image went (say you dragged it into a collection for example). In LR 2 (I think it was 2) the Pick flag behavior got changed so that the Picks would only be present in the location that you assigned them. For example if you Flagged an image in a folder and then dragged that same image to a collection the Pick Flag would NOT be there in the collection. I thought this was a bug at first and complained about it to the LR team repeatedly. Eventually someone explained to me that this "new" behavior was intentional and that Picks should be local. I got the logic of this as it gave the user the ability to have Picks in one place that were different than another place. Although I got it, I never really liked it! I always felt that a Pick is a Pick and that at a minimum it should be a preference "Picks are Local or Global". For this reason I started using Color Labels more because they were Global! It would appear that this decision has been reversed in Lightroom 4 and now Picks are back to being Global again ala LR 1. Woot! …stepping down from my soapbox now.
• You can filter and/or search images based on their Metadata status. Images will be assigned one of several different statuses including Changed on Disk, Conflict Detected, Has Been Changed, Unknown and/or Up to Date).
• You can also search/filter on Map Locations and GPS Data (GPS Location or No GPS Location).
• That folder structure that you carefully crafted in the Develop module to hold your presets is now maintained both in the Import dialog box as well as the Quick Develop panel.
Enhancements to the Develop Module
• Snapshots now auto name with a time/date stamp.
• The White Balance Selector Tool’s sample area is dependent on zoom level. (Zoom in to sample a smaller area.)
• Noise reduction adjustments are always displayed (regardless of the zoom viewed).
• The Navigator panels in both the Library and Develop Module have two new options for zooming 1:8 and 1:16.
• This one isn’t new, but when using the Adjustment Brush, clicking on the disclosure triangle to the right of “Effect” displays an amount slider to increase/decrease all of the adjustments applied to that adjustment at one time.
Enhancements in the Output Modules
• Settings in the output modules (Book, Slideshow, Print, and Web) are “sticky”. When you leave a module and come back to it – even if you change the folder of images – the settings will remain as they were the last time you visited the module. This is an excellent addition if you’re working with one set of photographs and then move to another set of photographs and want the same output settings.
• In order to save output settings with a set of photographs, click the Create Saved Book, Slideshow, Print etc. button in the bar at the top of the creation’s preview area.
• Flash Galleries in the Web Module are now color managed.
Enhancements to the Export Options
• When exporting files, in the Metadata section, you can choose to Remove Location Information. Note: this option is only available when choosing either “All” or “All Except Camera and Camera Raw Information” as it doesn’t make sense with the other options.
• It is now possible to export images directly to Adobe Revel to be used on your mobile phone or tablet device. Use the “Export To” pull-down menu at the top of the Export dialog.
• Export to DVD is now available on 64-bit Windows machines.
• In the External Editing Preferences, you can now choose to “Stack with Original”. Or not. : )
Enhancements to Publish Services
• In the Lightroom 4 Beta, only the Facebook and Flickr plug-ins are installed in the Publish Services panel by default. However a button has been added directly underneath them to easily “Find More Services Online”. Although it might seem like added work to have to install a plug in, there is an advantage – if a plug-in is not baked into the application, it can be updated by the developer at any time.
• Publish Services (collections) can now include video.
• After making small changes to images (such as adding a keyword etc.) in Publish Services (collections), you may not want to republish the images, If you do not want to republish, simply select the images and Control -click (Mac) / Right Mouse -click (Win) and select “Mark as Up-To-Date”.
Additional Preferences
• On Mac, in the General preferences, you can now choose your preferred Language.
• Under Presets, several features have options to Restore Presets and Templates to their defaults. This may be very useful in teaching environments.
• In the External Editing preferences, you can now choose to “Stack with original”.
• Under the File Handling Preferences, be sure to keep the “Embed Fast Load Data” checked on for DNG. This can enable DNG files to load up to 8x faster in the Develop module and will only cost you approximately 200K per image!
In this episode of the Adobe Creative Suite Podcast I'll give you a walkthrough of the top new features of Lightroom 4 Public Beta!
Here are some of the top level features of Lightroom 4:
• Robust Video Support
• Manage images by location with the Map Module
• Simplified Basic Adjustments
• Powerful new Shadow & Highlight controls
• Additional local adjustments including Noise Reduction and White Balance
• Soft Proofing Reinvented
• Elegant Photo Book creation
• Email from directly within Lightroom
• Publish videos directly to Facebook or Flickr
• Enhanced DNG workflows
• Adobe Revel (Carousel) export workflow
Get Geotag Photos Pro to take Advantage of the Lightroom 4 Map Module with Any Camera
During my Video above I show the NEW Map Module. While it's great to have a GPS attached/built-in directly to your camera or occasionally take smartphone pics to use as reference, it may be more convenient to use GPS Data Logger and then merge the GPX Log File in Lightroom after your shoot. Here's a cool one for iOS:
Are you missing out on my Bonus Content?
See more of my Adobe Creative Suite Videos on my Adobe Creative Suite Podcast and get the App here. It features EXCLUSIVE CONTENT that no one else gets to see. This episode has a BONUS CLIP that is available only in the App! My iOS App is a Universal App for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. I also have an Android version:
It's been a while since I did my Nikon GPS Smack Down. Back then I chose the Solmeta N2 as the winner for overall best GPS for Nikon DSLRs. Since that time Solemta has come out with another new model, the N3 and I got a chance to try one out. Like previous model the Solmeta N3 plugs right into your compatible Nikon DSLR and geotags (adds longitude/latitude and heading) your photos as you take them (both JPG and RAW support). However, unlike the previous model you now have to choose between the one for professional DSLRs like the D700, D3, D4, etc. and the prosumer models like the D5100, D7000, etc. The reason you have to choose is because the interface cable is now hardwired in. This has it's advantages and disadvantages. The advantage is that the connection is perfectly secure. The N2 allows you to plug in a cable to match your camera, but the connection could easily get damaged if you bumped/hit it the wrong way. The new connection is very well designed. The disadvantage (at least for me) is that if you have multiple camera bodies of different types you'll now need one of each type to go with your camera as opposed to just ordering the additional cable. This will only affect a small percentage of people, but it is a slight step down in convenience for me. Another small but notable cable improvement is that the cable is now coiled instead of being too long or too short. It will be just right for however you attach your GPS (in the hotshoe or on the strap).
Faster and more accurate
This model uses a 3-axis electronic compass like their top of the line model the Geotagger Pro. The N2 uses a 2 axis compass. The first thing that impressed me was how fast it was ready to go. By the time I tuned the camera on and was ready to snap the 1st picture it had already locked on to a satellite and was providing the location info to my Nikon D700. The other big difference is that this model gets its power directly from the camera. The other models have internal batteries that you charge and then only after they run down will it get power from the camera. While having a built-in battery does provide for potentially longer shooting, the N3 is designed to use less power, sleep and take advantage of the Nikon GPS power saving features. I haven't had it long enough to compare battery life, but I did notice that it went to sleep a few seconds after I turned the camera off and was ready almost instantly when I turned the camera back on.
The GPS data shows in Lightroom 3 and allows you to click the arrow/button to take you to that spot on Google Maps.
New Indoor Fixed Mode
GPS units work best when used outside, but if you are going in and out of buildings a GPS that only works outside isn't much use to you. The N3 has an Indoor Fixed Mode that will use you last known location to continue tagging photos as you take them inside.
Built-in Remote Trigger Support
One of the usual concerns pro photographers have is that the model for the pro cameras use the 10 pin terminal port. That port is also often used for cable releases (remotes). While Solmeta does sell a Y splitter cable so that you can use your existing cable release, the also have a port on the side for use with a basic remote too.
The Bottom Line
I have mixed feelings about this model. I'm happy with the speed and accuracy, but I'm less happy about needing a specific model for your camera. Luckily the N2 and Geotagger Pro are still available as options. Solmeta has positioned the N3 right between the Pro and N2 and it's priced at $189. You can't go wrong with any of these models as they are all solid performers.
I remember when I first started out in Photography and wanted to get serious about it, I had lots of questions about what to buy? No one wants to make a large investment in the “wrong gear”. I often get questions from New Photographers or Photographers looking to set up their 1st studio, asking what equipment should they get? That’s a hard question to answer without knowing what you plan on shooting the most, your space and your budget. My primary focus is Portrait – (Beauty, Fashion & Glamour). Rather than trying to address every single situation individually I thought it would be easier to share with you the equipment I use and then you can take it from there. I have a 4,800 sq foot studio space and yes I LOVE IT! If you see something you think you’d like to have in your studio then you can just go ahead and get it.
Meike D600 Battery Grip – I love battery grips when doing portrait or extended location shoots.
Camera Straps
Your DSLR most likely came with a camera strap and in big bold print it advertises the brand and model of your camera. It’s like saying to the world, “hey, I’ve got an expensive camera right here. Come steal it!” I prefer something a little less flashy and more versatile.
Up Strap – I like this one for travel and photo walks as it will NOT slip off your shoulder.
Black Rapid R-Strap – I like this one for photo walks and when I’m using longer lenses, heavier bodies.
iPhone 5 - Yep, I use this one almost as much as my DSLRs because it’s always with me. While the S95/S100 is a better P&S camera, the iPhone is ALWAYS with me. I even created an “iPhone Photography Portfolio” here.
I use Elinchrom for my strobes and Westcott for my continuous lighting. I use Nikon speedlights for air travel or my Elinchrom Quadra kit for local on location shoots. With each lighting system I use a variety of modifiers. My favorite is the Octa softbox.
Kata R-103 – My smaller backpack when I don’t need to travel with as much gear.
I have a variety of smaller bags, but the 3 above are the ones I use the most.
Studio Music System
Music is a very important part of my shoots therefore the sound has to be good (sometimes loud) and able to be heard throughout the building. Therefore I stream the same music to via AirPlay to 4 different speaker systems located throughout the building. I’m using an older MacBook Pro for this task that either plays Pandora Radio or music from my iTunes Library)
3 Bose Soundocks with AirPort Express Base Stations (1 in the green room, 1 in the reception area and 1 in my office). Now that the iHome iW1 has shipped I would go with 3 of those instead of the Sounddocks if I had it to do over again.
Parrot AR.Drone 2 – for aerial photography/HD Video and behind the scenes shots
HyperDrive ColorSpace – multi-media backup device for backing up memory cards while in the field on those occasions that I don’t have my laptop and my iPad doesn’t have enough room.
Sekonic Light Meter – I rarely use it, but I have one just in case. Today I’d probably buy the Gossen DIGISKY Flash and Ambient Light Meter because it can trigger the Eincrhom strobes
The list above represents equipment that I’ve acquired over the past 4 years. By no means do you “need” all of it, especially if you’re just starting out. Take from it what you will and keep in mind that I didn’t start with it all on day one! That’s the thing about photography, “there’s always something to buy!” No one ever told you to get into photography because it would be a “cheap” hobby!
Once Apple updated iOS to allow Apps to run in the background I gave up on dedicated Turn-byTurn GPS units. I've been using the Navigon App on my iPhone ever since. Navigon updated their Apps to be Universal Apps so that they would be native on the iPad too. I remember thinking at the time, "when would I ever want to use a big iPad for GPS navigation?" The first time I used Navigon on the iPad was actually the Europe version in Denmark. The advantage for me then was that i didn't have a car charger with me and the iPad battery would last much longer than the one on my iPhone 4. On that trip I was the passenger, so I could hold the iPad while Scott Kelby drove. I realized something during that drive. It was really nice having a big screen navigation system. While I love the Navigon App, I've always said that the text was a tad bit too small. However, on iPad that's it's big, beautiful and easy to read. Another advantage is that the iPad has a louder speaker that's easier to hear the directions.
I decided to give it a try solo. During my last trip to LA I used the iPad as my GPS navigation. I just set the iPad on the seat as I didn't really need to look at it once I started driving. The voice directions were good enough. If you wanted to mount an iPad in your car permanently you could use something like this Arkon mount. However, I only use these devices/Apps in rental cars. Therefore, I don't need a permanent mounting solution.
The Bottom Line
The iPhone is always with me and I have no plans to delete the Navigon App from it. However, if I have both devices with me and I'm in a rental car, I'm going to use the iPad for navigation over the iPhone. If you want to use an iPad for navigation, you're going to want the WiFi+3G model as it has a GPS chip in it and the WiFi model does not. Also here's a car charger that will charge both your iPad and phone.
You can get the Navigon North America App here from the
Camera manufacturers go out there way to make sure that you can buy their branded accessories for just about every major need you'll have. They sell lenses, batteries, cables, adapters, GPS units, filters, etc. However, these branded accessories usually come at the higher end of the price range and many would argue that the lower cost, 3rd party alternatives are just as good if not better. I tend to agree when it comes to certain things like Nikon compatible GPS units. Every 3rd party one I've tried to date blows away the Nikon branded GP-1. However, I haven't been as pleased with 3rd party lenses. When I first started getting into photography I bought lenses from Tamron and Sigma and while these lenses were good, I later replaced them with with Nikon branded glass that I liked much better. This could start a very long debate and that's not my goal here. If you're happy with your 3rd party glass, rock on! Recently I decided to try a 3rd party battery grip for my Nikon D7000 that was priced so low that I actually bought it more out of curiosity than the need for a battery grip.
The MeiKe Multi-Power Battery Pack for the Nikon D7000
I bought my D7000 the day it came out and I always intended it to be my travel camera, but also serve as a backup body for my D700. I have the Nikon battery grip for my D700 and I've always been quite happy with it. I have gone back and forth on getting the Nikon MB-D11 Battery Grip for my D7000, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it. Not because it's all that expensive, but mainly because I wanted to keep this camera small and light weight for travel. However, after recently having to use it in studio while my D700 was being repaired I realized that I really did miss having a battery grip for taking portraits. I sighed and said "oh well, time to order it and stop putting this off." On my way to order it I did a search to remind myself of the price. Although I primarily buy my photographic gear from B&H, I still like to check prices on Amazon because you never know when they may be having one of their one day sales. While the Nikon branded grip came up for $258.82, (B&H has it for $219.95) I noticed another grip in the search results for only ——- $40.41!!!!!
What? How can this be? How can it be sooooo cheap? It must be crap! Cheaply made, easily breakable, etc.
I figured for $40 I could take the risk. Worse case I'd get a piece of crap, return it and have a topic to blog about. I ordered it. Meanwhile as I was waiting for it to arrive I saw this clip from F-Stoppers on an apparent scam where this very adapter is also being sold in a Nikon branded box, manual, etc. at full Nikon prices as a complete FAKE/rip off!
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LV_rxL3UV-g
Can you imagine paying full price and then later discovering that the item you bought is not authentic and worse yet also being sold for significantly less?
The MeiKe Multi-Power Battery Pack Arrived
While I was a little freaked out by the video above, the one thing I took away was that it was so good he really didn't notice that it wasn't the real thing. Mine arrived and it was packaged in a MeiKe box. There was no fake Nikon branding of any kind. I put my extra Nikon D7000 battery in it as well as a set of AA's in the optional tray. Both worked fine. With the Nikon battery in the camera even registered it as a MB-D11 in the menus showing the battery status. While there was no noticeable play in the connection, I can confirm that the dial works in the opposite direction just as the F-Stoppers discovered. Otherwise all the controls seem to work as they should.
The Bottom Line
This is one of those cases where I'm going to side with a using a knockoff accessory. I don't plan to use a battery grip on this body full-time. It's also not a mission critical accessory for this body. Actually it's PERFECT for what I wanted. I kinda wanted a battery grip for those times that I need one, but didn't want to pay top dollar for one in this case. Is it as good as the Nikon one? NO. The plastic is of a cheaper grade. The rubber definitely feels different. Functionally it works, but it does feel like a cheaper grade product. You do get what you pay for. This is a no frills battery grip. If your D7000 is your primary camera and you make a living with it, then you should probably get the Nikon one. If you are in need of a grip only on occasion, then it's hard to go wrong with this $40.41 knockoff. As a side note the 43 reviews on Amazon are mostly positive with an average rating of 4 stars. I'm happy with my purchase at the moment. Time will tell.
About 6 months ago I switched from using the built in GPS on my Truck to using my iPhone and the Navigon App exclusively for all of my GPS needs. Since then I’ve been laying my phone on my lap, on my center console or on my dash and picking it up or just listening to the voice guidance. Terry has his favorite mount for some time. Made by Magellan, but was more than I was willing to pay. I just wasn’t ready to shell out close to $100 for a mount for my cell phone. As of this writing I’m in a hotel room in Milwaukee where I’m visiting from Cincinnati for my brother’s wedding. I didn’t want to have to look down or worry about my phone sliding all over the place during this trip so I hopped online and purchased the Arkon IPM514 mount for the iPhone4. (Actually I bought 2 of them, one for me and one for my girlfriend. Brownie points!) I got it in the mail just in time, and for under $15 shipped I couldn’t be happier!
Mounting
This mount is just what I was looking for. I didn’t want to mount it to my window; rather I wanted a way to secure it to my dashboard to put it right at eye level for me. I searched the vent mount options, but in the end I chose this model for its dash-mounting feature. The base of the 514 has a suction cup on it to allow for securing to the window if you want, but it also comes with a circular two-sided tape mount to place it on your dashboard/console. On my truck it worked great, as I had a flat spot right at the top of the dash to secure it. In my girlfriend’s car the mounting was a little trickier because she didn’t have as many flat areas, but we made it work. The mount itself pivots at the base where it connects to the suction cup, as well as a “ball head” style pivot where the base meets the phone holding plate. This allows for many mounting positions giving you many different options when it comes to deciding on where to place your unit.
The plate that holds the phone is spring loaded to allow for use with many different styles of smart phones, although with my iPhone in there it feels like it’s almost at the end of its range so I don’t know if a longer phone would work in there. The prongs that physically hold the phone in place are adjustable so having a charging cord connected isn’t a problem.
Conclusion
The Arkon IPM514 is a great solution for anyone that wants to mount their cell iPhone to their dashboard or window for GPS use but doesn’t want to empty their wallet to do it.
. I handle my devices with care most of the time. I put the iPhone 5 in a case as soon as I could and before that I carried in my holster and not in my pocket. To date no scratches. That doesn’t mean that it doesn’t scratch easily. It does, I just haven’t had any scratches yet. Lastly I’ve been burned by the new Apple Maps too, but that’s not really an iPhone 5 thing as much is it is an iOS 6 thing (See: 
