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Canon SELPHY CP770 Compact Photo Printer (3058B001)

Printing Has Never Been This Much Fun! With the go-anywhere SELPHY CP770, you can print amazing photos right on the spot and hand them out to your kids, friends and family, no computer needed. Just insert your camera's memory card into one of the built-in card slots, preview images in high resolution on the 2.5" TFT display, then print! You can also print directly from your digital camera, camera phone, or Bluetooth device via the optional BU-30 Bluetooth interface. The SELPHY CP770's unique basket holds everything you need, and the big buttons, large display, and automatic red-eye correction make it simple to use. Plus, a beautiful, long-lasting 4x6 photo takes less than a minute. 4x6 Borderless Color Photo as fast as 52 seconds print speed Up to 300x300 DPI Print Resolution, 256 levels of color gradation Paper Sizes - Card (2.13x3.39), Card Full Label, Card 8-labels, (Postcard) 4x6, and (Wide) 4x8 Compatibility - Windows Vista, Windows XP, 2000 and Mac OS X v.10.3 to 10.4 and v10.58 Dimensions - Width 10.9 x Height 8.1 x Depth 6.9 Weight - 3.2 pounds

You've read all the "best digital camera" articles, got the best price on your first digital camera, and even glanced at its owner's manual. Are you itching to take some shots of your family, or what?

Slow down, soldier. Before you take 200 shots that seem great at the time, but then upon review of the final picture are less than what you expected, let's prepare. Prepare?!?! I'll bet you thought charging the battery was the hardest part of taking great photos, didn't you? Sorry to disappoint you, but if you want to improve your photo results 50% in 2 minutes, let's review some basic advice of the pros.

There are two categories of GENERAL ADVICE which applies, regardless of whether you're using a digital camera to take family portrait poses, baby pictures, pet portraits, group pictures, funny photos, or even maternity portraits. The first category is...

"Good Planning" Advice for Photography Poses

1) Prepare For The Event

Prepare for the event by thinking about every photograph you want to take and what kind of photography pose or poses you would like to capture. Consider who, where, how, and the type of environment.

2) Take Multiple Photographs

Take multiple shots of each pose (remember, digital memory is reusable, a.k.a. "free"). Regardless of what you say or do, people will blink. And don't count on spotting small problems on the tiny camera LCD screen (even on full magnification); which leads to...

3) Check LCD Screen

Check the digital camera's LCD screen for general framing of the picture, any movement, visibility of faces, and the histogram. Note that you can think up a fantastic photography pose; arrange everyone perfectly; and, have the photograph "frozen" (no blinking, and no shaking of the camera)...but, when you check it out in the LCD, you see 2 drunks fighting in the background! And, my favorite...

4) Funny Phrases

Have some funny phrases handy to use just before you take the photo. Don't use it when setting up for the shot. And, don't use the same phrase all the time. Throw in funny anecdotes, phrases, names, words that you know your family will find more amusing than "cheese." A natural smile looks four times better than a fake one. The second category is...

"Location" Advice for Photography Poses

Taking indoor family photography, is very different than outdoor family photograph (duh!). For INDOOR pictures...

1) Wide Angle

You will tend to use the wide angle more often than your telephoto setting. Pay particular attention to your "end people" (those farthest to the right and the left in your viewfinder), and verify there is enough space in picture, so that if cropping is required, the end people don't have to lose a limb.

2) The Flash

Flash considerations are critical. Do not be outside your "flash range." For example, if at ISO 100, your flash can properly illuminate 12 feet, don't attempt any photography pose that requires anyone to stand at 14 feet (unless, of course, it's evil cousin Ira who you want to appear in darkness).

3) Plan "B"

If you need to be further away than your flash allows, here are 2 things you can try...First, increase the ISO setting (but not so much as to produce to much noise), or second, move to a significantly brighter location.

4) Watch Your Background

If there are distracting features, change your settings to blur the background (see the Techniques page). The best photography pose in the world won't look right with a distracting background. And finally...

5) Mirror, Mirror, on the Wall

If there are mirrors or reflective surfaces in the background and you can't find a different location, only take the picture in such a way that the flash is not perpendicularto the surface, but at an angle (unless you want a nice photo of your flash).

Outdoor family photography has completely different issues. For OUTDOOR photography...

6) The Sun

Avoid photographing in direct sunlight, or in mixed light and shade, especially faces. Optimal lighting results from a slightly overcast sky.

7) Shade

When photographing in shade, use fill-flash (see terms) when necessary. And, really finally...

8) Beauty

If practical, take the picture at one of the beautiful natural settings near you. Imagine the result of a creative photography pose captured in a stunning environment. Can you say: "Over the mantle!"?

To see some sample pictures including more photography tips, go to www.best-family-photography-tips.com/photography-pose.html.

Copyright 2005 Robert Bezman. All rights reserved.

Robert Bezman is a professional photographer and owner of Custom Photographic Expressions. Robert has created http://www.best-family-photography-tips.com to help beginning and intermediate photographers create better photographs. Robert has an eBook for new parents and grandparents that's a must-see for anyone wanting to dramatically improve the quality of their baby's pictures.

Cannon Cameras

Studio Photography and Digital Backgrounds

The article given here was written for Adobe Photoshop 5,6,7,CS, and Adobe Photoshop Elements 2 and 3.

Most photographers who are serious about improving their portrait taking skills have realized that a beautiful background can greatly enhance their photographs.

Muslins are a very popular choice among professionals. However, they can get very costly at several hundred dollars each. For the professional who is well established, this may not seem too much, but for the hobbyist, this may be a stretch.

A less costly alternative is a digital background. With a digital background, one can get the look and feel of a professional looking portrait without the additional cost of muslin.

Many Photography websites also sell digital backgrounds on cd. In some casesas low as $15.00 dollars for an assorted collection. As with anything elseyou usually get what you pay for. Some of these pre-made digital backgrounds are not worth the cd theyre printed on, but some of them are very beautifully made. Even so, you may be wondering how YOU can make your very own digital background. That being said, the following information will help guide you along the way.

Okay, lets create a digital backdrop using Adobe Elements 2.0. We will create an 8x10 300dpi (dpi = dots per inch or ppi = pixels per inch) digital backdrop. For printing purposes, 300dpi is strongly recommended for a high quality print. This will also create a large file approximately 20.6megs.

Having a fast processor (Pentium 4 or Athlon XP) and at least 256megs of ram will definitely help. Also having your screen resolution on your monitor set to its highest setting 24 or 32bit will give the best results.

Okay lets begin! If you havent already opened Photoshop Elements, do so now.

1. Click on File < New.
When the window opens up,make sure to set it to 8x10 inches at 300dpi.

2. Make a copy of the background layer you just created by pressing
Control-J on your keyboard. If you look at the bottom right corner of your
monitor, you should see an exact copy of your background layer named layer 1.

3. Select the foreground color for your background by clicking on the foreground square on your toolbar the black one. (Bottom left)

4. The Color Picker window should now be open. Select a light red by clicking on the top right corner of the color palette. Click ok.

5. Now select the background color by clicking on the background square on your toolbar the white one. (Bottom right)

6. The Color Picker window should open again. Select a darker red by clicking halfway below the lighter red you previously chose. Click ok.

7. Now comes the fun part! Lets put some clouds in there. On the top of your screen, click on FilterNow because we are using a 300dpi image, the pattern doesnt really resemble clouds. On a 72 dpi image, it definitely would. We will fix that now.

8. First, make sure that layer 1 is not locked! Look at your layers palette on the bottom right of your screen. Do you see the little black lock icon? Make sure that the little white square to the left is NOT checked!

9. Okay, now press m on your keyboard. At the top left corner of your backdrop, click and drag your mouse to create a 2x3 inch square.
If you do not see the ruler along side your backdrop, press control-r on your keyboard.

10. Press v on your keyboard. Your selection should now have little handles on all sides that you can click on to pull to any size you want. If you do not see any handles, click on Show Bounding Box at the top.

11. Click on the lower right handle in the corner and drag and stretch it to the bottom right corner of your backdrop.

12. Double click anywhere on the red backdrop to apply the resizing. Now press L on your keyboard then control-d.

Okay, now you should have a beautiful looking backdrop ready to use, but wait, there is still more we can do to take it to another level.
You will be simply amazed at the results you will be getting in the next few steps. You may have noticed that many types of muslins on the market have painted on them whats known, as a hot spot.

What is a hot spot? A hot spot is a circular area near the center of the backdrop that is lighter in color. Why is this there? It allows the subject to stand out and creates a vignette at the borders. This will greatly enhance your backdrop. Are you ready? Okay, lets do it!

13.On the top, click on Filter-Render-Lighting Effects. Select Omni for your Light Type and move the slider for your intensity to 25. Now click on the middle handle in the circle and raise the circle just above the halfway point to where the persons head will appear.Click ok.

Now you should have an amazing looking backdrop!

Fabian Barajas is author of several Photoshop ebook tutorials including "How to Create Your Very Own Professional Looking Digital Backdrop!" His website which includes samples of his work is http://www.digital-background.net/

Cannon Cameras

Airfrom Ultra Slim Mini Digital Camera Case with Detachable Carabiner and LCD Screen Protector for Hewlett Packard HP Photosmart - See Description for Full Compatibility

PCMicroStore Branded Non-OEM Case. 1 Year Unconditional Warranty if purchased through PCMicroStore. (Compatible with HP Photosmart R742, M737 and R847)

The Samsung Q1U-EL is an ultraportable, stylish, light, so called a handsheld machine. The Samsung laptop features a 7 inches widescreen. The screen is crystal clean and colors are amazing.

Together with RJ45 port and 802.11g WiFi users have an opportunity to get online virtually anywhere. Do a web searching, send and receive e-mail letters. Chatting with your relatives and friends through Instant Messengers is really convenient with the help of Samsung machine.

Extra convenient split QWERTY keyboard is situated on the Samsung laptop. A 40 GB of hard drive disk allows storing many necessary work documents, your favorite photos, audio and video files, etc. It is another advantage of this laptop. Windows Vista Premium is considered to be a very good operating system. Users will not experience any problems using it.

The battery life is very good. The Samsung battery can work up to 4.5 hours. It is considered to be a very good and long battery life. If you often go on business trips and you feel bored during your travel, then this ultralight machine will become a real helper for you. Watching your favorite movie or listening to your favorite music is a real pleasure.

The weight of this device is only 1.52 pounds. As you can see, the device is not heavy at all. The Samsung Company is worldwide known for its quality products. The company always tries to produce only those produce that meet the demands of all customers. Choosing the Samsung Company products you choose only the products you deserve.

Mini latest laptop reviews

Cannon Cameras

The Canon EOS Digital Rebel XSi/450D Companion

Through a series of easy-to-follow lessons, The Canon EOS Digital Rebel XSi/D450 Companion gives you a complete class on digital photography, tailored specifically for people who use this camera. This is not a typical camera guide: rather than just showing you what all the buttons do, this unique book teaches you how to use various Digital Rebel features to make great photographs.

With The Canon Digital Rebel XSi Companion in your camera bag, you have the perfect field reference for taking stunning pictures of any occasion or place, any time. You get valuable creative tips and technical advice for capturing professional-looking images of people, landscapes, action shots, close-ups, night shots, and more.

• Get to know the Digital Rebel XSi and how it works
• Take creative control and go beyond automatic settings
• Learn the basic rules of composition
• Know when to let the camera work for you
• Photograph fast-moving objects, and learn to capture decisive moments
• Discover ways to use a flash indoors and outdoors
• Learn the advantages of different lenses, and the best time to use them
• Understand the options for shooting RAW, and whether it's right for you

There are plenty of photography books, but only this companion guide teaches you how to take high-quality digital photos using the camera model you own. Professional photographer Ben Long includes plenty of full-color examples to show you what's possible once you graduate from snapshots and focus on the pictures you've always wanted to take.

Photographing a wedding is something that is achievable by an amateur photographer. I am often asked this from potential wedding photographers who doubt their own ability and lack experience. I'm not saying it is easy to photograph a wedding successfully, that would not be right!

You will find that the majority of wedding photographers never had formal training as wedding photographers. Yes they would be good with photographic techniques and the basics of exposure and lighting. They would also be very highly conversant with the procedures to follow on the wedding day.

When I started over 25 years ago I was no different to many aspirational photographers. I was good and I knew it, but not initially at wedding photography. It took me many months of research and practice with friends to even pluck up the courage to ask to work with a professional (for no pay of course!)

Working with him I learned a lot about the importance of lighting and exposure. I learned the methods of mixing flash and ambient light to give good results. I learned the art of posing. You can do this too by studying other photographers' websites.

You need to know about the relationships between shutter speed aperture, depth of field and sharpness. You also need to understand what we used to call 'film speed', more commonly now just referred to as ISO.

Would you be certain of when you must use a tripod and when you can get away with handheld? This is another question I'm often asked, so make sure you understand the pros and cons of both.

Would you know when and how to use fill flash? Again a key requirement for the budding wedding photographer.

What about lenses, do you know the best ones to use?

Go do some research before going any further. In fact not until you can master all of the points above should you consider advertising your services.

However, even having acquired all of this technical knowledge, you do need to practice this before setting out to work for yourself. Ask some friends who still have their wedding attire to pose for you.

When you feel you are ready to launch yourself on the public, you need to make sure you are completely honest with your first customer. This, for many photographers, is often a friend or relative. If anything you need to under promise and over deliver!

So in conclusion, is photographing a wedding for amateurs? Yes is the answer, but only those who have raised their standards, and are confident with their technique and people handling skills.

Do you want to learn more about how I do it? I have written a comprehensive guide on wedding and group photography.

Visit my site for more information Wedding and Group Photography Guide

Bobby is a photographer and author. He has been commissioned to shoot thousands of events, including weddings.

Cannon Cameras

MAGNUM XT TRIPOD WITH FGX10 3-WAY HEAD (QUICK RELEASE)

Excellent for birding or any activity where a strong tripod is needed. A bubble level and no-slip rubber feet provide level stability. The bag is made of a sturdy synthetic material with multiple straps.
Customer Review: This will handle the job
I used to have a Davis Sanford tripod back in the early 70's that I used for a medium format film camera. It was sturdy and did the job, in studio or on location. This tripod is very similar. Although it is a bit heavy, you'll never have to worry about putting your digital camera, even with a long telephoto lens, on this tripod. Very nicely fitted with rubber grips and easily locked legs, this is the tripod you need.

Q:I wanted to know, can Lithium Ion batterys such be overcharged?

A:Normally Lithium Ion batteries will not be overcharged if you use the correct charger and follow the manufacturers recommendation.

Most systems have monitoring circuits to prevent overcharging and overheating. The Sony "InfoLithium" batteries and some of the Canon batteries have the circuitry necessary to monitor the battery as part of the battery.

It it not normally NOT a good idea to discharge Lithium Ion batteries. Just charge them as the manufacturer recommends.

Q:I understand that I can leave it on the charger, but what about partially charging it?Like if I were to charge a battery that still has power in it ex. 5 hour battery capacity, only 2 hours used, will the battery or camera know when to shut off charging to prevent *possible overcharging?

A:Yes, the battery/charger will know when to stop the charging. The Power/Charge lamp will blink when charging starts and when it has has completed the charge the Power/Charge lamp will go out. The charging time will depend on the current state of charge.

Q:How is this harmfull? In the past it was always ideal to fully discharge a battery before recharging, so I assumed with Lithium Ion you have the option to charge without fully discharging but I din't think that was preferable.

A:It has never been ideal "to fully discharge a battery" before recharging. If you are thinking of Ni-Cads, that is not true. The discharged state of a Ni-Cad is normally about 1.0 volts per cell. At that voltage level, most of the energy is spent. Discharging the battery further could damage it through cell reversal. That is why Ni-Cad cells are always connect in series and not in parallel (If engineered properly)

The same basically applies to Li-ion, Li-polymer, NiMH and Sealed Lead Acid batteries except that the minimum cell voltages may be different.

If your equipment properly monitors cell voltage and possibly cell temperature and disconnects at the appropriate level like many Li-ion, Li-polymer do, then there is no problem. They may say the battery pack is fully discharged, but it still contains energy and that energy can be easily measured.

Normally there is no benefit to discharge a Li-ion battery unless you are testing it to determine actually capacity, to predict death date when comparing to previous tests of the cell, or possibly discharging to approximately 50% capacity for long term storage. I don't think the average consumer wants to buy the appropriate test equipment and maintain battery performance logs on their batteries.

Thus my recommendation, buy one spare battery, charge as outlined in your manual, and go have fun with your batteries.

http://www.camcorder-battery-shop.com/article/camcorder-battery-article/9.html

Cannon Cameras

Canon WP-DC18 Underwater housing for Canon A650IS Digital Cameras

The WP-DC18 Underwater Case for Canon A650IS Digital Cameras protects your camera from sea water, sand or whatever else you can throw at it. This All-Weather Case offers a new shooting possibility to help you realize the full potential of digital photography. You can also use it to take pictures where it is snowing, raining, dusty or excessively humid.
Customer Review: Full function under water
I purchased this case along with the camera prior to a Caribbean trip where we made 8 dives up to 80 feet. Had no problems with the housing (or camera - separate review of A650IS). The housing gives you access to all functions of the camera, including power on/off so you can load the camera in the comfort and dry air of your room. Instructions say to not leave the case sealed when not in use so the gasket doesn't lose its seal. As it may be months between uses, I am keeping the gasket ring in a small zip-lock bag, inside the housing which I lock shut. I plan to clean and re-apply the silicon grease before each dive trip.

The biggest obstacle in a beginning digital photographer's way is often that lens that was bundled with their digital SLR (Single Lens Reflex camera.)

The marketplace is awash with digital SLR cameras touting fantastic resolution and tons of features, but most 1st time buyers don't realize how complicated these cameras really are.

Invariably that camera kit that they buy is something like a Nikon D40x or Canon Rebel XTi with a 18mm to 55 mm zoom lens and a 1GB or 2 GB memory card. It is worse if they get one with a 28 mm to 135 mm lens.

So just how complicated are these cameras? In terms of function, and how they operate they are all the same. But as far as how user-friendly and intuitive they are, how you change the settings and so forth, that's a whole different ballgame.

1. No longer is it a simple matter to change something like a very basic setting on a camera. In the analog film camera of yesterday, all you needed to know was how to set the ISO or film speed, the aperture, shutter speed, read the exposure meter, how to load and unload the camera and of course where the shutter release button is located - essentially there were only 4 settings you needed to know to work any camera. I intentionally left out focussing because I expect everyone knows how to look in the viewfinder and turn the barrel of the lens until the image in the focussing screen appears sharp.

2. These days all these very basic settings are hidden under multiple layers of menus. To change let's say something as basic as the ISO, you have to hold down one button and turn one of two possible dials. Even after you do that, you can't be sure you've changed the correct one. For instance you might think you've changed the ISO because you see the numbers on the LCD change from 100 to 125 to 160 and 200. Well, that could also be the shutter speed you just changed.

Unless you've read the manual, how can you be sure? To further complicate matters, some cameras even let you choose settings that are 1/3 of a stop. Shutter speeds on film cameras used to be 1/1000, 1/500. 1/250 etc. Now there's in between settings like 1/1250, 1/640, 1/350 etc. No wonder novices are overwhelmed.

Bear in mind, we haven't even considered those settings unique to "digital" like choosing compression or quality or file sizes, white balance, formatting of the memory card or auto focus sensor and motordrive modes to name just a few.

3. I didn't realize how confusing all these numbers can be to a novice until midway into my teaching an introductory digital photography class. I think I was telling my students to set their exposure for 1/125 of a sec at f11. One of my students looked up at me and asked if that was the focal length she was supposed to set or if it was the ISO. Perhaps it was my failing as an instructor that left her befuddled, but boy, did I learned something that day!

There are way too many variables on the digital SLRs out there especially if they are 1st time users. And on those zoom lenses they buy with their cameras, I hadn't even explained to them that the aperture on their zoom lenses are variable. It is f3.5 on the 18 mm end and f5.6 on the 55 mm end!

There was a lot of wisdom in the days of film photography when camera manufacturers bundled a SLR with a standard 50 mm lens. It meant beginners could concentrate on getting their exposure right, without contemplating why a lens had one aperture opening on the wide angle end and another on the telephoto end.

Composing by moving closer or moving back instead of zooming in and out using a variable focal length lens taught beginners not to get lazy and explore their subject by moving around.

It is for all these reasons that I find myself recommending that 1st time buyers also buy a 50 mm fixed focal length lens with maybe a aperture of f1.8 to start their adventure in photography.

Sure, that standard lens is more expensive, but in the long run, novices will learn much faster. A lens like a 50 mm f1.8 is extremely versatile.It allows you to shoot in low light.It is small and compact and is actually an 80 mm lens when you factor in the 1.6x magnification factor--perfect for portraiture.

The worse lens kit out there I've seen is one of the range from 28 mm to 135 mm. When you factor in the magnification factor of 1.6 x, on the long end, that is actually a 216 mm lens.

A 216 mm lens with an slow aperture of f5.6 is extremely limiting. That means the lens can only be used in the bright outdoors. Typical exposure for a sunny day at ISO 100 is about 1/500 sec at f 5.6. The moment the sun goes behind a cloud, they have to increase the camera's ISO.

So if you're new to photography and you're shopping for a digital SLR, consider buying a normal lens or what used to be called a standard lens--the 50 mm. Consider this also: do you really think that lens that came with the camera body can be that great?

If you price that same camera body without a lens against the whole kit (camera and zoom lens), you'll see that some vendors even throw in a bag, a lens cleaning kit and even a tripod. Do you really think they'll be able to make a profit if that lens is not a piece of junk with lousy optics?

Peter Phun is an adjunct photography instructor at Riverside City College. He is a freelance photographer, web designer and stay at home dad. He previously worked as a staff photographer for 18 years at The Press-Enterprise, Southern California's 4th largest daily newspaper. Peter is the webmaster for the Mac user group in the Inland Empire. For more information about this Riverside based photographer, visit http://www.peterphun.com

Cannon Cameras

Ikelite Underwater Camera Housing for the Canon Powershot S2 IS and S3 IS Digital Cameras.

This virtually indestructible heavy duty thick wall housing operates safely at 200 feet.All functions of the camera are accessible in this corrosion free clear polycarbonate molded housing. The flash built into the camera operates fine in the housing with the included diffuser.

Basically a digital camera is a device use to capture pictures without the use of film. Unlike the conventional camera, it does not rely on mechanical and chemical processes. Since the images captured are in electronic form, this is a language recognized by computers. Although the image looks exactly the same as that of a normal photograph, they are stored as pixels.

Many similarities exist between the two types of camera because lenses are still required to capture light just the same as a film version. The only difference between a digital camera and film cameras is how they capture this light inside the camera itself. A charge couple device is the light capturing device in the quality models that is used to convert light into electrical signals and as far as the user is concerned, an image is saved just like an ordinary device. Less expensive cameras us a complementary metal oxide semi-conductor or CMS device which does the same work of capturing an image and although some believe it could replace the CCD, this is not likely.

The CMOS device is this reason that many models have come down in price so much as they are easier and cheaper to produce than their CCD cousins. A digital camera works where millions of tiny solar cells, each of which forms a part of the whole image; both CCD and CMOS do this task using different methods. If you find yourself in the market for one of these marvelous cameras then some useful information is detailed in this article. Look for models with over 6 megapixels and you won't go far wrong as they will provide decent images; they can also provide prints that are larger without any degradation.

Many people rave about a digital cameras zoom power but the image is being artificially magnified so always try for an optical zoom even if it is one with only a low magnifying power; portrait shots that require framing' are so much easier with a an zoom facility. Today's nickel metal hydride rechargeable batteries are very powerful and last for around a 1,000 charges so always use these if you want to save money. most models come equipped with some sophisticated software that can create interesting shots; functions like those listed here for instance:

*Macro (close up shots)
*Continuous shooting
*Self timer

You will also need something to store the captured images on especially with the high megapixel models available today. Although larger storage cards have plummeted in price, a 1GB card should be enough for most peoples needs; some cameras won't accept very high capacity cards anyway. Unless you intend to use your camera for serious photography there isn't any need for a bulky very high specification version.

There is no longer any need (even for keen amateur photographers) to carry around large, heavy models if you don't have to. These are just the basic things you have to look for in a camera when you buy one. Digital cameras have very quickly become the way to take photos and have reinvented photography for those who had no real interest before there introduction.

Francisco Segura owns and operates http://www.hdtvtelevisionplus.com
Hdtv Television

Cannon Cameras

Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4.5 DC IF Macro Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras

This lens has a minimum focusing distance of 7.9 inch (20cm) throughout the entire zoom range. Maximum magnification of 1:2.3 enables close-up photography like a macro lens. The new lens design and multi layer lens coating reduce flare and ghosting, which is a common problem with digital cameras. A Special Low Dispersion (SLD) lens and two aspherical lens elements provide excellent correction for all types of aberrations and produce a high level of optical performance throughout the entire zoom range. This lens offers a large aperture of F2.8 at 17mm wide angle and yet it is compact, with an overall length of 82.5mm (3.2 inch) and diameter 79mm (3.1 inch). It performs superbly even in relatively low light conditions indoors or at dusk. The lens design incorporates an inner focusing system, which ensures fast AF speed as well as prevents the front of the lens rotating, making it particularly suitable for use with circular polarizing filters and petal shaped lens hoods. This lens is also equipped with a Zoom Lock Switch. Maximum Magnification - 1 - 2.3 Filter Size - Diameter 72mm Dimensions - Diameter 79mm x Length 82.5mm, 3.1 x 3.2 inch Weight - 455 grams (16.0 ounces)
Customer Review: Great all around lens
I have found this to be a great all around lens. The pros of this lens are that it does a really great job focusing and has very sharp pictures in most situations. It is very fast. I have captured bees in flight and have been amazed with the clarity. The color is spot on. I am used to having to adjust the color/saturation in photoshop after uploading photos. I rarely have to do so with this lens. I also love that you can get very close to the subject and still focus. Makes macro type work very enjoyable. This isn't a true macro lens but it does a very nice job as "almost macro". The cons are: this is a heavy lens. I would not want to carry this around my neck all day long. That is a pretty minor con..definitely wouldn't deter from buying. It also does poor in low light. I had to shoot a wedding after sunset and this lens was very soft (focus) in such conditions. It can be soft (focus) at the end (70mm) also. I would highly recommend this lens if you want to replace the kit and have a great lens that rarely leaves the camera.
Customer Review: Great "Walkaround" Lens at a great price!
I was looking for a good every day lens that I could take with me on a trip to San Francisco this past summer but being just a light hobbyist, I didn't want to spend the money for the high cost of some of the canon lenses like the 17-40L or the 17-55IS. So after reading alot of the helpful reviews here, I decided I would give this lens a shot and I'm very happy that I did. The image quality on this lens is far better than the kit lens that came with my Canon XTI 400D. It actually feels like a whole different camera now. Pictures are sharp and the contrast and color the lens produces are head and shoulders above the kit lens. Also the extra reach this lens has over the kit lens comes in handy too. At 17mm, the f/2.8 really works well indoors in lowlight situations, but it does stop down quickly...at 20mm, it already jumps to f3.5 and quickly goes up from there. The lens focuses fast and not as loud as I'd expected(going off of some other reviews) and the build quality is good also. Some extra bonuses that I was happy about... The Macro feature is a definite bonus, I can zoom into an object that's right up against the lens and it'll still focus well. The lens even came with a hood as opposed to having to buy a separate lens hood($45)for a canon lens. A few things that were on the negative side... The lens does tend to hunt in very low-light situations and there is some barrel distortion when shooting wide. Also it's much larger than the kit lens but you do get ALOT more lens so the trade off in weight is well worth it. Plus, I have a battery grip on my XTI which nicely balances it out. Overall, the pros for this lens far outweigh any cons that this lens might have. It's nearly half the cost of the 17-40L f/4, and almost a third of the cost of the 17-55IS f/2.8. For someone that mainly shoots as a fun hobby on weekends, this was the perfect lens to fit my needs.

Photography has become a fine art and photographers increasingly rely on devices like the digital camcorders to bring out a life like quality to pictures. There are so many minute specifications and adjustments embedded into these cameras that the end result is simply astonishing. If digital cameras are an improvement on the old cameras, then the digital camcorders are a neat combination of digital camera and a camcorder. They are special because they can capture both still images and videos.

Thanks to the digital camcorder even amateur photographers can produce photographs of a professional quality. Before capturing a picture the viewfinder will help us to view the picture in all the glory of a colour print. Adjustment therefore becomes very simple. An LCD display a little more than 2.5 inches offers us high quality results.

There is also a compact recording device that is supported by the HDD format. The memory stick duo is a flash memory card that helps us to store data. Images can be zoomed optically or digitally using the zoom lens. A mini DV cassette is used as storage media in some brands. The storage media can be maintained with the help of a head cleaner. More images and video clips can saved using the multi media card and secure digital card.

There are features like the touch screen control, built in speakers, auto power save, progressive shutter system etc in a digital camcorder. There is also a digital noise reduction feature to filter the unwanted disturbance in the audio recording. There are advanced shooting modes like beach and snow, frame movie, spotlight, digital photo and manual. The special effects are art, auto fade, mirror, mosaics, slim stretch and tracer. Images can be effectively faded as black, overlap and window wipe. The pictures are vivid and true to life. The effect is therefore quite stunning.

If one is looking for more compact sized cameras with all the required features then the pocket digital camcorder is the best option. The LCD monitor is replaced by the viewfinder and the image can be zoomed up to 8x. It has an integrated memory and video input too. There is a rotating display form and CMOS sensor. It has a sensor resolution of 5 pixels. The multi media card and secure digital card can be supported. The special effects also include black and white, sepia and negative. All these features are found in a device that is as light as 160 grams.

Read unbiased reviews on best-selling brands including Panasonic digital camcorders and Samsung digital camcorder reviews at digital camcorder reviews site.

Cannon Cameras

Cameta Microfiber Cleaning Cloth - 3 Pack

Under normal use, your digital camera's LCD monitor screen and optics usually become soiled with fingerprints, oily smudges and other contaminants. It can be really frustrating trying to clean the LCD monitor safely and completely without smearing using typical lens tissue or lens cloths -- especially out in the field. The Cameta Microfiber Cleaning Cloth is designed using the latest 21st Century technology to perform this task quickly, safely and easily. Without using any potentially damaging chemical treatment as some cloths do, the Cameta Microfiber Cleaning Cloth is able to magically clean virtually at a microscopic level due to its unique fabric construction and scientically advanced fiber design. It works great on all optical surfaces such as your camera's lens, viewfinder, filters and auxillary lenses as well as your eyeglasses and sunglasses. As an extra bonus, it is terrific for cleaning those inevitable and annoying fingerprints off your CD's and DVD's. On top of all this, it's re-usable. After many repeated uses, it can be washed and dried to perform just like new.

Here are some great tips to enhance the classroom and learning experience using photography.

1. How We Grow. Photograph the children by a measuring stick or mark on the wall. Consider having them photograph each other. Take some early, mid-year and end of year images and let them see, measure and discuss the differences. Talk about things that would affect the accuracy of the measurement (shoes, hair, posture, camera angle, etc.)

2. Nature Walk. Take the class on a nature hike and try to identify plants, animals and rocks. For those that can't be identified, take the images later and use them to look up the item. Print out photos of the items to display when it's cold outside, and save some for your seasonal bulletin boards.

3. Photo Gifts. Have each child take a photo of themselves or other subject and have them make a gift, such as a card or other craft to give as a holiday or occasion gift.

4. Local Print Sponsor. Ask one of the local businesses such as a grocery or drug store to donate some number of digital prints or developing services, so the class can choose the best pictures and have them printed on nice paper.

5. Photo Club. Consider creating a photo club as an after-school or activity period club. Look for sponsors to provide funding for disposable cameras and film, or a couple of good digital cameras. Approach a local photographer to be a club instructor, mentor or speaker. See my article on Photo Club Activities for more ideas.

6. Theme Bulletin Boards. Before you build those boards yourself, share the theme with your kids and get some volunteers to take some photos to support the theme.

7. Kid Camera Weekend. Assign a digital camera to one child each weekend for them to take home. Ask them to take photos of their experiences - family, pets, activities and ask them also to take a creative photo or one that represents their personality. Then in the following week, have them build a slide show and share with the class. You may need to have editorial review on some of those photos!

8. Computer Editing Skills. Digital photography will be a part of every child's life. Why not offer basic photo editing as part of the computer skills curriculum? You can also have some creativity at play - see who can come up with the most interesting edit of a standard photograph.

9. Photography as Art. Have the students understand some of the artistic elements of photography - composition, lighting, posing, editing and printing for example. Perhaps have them review certain famous works or photographers and choose one to study or emulate.

10. Yearbook and Newspaper. Classroom candids, school life and special events are all great opportunities for children to get involved. Also consider having an online newsletter or blog built by and maintained by the students. Allowing students to actively photograph assemblies and other special events promotes responsibility, creativity and leadership.

11. School Tour. Producing a book or video for new students is a great service that your students can perform. They can gain experience in storyboarding, scripting, recording, photographing, editing and producing. A video or annotated slide show produced by the students and approved by the administration is a great tool and also a great testimony to the trust and responsibility that the school gives the children.

12. Time Lapse. Science classes, especially biology, lend themselves to time lapse photography. Define the rules (how often, how to set up, who takes photos), and capture the sprouting and growth of plants, or the growth rate of animals in your classroom. Also, taking a photo outside of your windows every day will make a really neat weather/climate video near the end of the year. The key is consistency and follow-through to stitch the photos together in a movie format.

13. International Photo Pals. Consider hooking your kids up with some other schools across the planet, and trading photos on specific subjects a few times each year. For example, you could do a set on food, and have the kids photograph their lunch experience and some of the foods that are common to their school and area. You could focus on clothing, customs, holidays, sports, local environment and lots of other subjects. The kids will be excited to send and receive these electronic photo packets.

14. Photo Contest. Teach the children about evaluating photos. Develop a score sheet with their inputs and some general guidelines. Have each child submit a small number of photos for blind evaluation. Encourage each evaluator to find positive things in each photograph. The top 3-5 from each class go to a grade-level round, and the top grade level compete for over-all school awards. Everyone will have fun taking, editing, evaluting and following the contest. The winner can get a certificate and perhaps the local paper would print the image along with an article written by some of the students. Or, a local photographer may agree to work with the student to get the image professionally printed and framed.

15. See the Numbers. When explaining large numbers to kids, photographs of the items will be handy. How about 1 Million? Consider having them count out 1,000 of something like paper clips, then photographing and printing 10 copies. That can be 10,000. Then take a picture of those 10 pictures, duplicate it 10 times and you have 100,000. Once more and you have 1 Million, and you can show the groups of 10 pictures beside each other on a board to show the scale.

16. See the History. Field trips to local museums or historical areas are good opportunities to capture history. You can collect some of those images and use them as study guides - the kids can remember the trip through the images and reinforce their learning. Also, you can ask them to photograph or bring in the oldest thing in their family and talk about it.

17. See the Health. Students can stage and photograph healthy activities and lifestyle and can build a book or board to share with others.

Have fun incorporating these ideas into your classroom experiences. If your school or classroom does not have a digital camera, contact your community foundations, retail stores and local photographers to ask for help in obtaining usable digital cameras and software.

John Huegel is a photographer in the Erie, Pennsylvania area who specializes in Seniors, Dance Studio, Families and other groups. He is active in many charitable and volunteer activities in the Erie area. His work can be seen at http://jhphotomusic.com

Cannon Cameras

(4 in 1 Nb-3l Professional Kit) Kroo Camera Case for Canon Powershot + Nb-3l 3 in 1 Charger Set for Canon Powershot + Li-ion Battery for Canon Nb-3l Compatible Digital Cameras

Compatible with Canon PowerShot SD500 Canon PowerShot SD550 Canon PowerShot SD10 Canon PowerShot SD100 Canon Powershot SD110 Canon Powershot SD20

Flashlights are handy, hand-held devices, which can provide light when the power goes off. They run on batteries. So, for flash bulbs to be useful in times of emergency one needs to store batteries also. Flashlights came into use in the last decade of nineteenth century. At that time, it was used for providing fancy light arrangement. Later some suave businesspersons suddenly realized its potential as a source of light when electric current is not available and marketed flashlights in the form that is found today. In those times, the form of flashlights was very crude. The battery did not have that much charge storage capacity as of today and the bulb consumed more power. As a result, most flash bulbs in those times only provided a flash of light for a short duration and then went dead. Hence, the device got the name "flashlight." This name got really struck in North America. In other continents, especially in commonwealth countries, it is known as torch light or electric torch.

As already mentioned, the source of energy in most of the flashlights is a battery. It may be normal batteries, rechargeable batteries or solar powered batteries. Even with the technological advances of this age, there is a limit to the amount of power can be stored in the battery that can be fitted into a hand-held flashlight. So the efforts to conserve energy in a flash light have been focusing on reducing the energy utilized by the flash light. Traditionally incandescent bulbs were used as source of light. Such bulbs are still in use. But it has been found that the energy-spending rate of incandescent bulbs is much more than that of some other forms of light source, say light emitting diodes (LEDs). But the problem with LEDs was that the brightness and intensity of light emitted by LEDs were very low comparing to that of fluorescent bulbs. Scientist did extensive research on this subject and conducted numerous experiments to enhance the brightness and intensity of the light produced by LEDs. Finally, they succeeded and a new form of flashlights was born.

There are many advantages LED bulbs have over incandescent lamps. The main advantage in energy conservation is that they utilize less energy than conventional types because they do not contain a filament. LEDs are basically a transistor and work on electronics principles. The life span of LED bulbs is much more than that of incandescent bulbs. LED bulbs can be controlled electronically so as to maintain a fixed level of light intensity irrespective of the amount of power stored in the battery. This is not possible with incandescent lamps. Further experiments aimed at energy conservation in flashlights have led to the advent of self-powered flashlights that do not need a battery and high intensity discharge (HID) flashlights.

Ian Pennington is an accomplished niche website developer and author. To learn more about flashlight energy conservation, please visit Energy Conservation Today for current articles and discussions.

Cannon Cameras

Canon PowerShot PSC-85 Deluxe Soft Carrying Case + NB-2LH Battery + Tripod + Accessory Kit for G7, G9 Digital Cameras

Kit includes:
♦ 1) Canon PowerShot PSC-85 Deluxe Soft Compact Case
♦ 2) Spare NB-2LH High-Capacity Lithium-Ion Battery Pack
♦ 3) Precision Design Memory Card Wallet
♦ 4) Precision Design Flexible Tabletop Mini Tripod
♦ 5) Precision Design 5-Piece Cleaning Kit
♦ 6) Cameta Microfiber Cleaning Cloth

This Canon PSC-85 Deluxe Soft Case will protects your camera from the dings and scratches of travel and everyday use while looking smart all the time. It features a velcro front flap closure for quick access. Inside the case is a soft interior lining. You can enjoy hands free convenience and carry the case on your hip thanks to the stitched belt loop. The PSC-85 case has a small zippered pocket on the front for storing memory cards or batteries.

Increase your shooting capacity with this powerful NB-2LH Lithium-ion rechargeable battery.

Keep multiple memory cards protected and organized with this durable storage wallet.

Take sharp, blur-free photos and great macro shots with this flexible tabletop mini tripod.

This 5-piece cleaning kit contains everything you'll ever need to properly clean your lenses, including Lens Cleaning Tissues, Lens Cloth, Lens Cleaning Liquid, Blower Brush and Cotton Swabs.

Keep your camera and lenses smudge-free with this handy microfiber cleaning cloth.

Customer Review: excellent service
Slight problem with receiving the wrong charger but the company responded very quickly to correct.
Customer Review: Nice package
I especially liked the small tripod. The case fit perfectly my G9. I hope the battery is as good as the other items.

If you own a boat, a yacht, or anything that requires marine equipment, you would thoroughly enjoy high quality speaker system to complement your expensive marine vessel. A great buy is the Sony XS-MP1620B, a set of marine speakers that is capable of delivering high fidelity sound quality. Coming from Sony, you can be sure that it is a highly dependable product that will last for many years to come. The pair of marine speakers features a dark and sleek design, a stark contrast when compared to the typical white marine speakers made by many other brands.

What's great about the speakers is its ability to make your boat look really good. When you see these speakers mounted in a vessel, you know you have high quality equipment. The speakers are capable of handling 160 watts of maximum wattage and 45 watts of continuous power handling. Its polypropylene cone woofer is highly rigid and could withstand moisture or even water spray from the salt water or fresh water. It will perform extremely well and consistently despite changes in the environment such as humidity and temperature. The speakers also feature a coaxially mounted 2" cone tweeter that will deliver crystal clear and incredibly crisp mid to high sound frequencies.

Worried about marine environment affecting your speakers? Don't worry, Sony has ensured longevity with its water resistant plastic and rubber coating so that material would not deteriorate or be damaged in harsh marine environment.

I recommend that you purchase at least two pairs of the XS-MP1620B for any vessel larger than 35 feet long. You could mount the speakers virtually anywhere, especially with its relatively shallow mounting depth requirement. The XS-MP1620B (Sony Marine Speaker) requires only 2-1/2" of mounting space, which means you do not need a whole lot of space behind the magnet to mount the speaker.

Cannon Cameras

The PIP Expanded Guide to the Canon EOS 350D/Digital Rebel XT (PIP Expanded Guide Series)

Record numbers of fans are flocking to Canon’s low-price, high-performance Electro-Optical System cameras, especially the 350D Digital Rebel XT, available since 2005. These fans will also welcome PIP’s guide to their favorite camera, which explains in simple, practical language every basic and advanced use, including how to take outstanding close-ups, manage difficult lighting situations, and maintain the equipment for years of service. Over 200 color photos and diagrams accompany chapters on compatible lenses, flashes, and other accessories, as well as tips on troubleshooting and making exhibit-quality pictures. The flexibound binding adds to the book’s durability—and it comes in a handy camera-bag size, too.

Customer Review: Good text: really bad table of contents and index
It is a shame when authors go to the effort to produce a nice bit of text and their work is ruined by a really lousy table of contexts and a worse index. The pip guide lists, without subheadings: Chapter 2: Operation Guide... p. 22 Chapter 3 Into the Field... p. 110 So what, you may ask, is within those 88 pages and how would you find it? The index? It is so sparse as to be relatively (if not completely) useless. For example, find "autoexposure bracketing" in either the index or the table of contents. Nope, not there. The Rebel XT owners guide table of contents is extensive, with entries for most subjects. True, the Canon index is also bad, but at least the table of contents is decent, with entries averaging every 3 pages or so. Stick with the Canon Guide until Pip comes up with a decent table of contents and index.

The article given here was written for Adobe Photoshop 5,6,7,CS, and Adobe Photoshop Elements 2 and 3.

Most photographers who are serious about improving their portrait taking skills have realized that a beautiful background can greatly enhance their photographs.

Muslins are a very popular choice among professionals. However, they can get very costly at several hundred dollars each. For the professional who is well established, this may not seem too much, but for the hobbyist, this may be a stretch.

A less costly alternative is a digital background. With a digital background, one can get the look and feel of a professional looking portrait without the additional cost of muslin.

Many Photography websites also sell digital backgrounds on cd. In some casesas low as $15.00 dollars for an assorted collection. As with anything elseyou usually get what you pay for. Some of these pre-made digital backgrounds are not worth the cd theyre printed on, but some of them are very beautifully made. Even so, you may be wondering how YOU can make your very own digital background. That being said, the following information will help guide you along the way.

Okay, lets create a digital backdrop using Adobe Elements 2.0. We will create an 8x10 300dpi (dpi = dots per inch or ppi = pixels per inch) digital backdrop. For printing purposes, 300dpi is strongly recommended for a high quality print. This will also create a large file approximately 20.6megs.

Having a fast processor (Pentium 4 or Athlon XP) and at least 256megs of ram will definitely help. Also having your screen resolution on your monitor set to its highest setting 24 or 32bit will give the best results.

Okay lets begin! If you havent already opened Photoshop Elements, do so now.

1. Click on File < New.
When the window opens up,make sure to set it to 8x10 inches at 300dpi.

2. Make a copy of the background layer you just created by pressing
Control-J on your keyboard. If you look at the bottom right corner of your
monitor, you should see an exact copy of your background layer named layer 1.

3. Select the foreground color for your background by clicking on the foreground square on your toolbar the black one. (Bottom left)

4. The Color Picker window should now be open. Select a light red by clicking on the top right corner of the color palette. Click ok.

5. Now select the background color by clicking on the background square on your toolbar the white one. (Bottom right)

6. The Color Picker window should open again. Select a darker red by clicking halfway below the lighter red you previously chose. Click ok.

7. Now comes the fun part! Lets put some clouds in there. On the top of your screen, click on FilterNow because we are using a 300dpi image, the pattern doesnt really resemble clouds. On a 72 dpi image, it definitely would. We will fix that now.

8. First, make sure that layer 1 is not locked! Look at your layers palette on the bottom right of your screen. Do you see the little black lock icon? Make sure that the little white square to the left is NOT checked!

9. Okay, now press m on your keyboard. At the top left corner of your backdrop, click and drag your mouse to create a 2x3 inch square.
If you do not see the ruler along side your backdrop, press control-r on your keyboard.

10. Press v on your keyboard. Your selection should now have little handles on all sides that you can click on to pull to any size you want. If you do not see any handles, click on Show Bounding Box at the top.

11. Click on the lower right handle in the corner and drag and stretch it to the bottom right corner of your backdrop.

12. Double click anywhere on the red backdrop to apply the resizing. Now press L on your keyboard then control-d.

Okay, now you should have a beautiful looking backdrop ready to use, but wait, there is still more we can do to take it to another level.
You will be simply amazed at the results you will be getting in the next few steps. You may have noticed that many types of muslins on the market have painted on them whats known, as a hot spot.

What is a hot spot? A hot spot is a circular area near the center of the backdrop that is lighter in color. Why is this there? It allows the subject to stand out and creates a vignette at the borders. This will greatly enhance your backdrop. Are you ready? Okay, lets do it!

13.On the top, click on Filter-Render-Lighting Effects. Select Omni for your Light Type and move the slider for your intensity to 25. Now click on the middle handle in the circle and raise the circle just above the halfway point to where the persons head will appear.Click ok.

Now you should have an amazing looking backdrop!

Fabian Barajas is author of several Photoshop ebook tutorials including "How to Create Your Very Own Professional Looking Digital Backdrop!" His website which includes samples of his work is http://www.digital-background.net/

Cannon Cameras

Canon EF 12 II Extension Tube For EOS Digital Cameras

CANON EF Extenders increase the power and versatility of existing lenses. EF Extenders work by increasing the distance between the film plane (or CCD) and the rear element of the lens. The extra distance increases the effective focal length of the lens to bring distant subjects closer.
Customer Review: As good as a Macro lens (almost)
Good product, does what it says it'll do. I was suprised how well it works.
Customer Review: Works great!!!
I received the extension tube(s) a couple of weeks ago, they are wonderful. They work as expected, the AF works perfectly. What is especially great, about the Canon extension tubes is, you can use the EF-S lenses as well as the EF lenses. Other brands will not allow you to do that.

If you're like many recent amateur photographers, you interest in photography may have been sparked by a point and shoot digital camera. Maybe you realized you liked to take pictures when handed the camera. You probably started realizing that you took picture taking more seriously than other people. You started paying attention to composition, color, and contrast. Eventually, you picked up a book on photography, and began to learn the technical aspects.

Once this happened, you probably learned what an SLR is and why they are so great. You're now ready to buy your first digital SLR, but are unsure of what to look at. For this article, I'm going to discuss some of the entry level options, and compare them to help you out with the decision making process.

To keep things simple, I'm going to stick with the two biggest brands of DSLRs, Canon and Nikon. There are other worthy contenders out there, but I really prefer sticking with Canon and Nikon due to the broad support you can get with them. Professionals all over the world use these systems, so support and accessories are always available.

Let's start with Canon. Canon offers an entry level series of cameras known as the Digital Rebel series. These are very popular cameras. They are compatible with all Canon autofocus lenses, and offer high resolution and good image quality for the money. Definitely an option to check out.

Nikon offers several lower end cameras, all based on the D40 body. These cameras are generally considered to have better ergonomics than Canon. I myself think they also look a little more professional than the wildly styled Rebel series. One disadvantage of these lower end Nikon models is that they cannot use all Nikon autofocus lens. They can only use lenses with the motor built into the lens. These are common and popular, but its something to think about.

When it comes to choosing between these two systems, you can't go too wrong. Remember that when you're buying an SLR, you're really buying into the system, and Canon and Nikon systems are both world class. The best way to choose is to try out each camera and see which one feels better to you. See if the controls feel intuitive or not. This will go a long way towards your satisfaction with the camera.

Overall, though, you really can't go wrong with any digital SLR if you're coming from the point and shoot world. SLRs are loads of fun, and offer amazing control over the image. If you're a serious amateur, you definitely need to be looking into these as soon as possible.

If you're trying to find a great deal on your first digital SLR, check out Cheap Digital SLRs to save big on a wide selection of cameras. If you're interested in the D40, why not check out the best Nikon D40 price on the Internet?

Cannon Cameras

Canon CL-41 Color FINE Ink Cartridge

Canon has poured all the Know How of its extraordinary history of developing innovative office machines into each of its copiers, printers, and networked office systems. The same superiority of design and manufacture goes into all of the Canon-branded consumable imaging supplies and parts for this equipment. Naturally, no one makes better parts and supplies for Canon products than Canon. Using genuine Canon parts and supplies is your best insurance against equipment damage, and possibly voiding your equipment warranty.
Customer Review: Why not recycled ink cartridges?
Canon has made it almost impossible to use recycled ink cartridges. They are not alone. There should be an economical and environmentally friendly alternative to the monopoly on providing ink that is now held by the manufacturer. Just think if you buy a car and could only buy gas from the car manufacturer!
Customer Review: The best
Canon is always the best, I recommend everything from Canon, it's little expensive but you pay for quality.

The following tutorial will explain how you can take scan photos and digital images and reduce or remove the red eye that may occur when taking pictures. Currently, new cameras and even cheaper ones have technology that already reduce or remove red eye that may case red eye. If you follow the short tutorial below you should be able to remove any harmful red eye within your old or new pictures.

1. Open up Adobe Photoshop CS3

2. Click and hold the bandage icon on the left side of the screen and select the option (Red Eye Tool) that slides out as an extra feature.

3. Image #1

4. With the Photoshop Red Eye Tool you get the ability to select the area that you want the red eye tool to look for a circle object that represents the eye.

5. Image #2

6. Once you release the area that the eye will be in the program will instantly cover the pupil with a darker color. From close up it may look a little weird but from the original zoom distance it looks good.

7. Image #3

8. Now you will do the same for the other eye

9. Image #4

10. Now both have been automatically filled by the Red Eye Tool

11. Image #5

12. Now you have your finished image

13. Image #6

This tutorial is a seemingly easy process to do to any picture that you may have in your possession. Whether you are a mother or a Adobe Guru, you should find this quick tutorial on how to use an old feature in Adobe Photoshop CS3. If you would like to see this tutorial with helpful pictures included please visit my website. If you want to be a great Adobe Photoshop user all you have to do is try your best. If you can do this even you can unlock the Adobe guru in you!

Dwight Norris - AST Website Owner
Adobe Software Tutorials

Cannon Cameras

Canon CanoScan 8800F Color Film/Negative/Photo Scanner (2168B002)

Sleek and fast, this powerful scanner will impress you the very first time you push power. With high-luminance white LED lamps ? it's ready to scan immediately, with no warm-up time needed. You'll quickly produce spectacular results, with maximum color dpi resolution of 4800 x 9600. Seven easy buttons automate the scanning process, so it's simple to scan, copy and create e-mails and multi-page PDFs. Built-in F 3.0 retouching technology helps to enhance your final images. And to save time, you can batch-scan up to twelve 35mm frames or up to four slides ? either positives or negatives. Auto-Image Fix - The built-in Auto-Image Fix feature via Easy PhotoPrint EX helps you produce amazing results. Faster data - The USB 2.0 interface enables the fastest possible image transfers and scanning speeds. Multi-image scanning - To save time, simultaneously scan up to 12 frames of 35mm film strip or 4 frames of 35mm slides (negatives or positives). Compatible with Windows and Mac
Customer Review: Impressive
I'm new to scanning - wanted to organize and save old pictures in case of a fire. Between this scanner and my Mac iPhoto, I am VERY impressed. It is simple to use, quiet, fast enough and the quality is great especially considering the reasonable price.
Customer Review: Well satified with the 8800F. A novice but am learning.
Have worked with 35MM slides since buying the scanner about a month ago. Have had a couple of problems with scanner stopping while scanning. Had to go to Canon suppport for assistant. I would get a CODE 2,155,0 error and having Support help, I hope this solves my problem.

Digital cameras have rapidly changed the face of photography. Photographers can now be divided into two categories. There are traditional photographers who view each advance in technology with suspicion. Then there are the digital photographers who think film photographers are still living in the dark ages.

For the record, I use film. That is not because I don't like what digital photography has to offer. There is a very simple reason why I am sticking with film for now; after 20 years of photography, I have a thousands of images on film that have yet to be put to good use. If I switched to digital now, those photos would probably be neglected for another 20 years and finally be thrown out. That's a lot of memories wasted.

However, as a gallery owner, photography teacher, writer and club member, I am among digital photographers every day. Having lived and worked through all the years when photography has accelerated into the digital age, I have observed something that will surprise many people; not much has really changed.

The skills of traditional photography are as important as ever for the digital photographer. You need to be able to work with aperture and shutter speed, understand depth of field and know how to handle moving subjects. A digital photographer requires sensitivity to light and contrast, and must develop a talent for creative composition.

In teaching and writing about photography, I have been amazed by just how much things have remained the same. In some instances I have been certain that the new technology would create new challenges - only to find that for all practical purposes, nothing has really changed.

Here is one example that is so similar it's spooky. In the days of film, you could buy film that was rated at different ISO speeds, relating to how quickly the film reacted to light. Faster films were great for allowing quicker shutter speeds in low-light conditions, but there was a sacrifice in quality. Photos taken on fast films had a grainy appearance, making them less suitable for printing big enlargements.

Digital cameras have adopted the same ISO system. You can adjust the ISO setting on your camera, changing the speed at which your exposure will react to light. As before, this can be a great benefit, especially in low light. But here's the spooky part. When you set a higher ISO rating, your images become 'grainier.' Some people tell me it is pixellation, others tell me it is digital 'noise.' I don't know and don't really care. The point is, here is a whole new technology, recording images in a completely different way - and the outcome is exactly the same!

Of course there are some major differences. The most obvious, and possibly the most positive change, is the elimination of film and developing costs from your photography budget. Add to that the convenience of being able to delete your mistakes and print your own photos, and your hobby just became a lot more cost-effective.

That, however, has nothing to do with the actual skill of the photographer. Neither does the other revolution in the photography world. That revolution is software. With the aid of computers, people can work digital magic on their photos like never before. This has both positive and negative elements. Positive because the almost universal fascination with computers has seen a whole new generation take a real interest in photography. Negative because people too often rely on the technology to correct their mistakes, instead of learning to take better photos.

Software can be wonderful. It can add a little 'zest' to a slightly flat image, or it can completely trasform a photo to portray colours and details that never existed in the real world.

But software cannot overcome all the problems caused by bad technique. It cannot focus an out-of-focus image. It cannot correct a blurry photo caused by using the wrong shutter speed. And while cropping, cutting and pasting can solve some issues, they are no substitute for developing a real skill for composition.

So, to return to my original theme: despite the worldwide migration from film to digital photography, in practical terms not much has really changed. That which is new is largely peripheral. While there are some advantages in terms of cost and convenience, most of the changes won't make you a better photographer.

So here is my advice to photographers on both sides of the divide. Film photographers; don't be dismissive or suspicious of the new digital world. Embrace it, make the most of its advantages, and you may be surprised just how easy it is to make the switch.

Digital photographers; don't sneer at your more old-fashioned counterparts. The skills they have grown up with are the ones you really should be learning.

Good photography is not complicated. It just needs to be explained in terms you can understand by someone who knows what they are talking about. Check out Andrew Goodall's photography, and two great ebooks for beginners, at http://www.naturesimage.com.au.

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Pocket Size Mini Tripod Stand for Canon Sony Nikon Digital Camera

Many photographers spend ages looking for inspiration for a subject to photograph. However with sports photography this changes to being very technically adept and trying to capture the decisive moment that shows the effort and emotion that goes into the physical struggle to be first past the line and the beating or peers. The 12 guidelines here will help you improve your sports photography.

1. Get a long lens

You will need a telephoto lens for most events, a 400mm focal length lens is common amongst most professional photographers. Try to get a lens with the largest aperture possible to get the most light into the camera. You can buy lenses that can cost the same amount as a new car, buy one that suits your budget or consider renting one for the event.

2. Use a camera with a good frame rate.

For most events you will want a camera with a good frame burst rate so when the moment you wish to capture arrives you just hold the shutter release down and take a sequence of pictures. The difference of just half a second can be incredible. If you take a high jumper for example the time between leaving the ground and landing the other side of the bar can be less than a second. By having a high frame rate you should be able to catch the image where the jumper arches their back over the bar.

3. Think about location.

Firstly, get accreditation so you are able to wander round the ground. But make sure you are aware you can and cant go. Certain events, especially the throwing events such as hammer, discus, shot and javelin will have certain safety requirements that you must be aware of for your own and others safety. Being hit by a javelin is one sure way of spoiling the rest of your days photography. If in doubt follow the other professionals arround, but remember the photographers etiquette of not standing in front of another photographer. There are certain places that are common to stand, such as the track towards the end of the 100m or about 10m back from the sand for the long jump. If you are looking for more creative rather than commercial work you will no doubt want to think about other locations.

4. Go fast for shutter speeds.

Remember you are catching action shots of things moving rather quickly. You will therefore need a fast shutter speed to capture the moment so it produces a sharp image. Typically think of using a speed of at least 1/320th of a second. Certain events where there is a large amount of movement will need faster shutter speeds.

5. ISO speed

Use the minimum iso speed that allows you to use the shutter speed you need with the maximum aperture you have. Unless its a day where clouds are moving quickly in front of the sun changing the exposure conditions consider putting the camera to manual. ASA 400 is probably the slowest film speed setting, with 800 and 1000 iso fairly common.

6. Focus

If you camera has a servo mode focusing mode then set the camera to that, especially for track events. Otherwise consider prefocusing at a certain point and taking the picture at the appropriate moment. In automatic focusing mode try tracking the target prior to taking the picture to allow the camera time to focus rather than just pressing the shutter release then waiting until the lens focuses before the photograph is taken.

7. Get a monopod

As you are using a long lens the slightest camera movement is exaggerated. Monopods will enable you to steady the camera to help prevent camera shake blur. Most people will have a tripod however these tend to be impracticable.

8. If In Doubt - Shoot

It costs nothing to take a digital picture unlike traditional film. If in doubt take the picture, you can always discard the images later but you just might get the photograph of the match.

9. Respect the Officials and Athletes

The event you are photographing is for the athletes not for you. Show the athletes the respect they deserve and also obey any instructions the officials might have. You want to build up a reputation as an amiable photographer that helps publicize the event, not someone who is a pain in the &*().

10. Make Sure You Have

Spare batteries, memory cards, lens cleaning material, clothing and equipment if it starts to rain or sun block for you if it is hot and sunny and lots of business cards. The list really is endless, but remember also that you will have to carry the equipment around with you.

11. Know who is competing

It helps if you are familiar with the subject you are shooting. If you are keen on athletics you will probably know who the stars are and who is likely to be worthy of photographing. Knowing who is likely to cross the line first makes life a lot easier by positioning yourself at the appropriate location. Most track and field events are undertaken at the same time so you can't cover both the field events and the track events. get a program from the event organiser showing the times and participants in the events.

12. Expect the Unexpected

Have your wits about you. Be prepared to rapidly change what you are shooting, the expression on someones face when they realise they have broken a record, the hurdler who catches a hurdle with their foot and goes flying, the discus thrower who trips and falls out of the circle. You will find that there is so much going on that you won't be able to take everything in. The crowd however is good at alerting you to something significant is happening.

Using these 12 guidelines you will find that your success rate in capturing the moment are greatly improved and hopefully with that your enjoyment and possibly profit.

Paul Klein lives and works in Loughborough, Leicestershire. For examples of photographs of track and field events check the Loughborough University International Athletics.

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Underwater Case for the Following Canon Powershot Digital Cameras: S300, S230, S200, S110, S100, A400

The DiCAPac WP-400 is an all-weather vinyl case for compact digital cameras (with short zoom lenses) that lays nearly flat for storage and is totally waterproof up to 16 feet (5 meters) deep! Constructed from thick, high-grade vinyl with a UV-coated polycarbonate lens cover, the DiCAPac is designed to keep your camera clean and moisture-free in almost any environment. The patented "Roll & Velcro" zipper closure system provides two levels of protection to keep your case completely watertight, while the clear panels and flexible material allows you to maintain complete control over all your camera's functions. Best of all, the DiCAPac is extremely lightweight and can be tucked away in a pocket or small bag, making it by far the most convenient option for complete all-weather protection for your digital camera, not to mention the most affordable!

Stick To Your Theme

"I think I'll choose a Pepsi," the lady says in front of the vending machine.

Out comes the soft drink can of her choice.

She makes a choice based on preference (or need) and makes payment for it. Vertical marketing works much in the same way. If you were to open the interior of the machine, you would find that the soft drink cans are all lined up in a vertical row. All soft drinks of one selection are slotted into one vertical column, ready for dispensing.

There's no crossover. The cans must be lined up in the same dispensing vertical row, or they will deliver a wrong selection to the customer.

If you were the serviceman and haphazardly placed the cans in the machine in random positions, the results would be chaotic and unsatisfactory to customers.

NO CENTRAL THEME

Most beginning stock photographers make the mistake of building a stock file in random fashion, with no focussed marketing themes. Their picture-taking choices are "all across the board."

Because any one photobuyer's publication appeals to a vertical market (gardeners, pilots, medical technicians, teachers, etc.) photobuyers turn to vendors who can supply them pictures within those specialty areas. They can't afford to waste time on a vendor who does not offer an extensive selection of the product in the vertical market they need.

NO TEARS MARKETING

If the customer at the vending machine is served up a soft drink that doesn't fit their choice, they become irritated and pound on the machine and demand a return of their money. "This is not what I wanted!"

The soft drink they received may be of excellent taste and quality, but it doesn't match their needs. This realization may help to assuage your disappointment when a photobuyer rejects your submission of excellent pictures. The pictures may be of high quality, but you are vending them to the wrong buyer.

Stay within the vertical markets that you enjoy photographing in, and match with markets who need photos in those subject areas. At this moment, buyers are searching for you. Don't waste film or time on picture-taking that doesn't fit into your vertical market areas.

Rohn Engh is director of PhotoSource International and publisher of PhotoStockNotes. Pine Lake Farm, 1910 35th Road, Osceola, WI 54020 USA. Telephone: 1 800 624 0266 Fax: 1 715 248 7394. Web site: http://www.photosource.com/products

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Pcmicrostore- NB-4L Lithium Li-ion Compatible Digital Camera Battery for Canon PowerShot SD200 SD300 SD400 SD430 SD450 SD600 SD630 SD30 SD30 Digital ELPH and IXUS 30 40 50 60 65 and IXY 45 50 55

Compatible with following cameras Canon Powershot SD200 Canon Powershot SD300 Canon Powershot SD400 Canon Powershot SD430 Canon Powershot SD450 Canon Powershot SD600 Canon Powershot SD630 Canon Powershot SD30 Canon PowerShot SD30 Digital ELPH Canon Digital IXUS iZoom, IXUS i Zoom Canon Digital IXUS 30 Canon Digital IXUS 40 Canon Digital IXUS 50 Canon Digital IXUS 60 Canon Digital IXUS 65 Canon Digital IXY 45 Canon Digital IXY 50 Canon Digital IXY 55 Powershot SD1100 IS IXUS 65 / IXUS i7 / IXUS 80 IS

The new version of Photoshop which came out last year offers a whole new feature which allows photographers to take 32 bit images. HDR (high dynamic range) photography or 32 bit images allow the photographer to capture a much wider range of tones in the picture. This means a picture can contain shadow detail as well as details in the highlights or brightest parts of the picture.

First of all the photographer has to take a series of pictures of the scene he wants to photograph. The exposure must be bracketed so that all the tones in the shadows and highlights are captures. If the exposure is 1/250 th second at F8 then you take a picture at this exposure then a couple of pictures opening up the aperture by one stop at a time ie F8 and F5.6, and then 2 more exposures stopping down or closing the aperture to a smaller setting ie F16 and F22.

You then use Photoshop or a Photoshop plugin called Photomatix to open these exposures and blend them together using a process called tone mapping. This means the wide range of tones in the pictures are converted into one single image.
Photomatix is more powerful than Photoshop and it gives you a preview of how the final image looks.
Here is an example of a 32 bit image
http://www.32bitimages.com/?p=22

The picture looks more like a painting than a photograph . Hopefully this article will inspire all you photographers to go out and try this for yourself

Article by photographer David Rankin

http://www.32bitimages.com

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Canon 2.0x Tele-Conversion Lens For PowerShot G9 & G7

Compatible with the Powershot G7 & G9 digital camerasDoubles the focal length of the standard lensRequres conversion lens adapter (LA-DC58H)

If you've ever done shopping for the Nintendo Wii gaming console then you know how much of rarity it really is. Finding a cheap nintendo wii console is even harder. When it comes down to it, its about smart shopping and being tactful in your purchasing endevour. By doing so you can guarantee getting your hands a gaming system and games that fit your needs perfectly. Below are 5 tips for success when finding them and games for sale at the lowest possible price while still buying a working product.

1. Consider the source - If you are looking for a Nintendo Wii Sale from a local vendor, your likelyhood is next to nil. The benefit of buying from a local dealer is that you can usually assume that the product is new, but you are going to pay for it. Buying retail means that you are also paying for labor wages, their electric bill, taxes and probably somewhere around a twenty percent mark-up if not more for the item. Needless to say, you pay more, but for a new product.

2. Buying online is another method that may be useful, however again, consider the source. When buying online for a wii console or cheap games, read the fine print (if any), check for notations about scratches, inproper functionality, etc. Be thorough in this process.

3. Buy bundled and save! Buying a cheap nintendo wii bundle with games is a great way to get both games, accessories and the console at a single low price. Be aware though, sometimes bundles are a way of really jacking up the price. Always do price comparisons with the games and accessories to see how much of a deal you are really getting.

4. Buying second hand online can be fruitful! Buying second hand online is a great way to save big. often times people just didn't like their gaming system, or they got two for christmas, or they wanted a playstation 3, whatever the case always make sure to protect yourself. Buy insurance when applicable, ask about return policy, get all the answers befor you click (buy now). By proceeding with caution you can help ensure that you are getting a great product at a low price.

5. When buying a cheap nintendo wii console and games, find out why they are so cheap. Not to say you should be paranoid by any means, but do atleast bring up the question.

Simply stated when buying a cheap Nintendo Wii console for sale, you don't ask, you don't get. Finding an sale on a Nintendo Wii is very easy to do when you are both analytical and frugal. Stay sharp, ask questions, and when you see a good deal, act.

For a Cheap Nintendo Wii Console at a great price online visit http://www.Cheap-Nintendo-Wii.com where we have great prices everyday.

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Canon DR-2580C Color Duplex 25 Ppm Id Card Scanning 600 Dpi USB 2.0

Smart and stylish, the ultra-compact DR-2580C combines crisp, fast scanning in color and grayscale, duplex scanning, scan to e-mail and more. The DR-2580C is a flexible and efficient addition to any office.The stylish DR-2580C fits neatly on your desk, shelf or countertop so you'll hardly notice it at all until you need fast, sharp scanning. Ideal for busy enterprises where instant document capture is essential in a small space.Convenient A4 scanning is just the start. With its innovative straight paper path, the DR-2580C can handle small plastic cards, thick and thin paper and most types of forms. The addition of a detachable flatbed option gives you added flexibility to scan directly from bound books, reports and magazines.With one of the fastest scanning speeds around, at 25 pages per minute, the DR-2580C allows you to work fast and efficiently. It offers same speed simplex and duplex scanning so that you get fast, high quality scans the moment you need them.The DR-2580C provides black and white, 24-bit color, grayscale and duplex scanning, all with sharp, clear and detailed images, whether for graphics, photos or the lightest text. Features like high resolution (up to 600 dpi) scanning, auto shading and a Color Dropout feature that automatically removes red, green or blue provides control at your fingertips.Scan light text, signatures, pencil marks and notes without problems using the advanced text enhancement mode. The DR-2580C also has a "remove punch holes" function that automatically eliminates unsightly marks so that you always get clean, professional scans.
Customer Review: Perfect Small Quick Scanner for my Office
Great Scanner! Image quality is as good are much larger more expense scanners is a small portable size. The size of the scanner is perfect for traveling jobs. It easily slips into a carryon bag. The scanner is very quick for its size and handles large jobs well. For my start-up company, this was a perfect buy - right price, right size, right features. If needing barcode reading & printing cabability, be sure to purchase the barcode attachment as well.
Customer Review: Best little scanner in the world!
I own a Canon flatbed, which is a really nice scanner, however scans about 1ppm....enter this little jewel...Oh my my...this has saved my life! I am using it to scan all of my personal documents at home and also scanning every document in my medical office. Tremendous time savings as this little gem can fly through anything! I am already dreading the day that something happens to this, as I am totally hooked after using it for 24 hours! Small and portable as well, for those interested in those perks. I am looking to get a backup, just in case... No regrets, no kidding...

When I first decided that I wanted to become a photographer, I knew one of the most important things was choosing the right camera. There are several thousand different cameras. You can choose from from compact, SLR, to some of the top dogs such as Hasselblad! Of course if you're a new photographer like I was and you're to be considered amateur, not a hobbyist then there are several different ones I think you should take a look at. First and foremost Canon, Nikon, Fuji and Olympus are four of the very top camera brands you should be looking at if you're interested in photography. These cameras range from $100 on up to $900 depending on what brand you get. Canon and Nikon are of course two of the most popular camera brands, Fuji and Olympus come in second.

For my first camera, I decided to buy and Olympus SP-510 UZ, a lot of people said this wouldn't be the right camera for me simply because it was really jumping into the deep end without a life preserver! But I considered my options and figured this was the best camera for me at the time. I considered getting a Canon or Nikon, but wasn't ready to spend $600 or more for my first camera, heck i wasn't even sure I would be good at it! Obviously to my surprise, I actually was good at it and I'm hoping to buy a better one soon!

As said above, if you're interested in photography as a hobby, you probably wouldn't mind buying a compact camera for a few hundred dollars. These cameras are still great cameras but they lack quality in resolution, they also have less options, which might be good for beginner. However, if you're looking to find a more professional camera it's a good idea to look for SLR type cameras. Listed below are some of the best cameras, you can buy online:

Pentax K 20 D
Price $1100
Resolution 4672 x 3104.
Pixels 14.6 million.

Olympus E-520.
Price $600.
Resolution 3648 x 2736.
Pixels 10.0 million

Nikon D60.
Price $600.
Resolution 3872 x 2592.
Pixels 10.2 million.

Canon EOS 450D
Price $800
Resolution 4272 x 2848.
Pixels 12.2 million.

Now these are considered medium format cameras, but there are also large format cameras such as Hasselblad, Canon and Nikon. The prices on these can range from $2500 on up to $20,000. In my opinion these large format cameras are for professionals only, unless of course you have $20,000 to throw around!

If you're searching for cameras online have them be compact, or more professional you can search for topics relevant to digital cameras, digital photography, or buying cameras online. Good luck in your search!

This author is a huge fan of Top Digital Cameras

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