digital capture

Better
than ever
Professional Photographer catalogs the hottest gear
from an ever-expanding list of categories.
We say it every year: This year’s Hot1 Awards are bigger
and better than ever. Fact is, it’s true. Every go ’round, the
Hot1 Awards bring in more entries from more companies
than the year before, all vying for a spot in Professional
Photographer’s pantheon of hotshot products and services.
Another echo from years past: Competition is a good
thing for the pros who use those products and services.
This year, the contest itself got bigger. With digital
technology now in almost every photographer’s workflow, we’ve added several new
categories to reflect the current landscape of our profession. Clearly, it’s not a
question of whether or not you’ll use digital technology in your business, but of how
to take full advantage of these tools to maximize the quality of your products, the
efficiency of your studio, and the profitability of your business.
We invite you to peruse our judges’ top picks for products introduced in the
year 2005, then judge for yourself which ones are right for you.
—Jeff Kent, Hot1 Editor, jkent@ppa.com
‘‘
In the D2X, Nikon has
created a versatile camera
that suits every professional specialty. It has
excellent image quality and
the best ergonomics ever in
a digital camera. —STAN SHOLIK
52 • www.ppmag.com
DIGITAL CAPTURE
35MM-STYLE DIGITAL SLR
UNDER $3,000
Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT
One of two wins this year for a Canon EOS
Rebel, the XT translates the ease of use and
affordability of the film-based Rebels for the
digital world. The EOS Rebel XT features an
8-megapixel CMOS sensor, Canon DIGIC II
Image Processor and compatibility with over
50 EF lenses.
MSRP: $999 with lens; $899 without.
www.usa.canon.com
35MM-STYLE DIGITAL SLR
$3,000 TO $7,000
Nikon D2X
Photographers love this camera. The Nikon
D2X digital SLR offers both high resolution
for commercial shooters and high speed for
wedding, sports and event photographers.
The camera couples a 12.4-megapixel DX
format CMOS image sensor with a new
image-processing engine that works seamlessly with the optimized systems
throughout the camera.
With shutter lag a scant
37 milliseconds, the
D2X can capture fullresolution images at
5 fps, or 6.8megapixel
High Speed
Cropped
Images at
up to 8 fps for
35 consecutive
JPEGs, 26 NEFs.
MSRP: $4,999.95. www.nikonusa.com
35MM-STYLE DIGITAL SLR
OVER $7,000
MEDIUM-FORMAT
DIGITAL BACK
FILM CAPTURE
35MM CAMERA
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II
An update of the
hugely
popular
EOS-1Ds,
this version
has a fullframe,
16.7megapixel
CMOS
image sensor
working with a Canon DIGIC II Image Processor
to capture up to 32 consecutive shots at 4 fps.
Startup and card writing speeds are improved,
and auto focus takes just an instant, thanks
to the Canon 45-point AF system.
MSRP: $7,999.
www.usa.canon.com
LARGE-FORMAT
DIGITAL
VIEW CAMERA
Cambo Wide DS
The new Cambo Wide DS portable
camera matches medium-format digital backs
with true wide-angle optics. The DS system
accepts backs
from Leaf,
Phase One and
Imacon, and
provides the
image-control
movements of
large-format
cameras. The
Cambo DS
system includes
the latest digitalspecific Schneider Digitar lenses,
available in 24mm, 35mm and
47mm focal lengths, to provide
much wider focal lengths in
traditional formats.
MSRP: $4,599$6,299, depending on lenses and
configuration.
www.calumetphoto.com
Leaf Aptus
The Leaf Aptus digital back line includes the
22-megapixel Aptus 22 and the 17-megapixel
Aptus 17. Both have a 6x7-centimeter builtin LCD for better on-camera image evaluation,
focus confirmation and editing. One rechargeable lithium-ion battery powers the backs for
over 1,000 frames and more than four hours
of continuous operation. Working at a capture
rate of 1.2 seconds per frame, the backs
store shots directly to a 20GB Leaf Digital
Magazine that holds up to 1,175 files. Captures
can also be routed directly to a portable external
FireWire drive with dramatically greater storage
capacity. The Leaf Aptus is the first camera back
with a touch screen and a graphic
user interface (GUI), making it
easy to enter
settings for
custom
jobs. The
Aptus
backs employ
a new compressed raw
HDR
(CHDR) file
format for
lossless file
compression at half the size of raw HDR files.
MSRP: About $24,995 for the Aptus 22;
$17,995 for the Aptus 17.
www.leafamerica.com
Canon EOS Rebel T2
Just when it seemed the big guys had lost
interest in film capture, Canon surprised us
with an advanced new
35mm SLR,
featuring
many of the innovations of the digital era.
The state-of-the-art E-TTL II auto-flash
metering system calculates correct exposure
by comparing the ambient light with a preflash reflected off the subject, factoring in
areas in the frame with small differences and
ignoring reflective objects in the background
or foreground.
MSRP: $299. www.usa.canon.com
MEDIUM-FORMAT
CAMERA
MEDIUM-FORMAT
DIGITAL CAMERA
Hasselblad H2
The sequel to the 2003 Hasselblad H1, the
H2 boasts versatility and up-to-date features for today’s
Hasselblad H2D Camera
The Hasselblad H2D features Instant Approval
Architecture, an image approval and selection
tool that makes it easy to select and classify
images during a shoot. The H2D has a
37x49mm, 22-megapixel CCD sensor. The
ultra-bright, extra-large, “H-size” viewfinder
provides a generous viewing platform for
image composition. The H2D can be used
computer-tethered; with a flexible FireWire
drive to hold the image files; wireless with
images saved on a removable
CompactFlash card.
MSRP: $26,995.
www.hasselbladusa.com
high-tech photographer. Designed to integrate
with the Hasselblad Ixpress CF and Ixpress CFH
digital backs, the H2 allows seamless switching
(Film Capture, continued on p. 54)
January 2006 • Professional Photographer • 53
7 TH ANNUAL HOT 1 AWARDS
DIGITAL STORAGE
MEDIA
MEDIA CARD
SanDisk Ultra II 8GB CompactFlash
The new 8GB SanDisk Ultra II CompactFlash
card has a minimum sustained write speed of
9MB per second and read speed of 10MB per
second. High-density flash memory
combines with optimized controller
FILM CAPTURE, CONTINUED
between digital and film capture. The H2’s
advanced new Instant Approval Architecture
speeds image selection and classification.
The camera and digital back use the same
operating system, and both are powered by a
single battery.
MSRP: $2,829.
www.hasselbladusa.com
COLOR NEGATIVE FILM
Fujicolor Pro 160S and Pro 160C
Our judges heralded these two new Fuji
films for their smooth rendition of skin
tones, neutral gray balance, fine grain and
wide exposure latitude. With its gentle
tonal curve, Pro 160S is excellent for
wedding, portrait and fashion photography.
With its high contrast and saturated color,
Pro 160C is highly suitable for architectural
and commercial
54 • www.ppmag.com
technology for fast storage of large image
files. The card holds up to 646 8-megapixel
files, 1,272 4-megapixel images.
MSRP: $838.95. www.sandisk.com
PORTABLE HARD DRIVE
Seagate Technology 5.0 GB
USB 2.0 Pocket Hard Drive
Our judges got a kick out of this palm-sized
drive. It’s small enough to carry in a pocket,
but has a roomy 5GB storage capacity. Features include a retractable USB cable, low
power consumption and above-average reliability. Windows users can password-protect
files on these USB 2.0 bus-powered drives.
MSRP: $99. www.seagate.com
photography. Both films produce
RMS granularity of 3, notably
finer than their predecessors.
MSRP: $9.40, 36
exposures. www.fujifilm.com
COLOR
REVERSAL FILM
Fujichrome Velvia 100 Professional
Formulated with the same color palette
that made Fujichrome Velvia 50 so
successful, the new
Fujichrome
Velvia
100
delivers
finer
grain and
twice the
speed of
that landscape photographer’s favorite.
The film’s new color couplers improve
color stability, eliminating fading and
color shifts. Based on the ultrafine grain
emulsion technology of Fujichrome Provia
100F, the new film’s improved grain
structure does not diminish its high
color saturation.
MSRP: $13.42, 36 exposures.
www.fujifilm.com
PORTABLE
HARD DRIVE AND DISPLAY
Epson P-2000 Multimedia
Storage Viewer
With a 3.8-inch LCD screen and Epson Photo
Fine technology, the P-2000 is a high-resolution device for viewing and storing images on
location. The unit has a 40GB hard drive to
hold image, video and audio files, and comes
with Epson’s Hi-Speed USB 2.0 interface for
zippy transfer of photos, videos and audio files.
It supports JPEG, RAW, MPEG4, Motion JPEG,
MP3, AAC and other file formats, has built-in
slots for CF and SD memory cards, and with
the optional third-party adapter, can support
most other digital camera storage media.
MSRP: $499. www.epson.com
LIGHTING
EQUIPMENT
CAMERA FLASH
Canon Speedlite 580EX
The meticulously revised, top-of-the-line
Canon Speedlite is smaller and
lighter than previous
versions, yet yields
more power and
notably faster
recycling. The
580EX’s new digital
SLR-specific features
include the ability to
transmit flash color
temperature
information, and to
vary the zoom setting
to match the camera’s
imaging sensor.
MSRP: $479.
www.usa.canon.com
LIGHT MODIFIER
Profoto StripLights
Available in three sizes—27, 51 and 75
inches long—Profoto’s hard-sided
StripLights can generate a range of
lighting effects, from sharp outlines
to soft-edged shadows. These
stackable lights can be
combined to create more
light. Depending on size,
they come with one, two or three
flash tubes, each with its own
connection to the flash
generator. StripLights have an
integrated stand adapter, and
come with a standard frosted
Plexiglas cover.
Price: $2,492-$5,959.
www.profoto-usa.com
LIGHTING ACCESSORY
Manfrotto Articulated Arms
Manfrotto’s new articulated arms are compact
and lightweight, yet offer high loadcapacity
LIGHT METER
Gossen Digipro F
The Gossen Digipro F meters both flash and
ambient light via a convenient swivel head.
Slim yet sturdy, the pocket-size meter can be
operated with one hand.
The Digipro F comes
with incident and
reflected light
modes and has
an LCD screen
for viewing
digital readouts in 1/10step increments.
Features
include multiple
flash calculation,
onboard
memory for
storing presets,
preprogramming
of exposure
corrections, shutter
speed and aperture priority modes, and a
comprehensive range of frame speeds for CINE.
MSRP: $251.95.
www.bogenimaging.us
and optimum arm length. The new arms
provide more positioning flexibility and better
safety than previous models. The single- and
double-arm versions come in either two or
three sections, with or without a camera bracket.
MSRP: $35-$136.
www.bogenimaging.us
PORTABLE LIGHT UNIT
Calumet Travelite System
Building on its popular Travelite monolight
system, Calumet made this setup truly portable
with the addition of the Travel-Pak rechargeable battery. Travelites fire off up to 300 fullpower flashes with no need to plug in. These
self-contained flash units are available in two
models, 750 watt-seconds (WS) and 375 WS.
‘‘
The Calumet
Travelite System is
the ideal solution for
location and portrait
photographers. It's
compact, available in
kits with a travel
case, and can be
powered by Calumet's
compact battery pack.
’’
—STAN SHOLIK
When
connected to
the Travel-Pak,
the 375 WS unit
will recycle in 3
seconds. Both units
feature short flash
durations, internal
stabilization control and
a built-in photocell. The
system includes a multivoltage charger, battery connecting cable and
a weather-proof carrying case.
MSRP: Travelites $469-$569. TravelPak $549. www.calumetphoto.com
January 2006 • Professional Photographer • 55
7 TH ANNUAL HOT 1 AWARDS
LENSES
LARGE-FORMAT LENS
LIGHTING EQUIPMENT, CONTINUED
POWER PACK
Profoto D4 4800
The Profoto D4 4800 power pack distributes
juice from four fully asymmetric lamp outlets,
to deliver color
spectrum stability
from flash to
receivers through adapters that relay
commands via a FreeXWire FW9T transmitter. The receivers, the new FW7Q and
FW8R, can be connected directly to Qflash
T5d light units. The system works with all
popular TTL systems; upgrades are available
for existing Quantum products to make
them compatible with this new system.
MSRP: FW89 Set: $462; FW9T
Transmitter: $231; FW8R Receiver: $231;
FW7Q Receiver: $184. www.qtm.com
STUDIO LIGHTING SYSTEM
Westcott Spiderlite TD5
The TD5 (tungsten/daylight, five lamps) is
the second version of F.J. Westcott’s well-
flash. This
stability owes to
a new hybrid flash
technology that
regulates output through a combination of
capacitor groups, voltage regulators and
advanced microprocessors; power variation
is less than 1/100 f/stop. The versatile D4
4800 includes a built-in PocketWizard
receiver with 32-channel/4-quad triggering
capability and Profoto Studio Software for
remote control via computer.
Price: $8,430. www.profoto-usa.com
SLAVE/TRIGGER SYSTEM
Quantum Wireless TTL System
The new Quantum QTTL
system wirelessly links
Qflash 5d series flashes
to digital and film
cameras from Canon,
Nikon, Olympus,
Hasselblad, Mamiya
and Contax. The
system transmits
wireless TTL to
remote FreeXWire
56 • www.ppmag.com
Cooke Series XVa Triple
Convertible Lens
An update to the acclaimed
Cooke Series XV Triple
Convertible Lens,
the XVa is made
specifically for
8x10 cameras.
With design
input from
leading largeformat photographers, the lens has
extraordinary clarity in
three cell combinations, three
fully legible f/stop scales on the
shutter, color correction for contemporary film
stock, and the Cooke multi-coating system,
which virtually eliminates flares and ghosting.
The XVa keeps images true over different
focal length combinations and offers focal lengths
of 645mm (front cell only), 476mm (back cell
only) and 311mm (front and back). Combine
two lenses for two additional focal lengths.
MSRP: $2,400. www.cookeoptics.com
LENS FILTER
regarded Spiderlite system. True to its
moniker, the TD5 unit accepts up
to five lamps, either 150-watt
halogens or 27-watt fluorescents.
This adaptability lets photographers
quickly alter color temperature to
their liking. The Spiderlite TD5 puts
out 500 watts of power using a
15-foot 120-volt switch cord.
Built-in points allow direct
attachment of a soft box, and a
handle provides easy rotation.
Available in kits in a couple of
configurations, bulbs sold separately.
MSRP: $539.
www.fjwestcott.com
ExpoDisc White Balance Filter
The ExpoDisc Digital White Balance Filter
essentially works like a gray card in a filter,
but is easier to use and more consistent. The
snap-on disc is a neutral diffusion filter that
collects the ambient light in a virtual 180-degree
arc, then transmits 18 percent of that light to
the camera’s light meter. The resulting “gray
frame” represents the colorcast of the light
present in the scene. With digital cameras,
this gray frame can be used to set custom
white balance.
Price: $79.95-$129.95. Frog not included.
www.expoimaging.net
MACRO LENS
Canon EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro USM
Optimized for select Canon EOS digital SLRs,
the EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro USM lens’s
angle of view is equivalent to a 96mm lens on
a 35mm camera. Its floating optical system
focuses down to 1:1 magnification. With its
ring-type USM for inner focusing, the overall
lens length never changes during focus.
Compatible with the EOS 20D, EOS Digital
Rebel and EOS Digital Rebel XT.
MSRP: $449. www.usa.canon.com
MEDIUM-FORMAT LENS
Hasselblad HC 120mm f/4 Macro
With focus from infinity to 1:1, the Hasselblad
HC 120mm f/4 Macro lens is a versatile new
piece of glass for Hasselblad H cameras. Its
focal range is suitable for everything from
landscapes to close-ups to table-top photography. You can optimize the lens’s auto-focus
performance by using the camera menu on H1
and H2 cameras to set the focus range to
near, far or full range.
MSRP: $3,500. www.hasselbladusa.com
groups, including both
ED and Super ED glass
lens elements. It has an
interior focus with a
floating mechanism.
The maximum aperture
of f/2 provides good
sharpness and color,
even in low light. It’s
solidly built with highquality materials yet weighs
less than 3.5 pounds.
MSRP: $2,499.95.
www.olympusamerica.com
WIDE ZOOM LENS
MANUAL-FOCUS LENS
Lensbaby 2.0
The Lensbaby 2.0 is the second generation of
the selective focus SLR lens that captured our
judges’ fancy in 2004. The Lensbaby brings
one area of the frame in sharp focus while
distorting the rest in a graduated blur. It has
three key improvements over the original: there’s
an f/2 aperture setting in addition to f/2.8, f/4,
f/5.6 and f/8; in place of the single uncoated
glass element of the original, there’s coated lowdispersion optical glass doublet with a highrefractive index that creates a sweet spot of sharp
focus at all apertures; and for quicker aperture
changes, the levitating magnetic aperture
system replaces the rubber gasket.
MSRP: $150. www.lensbabies.com
STANDARD ZOOM LENS
Canon EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM
Equivalent to a 28-135mm lens in 35mm format, the focal range of Canon’s new 17-85mm
EF-S lens spans wide-angle to telephoto.
Optically optimized for the EOS 20D and
Digital Rebel cameras, the lens has Canon’s
integrated Image Stabilization, which enables
hand-held shooting up to three shutter
speeds slower than with unstabilized lenses.
MSRP: $599. www.usa.canon.com
TELEPHOTO LENS
Olympus Zuiko 150mm f/2.0
Digital Specific Lens
This highly portable, digitally optimized
telephoto lens has 11 lens elements in nine
Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM
Digitally optimized for the EOS 20D and
Digital Rebel digital SLR cameras, the EF-S
10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 can focus as close as
9.5 inches. Equivalent to a 16-35mm zoom
in 35mm format, it
combines high performance and solid
optics. Three aspherical
lens elements combine
with a Super-UD
element for top-grade
image quality. A ringtype USM provides fast
and silent auto-focusing,
as well as full-time
manual focus.
MSRP: $799.
www.usa.canon.com
WIDE-ANGLE LENS
Sinar Bron Sinaron HR 4.5/28 Lens
For an extreme wide-angle, ultra highresolution digital lens, the judges gave the
nod to the new Sinaron HR 4.5/28. The HR
(high-resolution) 4.5/28 offers excellent
sharpness, strong contrast rendition, and
resolution of 60 line pairs per millimeter.
It’s available with automatic aperture
control in CAB models, and
with an incorporated
magnetic shutter
and a manual aperture setting in the
CMV version.
MSRP: $16,050.
www.sinarbron.com
January 2006 • Professional Photographer • 57
7 TH ANNUAL HOT 1 AWARDS
DIGITAL PRINTER
MORE THAN $5,000
“With the Epson Stylus Pro 4800 there's no
more bronzing, and the detail in the
shadow areas has improved. Inkjet
printers have come unbelievably far in a
short period of time.” —BOB COATES
OUTPUT
DIGITAL PRINTER
LESS THAN $500
Epson Stylus Photo RX620
Priced less than $300, the Epson Stylus
Photo RX620 digital printer with built-in
scanner is like an in-house photo lab. The
device includes Epson technology for restoring
color to faded
slides, negatives
and prints.
Variable-size ink
droplets as
small as three
picoliters yield
resolution up to
5,760x1,440
optimized dpi. The
unit has a 2.5-inch color LCD for viewing and
selecting images, a USB port, a PictBridge
camera connection, and slots for all
mainstream card formats.
MSRP: $299. www.epson.com
DIGITAL PRINTER
BETWEEN $500 & $1,000
Epson Stylus Photo R2400
Outfitted with Epson UltraChrome K3 ink
technology, the Stylus
Photo R2400
produces widegamut color
via highdensity
pigments,
top-notch black-and-white, and archival
permanence. Using Microcrystal Encapsulation
technology, this device delivers solid highgloss, scratch-resistant prints. The print
driver interface includes quick-toning presets,
separate controls for shadow and highlight
tonality control, a maximum optical density
control, a reduced gloss differential setting
and a custom tone control. Fantastic results
converting color images to black-and-white
prints. The Stylus Photo R2400 prints on a
variety of media up to 13 inches wide.
MSRP: $849. www.epson.com
DIGITAL PRINTER
BETWEEN $1,000 & $5,000
Epson Stylus Pro 4800
Also incorporating UltraChrome K3 inks, the
high-end Stylus Pro 4800 impressed our
judges with its speed and high resolution.
One of the fastest-ever Epson inkjet printers,
it can pump out a
16x20-inch
print at
1,440x720
dpi in
0:06:41
minutes.
The unit’s inchwide print head
carries 180 nozzles per channel to deliver
resolution up to 2,880x1,440 dpi in variablesized ink droplets as small as 3.5 picoliters.
The Stylus Pro 4800 accepts a wide
variety of media, in rolls up to 17 inches
wide, cut sheets 8x10 to 17x22 inches.
MSRP: $1,995. www.epson.com
Canon imagePROGRAF W8400
Canon takes the
big-daddy printer
category with the
imagePROGRAF
W8400
pigment ink
large-format
printer. This highspeed device
accepts media up to 44 inches wide. Canon’s
proprietary print head technology pushes
through 2,400x1,200-dpi prints with fourpicoliter ink droplets. Print speed approaches
307 square feet per hour at 1,200x1,200 dpi;
highest-res mode produces 2,400x1,200 dpi
prints at 26 square feet per hour.
MSRP: $5,995. www.usa.canon.com
COLOR PAPER
Fujicolor Crystal Archive Paper Super
Type C and Super Type PD
Super Type C yields vibrant color reproduction, clean whites, strong highlight detail
and sharp text. Super Type PD offers
excellent natural
skin tone gradation,
along with clean
whites and good
highlight detail.
Both papers feature Fujifilm’s unique coupler
and thin-layer coating technologies.
Priced for labs and stockhouses.
www.fujifilm.com
PHOTO-QUALITY
PRINTER PAPER
Legion Paper Digital
Rag Inkjet Paper
New from Bogen
Imaging, Legion Paper
Digital Rag Inkjet Paper is a
pure white, instant-drying,
anti-curl, neutral-pHbalanced, archival paper.
Made for use in all inkjet printers, this acidand lignin-free, all-cotton heavy-weight
paper has a non-smudge surface.
MSRP: $27-$225.
www.bogenimaging.us
7TH ANNUAL HOT1 AWARDS
SOFTWARE &
INTERNET SERVICES
ALBUM DESIGN
SCANNING
FILM SCANNER
Epson Perfection 4490 Photo
The Epson Perfection 4490 Photo features
hardware resolution of 4,800x9,600 dpi, 3.4
D-max, Epson Easy Photo Fix one-touch color
restoration and dust and scratch removal via
Digital ICE technology. The 4490 includes a
holder for batch scanning 35mm slides,
negatives and other film types.
MSRP: $249. www.epson.com
ExpressDigital Darkroom
Professional Edition
Created as a one-stop design, workflow and
output solution, the ExpressDigital Darkroom
Professional Edition caters to portrait, wedding,
sports and event photographers. The software
package includes
an album
builder with 150
templates. You
can print the
laid-out pages
in-studio or
outsource the
printing to a
professional
lab. ExpressDigital Darkroom has built-in
connectivity for electronic file transfer to
Labtricity-enabled labs.
MSRP: $1,395. www.expressdigital.com
has replaced v2.6 with an upgrade, Version 3.
The new version carries the same capabilities, plus a few new features, all for the
same price.
MSRP: $199.
www.iview-multimedia.com
CAMERA
Phase One Capture One PRO
The Capture One PRO professional RAW
workflow solution helps photographers fly
through digital editing. It not only speeds
workflow, but also
applies fundamental
improvements in image
quality to RAW digital
SLR files as they run
through it. The
software supports 36
RAW DSLR file
formats, including those
from Canon, Nikon,
Fujifilm, Olympus,
Pentax, Konica-Minolta
and Epson.
MSRP: $499,
LE $99. www.phaseone.com
ASSET MANAGEMENT
MULTI-FORMAT SCANNER
Canon CanoScan LiDE 500F
The sleek CanoScan LiDE 500F Color Image
Scanner scans fast for a model in this class,
and displays previews in a matter of seconds.
The entire scanning process can be automated
via four buttons: Copy, Scan, PDF and EMail. Simply position the original, select the
setting for the intended use of the image,
and let the scanner take care of the rest.
MSRP: $129.99. www.usa.canon.com
IMAGE EDITING
iView MediaPro 2.6
iView MediaPro 2.6iView MediaPro is a do-itall asset management system for professional
photographers. It facilitates image presentation,
editing, publishing and cataloging. The catalogs
are accessible to both Windows and Mac platforms, and can be distributed via the Internet,
from server to server, among volumes, or on
portable media. Version 2.6 improved the
application’s information and file management,
custom publishing, distribution and archiving
output, color profile management, and image
editing tools. As of our publication date, iView
Adobe Photoshop CS2
Adobe Photoshop maintains its king-of-thejungle status with its latest generation, CS2.
New features include Vanishing Point, Image
Warp, an Enhanced Spot Healing Brush, and
Smart Objects. CS2 also takes a stab at
augmenting Photoshop’s workflow features.
Adobe Bridge
replaces the File
Browser to provide
multi-view file
browsing and
integration across
all Adobe Creative
Suite 2 software.
RAW workflow is
improved, allowing
simultaneous
modifications for
multiple RAW files, and
RAW file batch processing can now be
conducted in the background without
launching Photoshop.
MSRP: $649. www.adobe.com
7 TH ANNUAL HOT 1 AWARDS
SOFTWARE & INTERNET, CONTINUED
PRESENTATION/SLIDESHOW
IMAGE EDITING PLUG-IN
Photodex ProShow Producer
Another winner from the makers of the
popular ProShow Gold. New from Photodex,
ProShow Producer professional presentation
software is easy to use. Designed to streamline
the studio workflow, ProShow Producer helps
photographers create pro-grade slide
shows. Features
include
multiple layers
per slide, RAW
file support,
custom show
templates,
professional
DVD menu
authoring,
color profile
awareness,
watermarking, captioning, and
manual show control.
MSRP: $499.95. www.photodex.com
Eye Candy 5: Impact
New from Alien Skin, Eye
Candy 5: Impact is a set of
10 plug-in filters for Adobe
Photoshop and other
compatible host programs.
The filter effects include
chrome, bevels, glass
buttons, perspective
shadows and a variety of
others. Impact has seven
rewritten Eye Candy classic
effects, plus three brand-new filters:
Backlight for dramatic spotlight effects;
Brushed Metal for texturing metal surfaces; and
Extrude for giving a 3-D look to 2-D objects.
MSRP: $99. www.alienskin.com
PAINTING
Corel Painter IX
Corel Painter impresses anew with version IX.
New features include Quick Clone, a tool
that simplifies initiation to the painting
process. Some brushes work 10 times faster
than in previous versions. The new Artists’
Oils painting system works like real oil paint,
and Art Pen brushes are designed to take
advantage of Wacom 6D Art Pen technology.
Painter IX also has improved support for
Adobe Photoshop for smoother interchanges
between the two programs.
MSRP: $429, upgrade $229.
www.corel.com/painterix
62 • www.ppmag.com
STUDIO MANAGEMENT
Kodak Proshots Studio Software Suite 6.3
Kodak Proshots approaches studio management a little differently than some past
winners in
this category.
In place of a
customer
tracking and
accounting
system, this
software
tackles image organization, presentation, distribution, sales and tracking. This system facilitates interaction between studio and lab and
provides sales-boosting online image presentation options. Proshots streamlines the workflow
by automating common studio tasks. This version also connects users to partner suppliers in
the Kodak Proshots system, such as album producers, labs and studio management services.
MSRP: Free download for current
Proshots users; $249 for the software
package. www.kodak.com/proshots
ONLINE
PHOTOGRAPHY
SERVICES –
IT’S A TIE!
Marathon
Press Client
Connections
Featuring an
innovative online
ordering system,
Marathon Press Client
Connections lets studios create
personalized, illustrated
correspondence with their clients in just
minutes. The final product is a personalized
fold-over note card sealed with a
gold foil sticker and mailed first class to your
clients directly from Marathon Press.
MSRP: Variable.
www.marathonpress.com
Collages.net Fully Integrated
Workflow Solution
Collages.net is in the business of making
things easy for photographers. Its Integrated
Workflow Solution enables order fulfillment
through more than 25 professional color
labs. Here’s how it works: The photographer
uploads digital files, organizes the images
and launches a unique password-protected
Web site, where the customer can view the
images and order prints. The photographer
is notified of the order via e-mail and can
print the order himself, send the order to a
non-participating lab of his choice, or
automatically submit the order to a
participating Collages.net lab.
MSRP: Free to photographers;
$2,500 for participating labs.
www.collages.net
STUDIO & LOCATION
EQUIPMENT
BACKGROUND –
IT’S A TIE!
Denny Manufacturing OM2347 ZAFRAN
An ideal backdrop for portraits of dancers, this
hand-painted canvas has a versatile
color set. Subtle
yet diversified, the
OM2347 ZAFRAN
complements the
subject without
drawing attention
to itself. Some
photographers
even favor this
background for
bridal portraiture.
MSRP: $592. www.dennymfg.com
Denny Manufacturing Scenic Design
Tree House Set
Denny managed to tie itself this year. Our
judges also loved the Scenic Design Tree
House Set for child portraiture. You can make
this background
look even more
realistic by adding
a touch of
greenery. The set
includes an 8x8foot FlexTex tree
house, an 85-inch
high tree and a
two-piece tree
house deck
measuring 93x36x4 inches.
MSRP: $2,347. www.dennymfg.com
CAMERA BAG
Lowepro Rolling
CompuTrekker
Plus AW
Backpack
Lowepro built the
Rolling CompuTrekker Plus AW
backpack
for digital
equipment. It provides safe transport of
cameras, lenses and accessories, as well as a
laptop computer (up to 15.4 inches wide).
The backpack’s sealed bearing wheels
smooth the ride and provide shock
absorption. A protective sleeve for a laptop
can be slipped inside the padded front of the
pack or carried separately. The Rolling
CompuTrekker Plus AW includes an allweather cover and adjustable backpack harness
with padded, contoured shoulder straps.
MSRP: $259. www.lowepro.com
CAMERA CASE – IT’S A TIE!
Pelican 1510 Carry
On Case
The rugged Pelican 1510
Carry On Case complies
with airline rules for
overhead bin storage.
This camera
case
features
rubberized
front and
side grips,
polyurethane
wheels, extension
handle and metal-reinforced
padlock protectors. Like all Pelican
cases, the 1510 has an open cell-core
solid wall construction, making it impact
resistant, watertight and lightweight.
A neoprene o-ring seal on the lid protects
contents from dust and water, and a
Gore-Tex purge valve thwarts moisture.
Interior dimensions: 20.24x11.38x7.58
inches.
MSRP: $211.25. www.pelican.com
Tenba Air Case
Roadshow
Collection
The new Tenba
Roadshow
Collection is
designed for
secure transport
of computer and
digital equipment.
The Roadshow line
includes three cases for
Apple Cinema Displays, two for
Apple iMac computers, two for Macintosh G5
towers, one for projector/multimedia
applications, and one for laptop computers.
The interior of each model is customfitted for its specific contents.
Roadshow cases feature Tenba’s
patented Air Case construction, a
combination of a reinforced ballistic
nylon outer shell and an interior built
around a multi-layered skeleton of
air-channeled plastic panels, highdensity foam and specially molded
framing components.
MSRP: $400-$950.
www.tenbagear.com
COLOR MANAGEMENT
SYSTEM
X-Rite Pulse Color Elite System
Our judges
liked this
high-end
color
management system for its
“X-Rite has done a stellar job of
designing an easy to use product for profiling output devices with the Pulse Color
Elite System. The new Spectrophotometer
is fast, accurate, and makes the process of
measuring color targets a snap.” —ANDREW RODNEY
January 2006 • Professional Photographer • 63
7 TH ANNUAL HOT 1 AWARDS
STUDIO & LOCATION, CONTINUED
new color measurement technology and cuttingedge software. At its core, Pulse is powered by
advanced profiling software. The interface walks
users through the profiling process for monitors,
printers, scanners and digital cameras. The software’s editing options include curve adjustments
and a unique gamut view for color analysis. The
Pulse comes with a handheld spectrophotometer with built-in memory to store up to 3,000
patches, and enough battery life for 10 profiles.
Price: $1,095-$1,795.
www.xritephoto.com
DIGITAL PROJECTOR
Epson PowerLite 765c
Weighing less than 4 pounds and measuring
7.6x10.9x2.7 inches, the
EDUCATIONAL
RESOURCES
BOOKS
“The Photoshop CS2 Book for Digital
Photographers,” by
Scott Kelby
There are few
experts better
suited to
instruct you in
Adobe
Photoshop
than Scott
Kelby,
president of
64 • www.ppmag.com
‘‘
wireless Epson PowerLite 765c multimedia
projector is a portable yet feature-laden unit
for multimedia presentations. Super-quiet, it
delivers 32-bit color output. The PowerLite
765c provides native-XGA resolution
(1,024x768) and up to 2,500-ANSI lumens of
brightness. It’s driven by Epson’s 3LCD
technology, a three-chip design that projects
continuous color and brightness.
MSRP: $2,299. www.epson.com
TRIPOD OR CAMERA STAND
Gitzo G1298 Basalt Tripod
Tougher yet lighter than aluminum and
with better vibration absorption, basalt
is the ultimate material for tripod and
camera stand construction. Gitzo’s G1298
Basalt tripod features anti-rotational,
keyed legs that open and close without
having protruding knobs, locks or
levers. Photographers can loosen or
tighten any section of the tripod
without having to fiddle with the
adjacent lock. Gitzo’s Basalt Tripods
come in six sizes.
MSRP: $268.95-$347.95.
www.bogenimaging.com
Lightweight yet
sturdy, the
Gitzo Basalt
Tripod is a fine
travelling
companion.
’’
—JOAN SHERWOOD
the National Association of Photoshop
Professionals, editor of Mac- and Adobeoriented magazines, and best-selling author
of Photoshop books. In this volume, Kelby
delves into the latest and most relevant
Adobe Photoshop CS2 techniques for digital
photographers. He presents step-by-step
work-throughs of the methods used by
today’s hottest digital shooters. He doesn’t
leave out the nuts and bolts, either.
MSRP: $39.99. www.peachpit.com
ONLINE RESOURCE
OlympusDigitalSchool.com
With lessons ranging from novice to
advanced expert, the online Olympus Digital
School provides tutoring in a variety of
current technologies and techniques. The
guides provide step-by-step illustrations
and discussions on cutting-edge techniques.
The school is open 24/7, and best of all,
it’s free!
MSRP: Free.
www.olympusdigitalschool.com
ALBUMS & FRAMING
DIRECT-PRINT
PHOTO ALBUM
Asuka Book
Asuka Book captures this year’s Direct-print
Photo Album award for its coffee-table style
photo books. Completely customizable, the
books range in size from 5x5 to 10x10
inches. They come in hard- and soft-cover
formats (glossy or satin) and perfect bound
or stitched. Using templates provided by
Asuka, photographers build the layout in
Photoshop, insert the image files and
submit the digital pages to Asuka for
printing. Asuka Books work well as albums
for weddings, portraits, specialty baby
photograph collections, events and more.
MSRP: $22-244. www.asukabook.com
FRAME
seven-inch screen. The audio-enabled unit
also plays MP3 files, CDs and regular DVDs. It
can be plugged in or powered with a
rechargeable lithium-ion battery for takeanywhere portability.
MSRP: $349.
www.mediastreet.com/emotion
TRADITIONAL
PHOTO ALBUM
Zookbinders Zook Book
Zook Book is an all-panorama-style, flush
album with no visible hinges. With the book
NOVELTY OR ADD-ON
SALES ITEM – IT’S A TIE!
Draper Imaging Group Legacy
Image Portrait Jewelry
Combining fine art jewelry design with technology, the Draper Imaging Group pairs precious
metals and gemstones with porcelain portrait
pendants or
cabochons. The
Legacy Image
Portrait Jewelry
collection
ranges from
cutting-edge
fashion pieces to
classic designs
featuring pearls, quartz,
turquoise and Swarovski crystal and more.
MSRP: $60-$1,200 or more.
www.draperimaging.com
Treasureknit TKColorWeave
Full Color Photo Blanket.
Treasureknit weaves digital images into
full-color blankets (also available as throws).
It’s not a printing or silk-screening
open and laid flat, the two-page images
appear to be virtually seamless. The book’s
construction allows you to design spreads in
place of separate left and right pages of
images, providing versatility and decreasing
design time. The Zook Book comes in 12 sizes
and can be designed with six to 35 pages.
These leather-bound books are hand-gilded,
and the pages are made of high-quality,
thick stock.
MSRP: $450-$775.
www.zookbinders.com
OTHER DISPLAY ITEM
Neil Enterprises Photo Memory Album
This year, multi-functional is the name of
the game in display items. The Photo
Media Street eMotion Multimedia
Photo Frame & Portable DVD Player
It’s a digital world and Media Street understands the cartography. This year the company released a multimedia frame for the 21st
century. The eMotion Multimedia Photo Frame &
Portable DVD Player displays digital
photographs and movies on a high-resolution,
process—the image is woven into the
fabric of the blanket. This process makes
the colors highly fade resistant, wash
after wash.
MSRP: $149.95.
www.treasureknit.com
Memory Album is a frame,
a CD holder and a photo album, all in one.
Measuring 6x8 inches with a brushed
aluminum surface, the Photo Memory
Album’s velveteen back opens to reveal a
storage compartment for one CD and 16
4x6-inch prints. Pro photographers can have
these frames custom imprinted.
MSRP: $6 each.
www.neilenterprises.com n
January 2006 • Professional Photographer • 65