REALLY INTO IT!
GEAR GUIDE 2005
>
GEAR CHECKLIST
DIGITAL SLRs
VERSATILE LENSES
FILM SCANNERS
MONITOR CALIBRATION
ENTHUSIAST SOFTWARE
HOME LIGHTING KITS
PRO-LEVEL FLASH
WACOM TABLETS
ꢃ
ꢃ
ꢃ
ꢃ
ꢃ
ꢃ
ꢃ
ꢃ
ou’re really into it
when you need a big
camera bag to carry
Y
your normal kit, not just a
belt pouch or fanny pack.
We figure a lot of you fall
into this category: the kind
of people who plan vaca-
tions around photography,
not vice versa, and who
wouldn’t think of going to a
family party without an
extra camera body, and a
system flash, and maybe
some slave units, and….
DSLRs: THEY’RE
ALL ABOUT CONTROL
L
Frustrated with the shutter lag and lens limitations of your compact digital cam-
✚
era? Tired of spending money developing photos you don’t want from your 35mm
SLR? If so, then it’s time to get serious with a digital SLR. There are several
advanced models ranging in price from $799 to $1,500 that give you nearly
instant shutter response and a wide choice of lenses and accessories. They also
deliver amazing image quality, advanced control features, fast focusing speeds,
lower noise at higher ISO settings, and rapid-burst shooting modes.
Canon
EOS 20D
$
$ 1,499 street
(BODY ONLY)
$
1,599 street
(WITH 18–55MM F/4–5.6 EF-S LENS)
EF-S lens
ꢂ 800-652-2666
ꢂ $1,500 est. street, body only
ꢂ 877-462-4464
800-652-2666
ꢀ
ꢁ
The 8.2MP Canon EOS 20D may offer The first digital SLR under $1,000, The long-awaited Maxxum
the most bang for the buck, with the Canon’s EOS Digital Rebel is still a bar- 7D should be arriving in
highest image quality and best overall gain despite stiff competition. It features stores by the time you
performance of the bunch. It features a 6.3MP resolution and extremely high read this—we hope. This
rugged magnesium-alloy body, super- image quality, a low-noise APS-sized 6MP DSLR has a built-in
fast AF, a blazing 5-fps burst mode, and CMOS sensor, a great AF system, long- anti-shake system that
advanced flash functions. Plus, unlike life battery, and compatibility with all works with most Maxxum
most compacts and EVFs, the 20D han- Canon EF lenses including the new EF- lenses (albeit with a 1.5X 35mm lens fac-
dles low-light shooting up to ISO 1600 S lenses. OK, it lacks the custom func- tor). Built along the lines of the 35mm
without a dramatic increase in noise tions and rugged body of the EOS 10D Maxxum 7, it has advanced metering and
(a.k.a. digital grain). Downside: the or 20D, and you get a slower burst
APS-sized sensor means a 1.6X 35mm capability, but you can’t beat
lens factor. 5.7x4.2x2.8 INCHES BODY ONLY its price. 5.6x3.9x2.9 INCHES
exposure controls, white balance with
manual color-temperature adjust-
ment, Eye-start, and a fast AF
system. Slightly pricey for a
6MP DSLR, but its Anti-Shake
system will save $$ on image-
stabilized lenses. 5.9x4.2x3.1 INCH-
•
1.7 POUNDS WITH BATTERY AND CARD
BODY ONLY
•
1.4 POUNDS
WITH BATTERY AND CARD
TESTED NOVEMBER 2003
•
Canon EOS
Digital Rebel
ꢂ $799 street, body only
ES BODY ONLY 1.7 POUNDS WITHOUT BAT-
•
Konica Minolta
$
899 with 18–55mm f/3.5–5.6 Maxxum 7D
TERY OR CARD • FIRST LOOK OCTOBER 2004
POPULAR PHOTOGRAPHY & IMAGING/DECEMBER 2004
WWW.POPPHOTO.COM
73
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.
GEAR GUIDE 2005
>
L
and a fast FireWire connector plus USB. components, an 11-zone (nine cross-
Plus, it’s the first DSLR to use a Kodak type) AF system, and a super view-
4:3 format CCD sensor with ultrasonic finder. But where are the rechargeable
dust removal. Image quality is impres- AA batteries? 5.4x3.8x2.9 INCHES BODY
sive, with low noise, extremely high ONLY • 1.4 POUNDS WITH BATTERY AND
color accuracy, and advanced color- CARD • TESTED JANUARY 2004
space and white-balance controls. Both
Nikon D70
$
999 street
(BODY ONLY)
$
$
1,299 street
(WITH 18–70MM F/3.5–4.5G DX LENS)
800-645-6689
ꢀ
ꢁ
Olympus’ E-1 and the upcoming Evolt Sigma SD10
(see November 2004) use the digital- ꢂ $1,350 street, body only
above what you’d expect from a sub- tor). Missing: a pop-up flash and strong ꢂ 800-896-6858
grand camera. Its image quality, body low-light AF. 5.5x4.1x3 INCHES BODY ONLY
•
This improved (and lighter) version of
design and construction, fast AF system 1.7 POUNDS WITH BATTERY AND CARD • Sigma’s first DSLR, the SD9, is the
and startup time, rapid 3-fps burst rate, TESTED NOVEMBER 2003
only DSLR to use Foveon’s X3 CMOS
imaging sensor, which captures light in
layers—similar to the way film works.
The result is resolution equivalent to a
6MP sensor, extremely accurate color,
and extremely low noise. The SD10
also has a fast FireWire connector,
and a fast AF system with good
low-light sensitivity. But it lacks mul-
tiple cross-type sensors and a pop-
up flash. Also, there’s no in-camera
JPEG storage—all RAW files
and custom functions are truly impres-
sive. We wish only it included Nikon’s
Pentax *ist D
$99 Capture 4 RAW conversion soft- ꢂ $1,240 street, body only
bility with older Nikon flash units. 5.5x4.4x ꢂ 800-877-0155
3.1 INCHES BODY ONLY • 1.5 POUNDS WITH “Build it smaller, and
BATTERY AND CARD • TESTED JUNE 2004
they will come.” For
now, this 6MP Pentax
is the smallest DSLR,
but the new *ist DS
will soon take that
title (see this issue’s
Olympus E-1
ꢂ $1,300 street, body only
ꢂ 888-553-4448
must be converted on
a computer. 5.9x4.7x3.1
The 5MP E-1 makes up in pro features “Hands On”). Big fea-
what it lacks in megapixels. The
tures, though: extremely high image INCHES BODY ONLY
•
rugged magnesium-
alloy body has
splash-proof seals,
quality and low noise at higher 1.9 POUNDS WITH BAT-
ISOs, a tough body with stainless- TERY AND CARD • SD9
steel frame and magnesium-alloy TESTED FEBRUARY 2003
74
WWW.POPPHOTO.COM
POPULAR PHOTOGRAPHY & IMAGING/DECEMBER 2004
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.
REALLY INTO IT!
S T A B I L I Z A T I O N
Canon
28–135mm
f/3.5–5.6 IS USM
Once upon a time,
experts promoted
✚
$
$
ꢀ
ꢁ
410 street
tripods as the access-
ory for sharper pix.
Today, however, image
stabilized (IS) lenses
(or, in Nikonese,
800-652-2666
Are you shooting a Canon SLR? With an
affordable price and useful focal-length
range, Canon’s 28–135mm f/3.5–5.6 IS
zoom is worth a look. Its compact size,
light weight, and quiet USM motor make
it a favorite. Nikon fans have a 24–
120mm f/3.5–5.6G VR and a 70–
200mm f/2.8G VR, among others, while
Sigma makes an 80–400mm f/4.5–5.6
optical stabilized lens in Canon, Nikon,
and Sigma mounts.
Vibration Reduction
lenses) have assumed
that role—the flash-free,
tripod-free, and pain-
free way to sharpness.
Like tripods, VR lenses
can deliver adequate
sharpness at slower
shutter speeds and
increased sharpness at
higher shutter speeds.
First buy an IS lens,
then invest in a tripod.
That’s the experts’
D I G I T A L
Nikon 18–70mm
f/3.5–4.5 G-AFS DX
ꢂ $365 street
mantra today.
ꢂ 800-645-6687
Digital shooters whose
camera’s CCD is smaller
than a 35mm frame quickly
learn that a wide-angle optic ain’t what it renders a bright viewfinder for easy
used to be. A 24mm lens, for example, focusing; its continuous magnification
may yield the field of view of a 38.4mm. scale relays exactly what you’re getting
Are you a Nikon digital shooter in need on film (or sensor); and a special locking
of wider views? Check out the 18– mechanism will hold a specific focusing
70mm f/3.5–4.5 DX. On D-series SLRs, distance. TESTED DECEMBER 1998
it’s the 35mm equivalent of a 27–
105mm—a nice all-around optic. Similar
lenses include Sigma’s 20–40mm f/2.8,
Nikon’s 12–24mm f/4, and Canon’s
amazing new 10–22mm f/3.5–4.5.
VERSATILE LENSES: TOSS THE TRIPOD WITH ANTI-SHAKE
A favorite is the Pentax 100mm f/2.8
SIR LENS-A-LOT
FA Macro. A large maximum aperture
Looking for
BEST
one lens to do
BUY
#
it all? Check
out Tamron’s $400 (street)
AF 28–300mm f/3.5–6.3
XR Di Macro. Featuring
Tamron’s Di (Digitally
Integrated) design, which
claims improved, flare-
reducing coatings and
tighter manufacturing toler-
ances, the compact and
lightweight AF 28–300mm
delivers an ample 10.7X
zoom range, 1:2.9 maximum
magnification, and a very
tight 19.3-inch close-focus-
ing distance at all focal
lengths. Sigma,
H I - S P E E D
Tokina 28–80mm
f/2.8 AT-X
ꢂ $520 street
M A C R O
ꢂ 800-421-1141
Pentax 100mm
f/2.8 FA Macro
ꢂ $520 street
High speed (i.e., maximum
apertures of f/2.8 or faster)
is a killer trait in a lens. A fast
lens lets you use faster shut-
ter speeds for sharp pictures sans tripod
or flash, and they can defocus a back-
ground nicely. Tokina’s 28–80mm f/2.8
ꢂ
ꢂ 800-877-0155
100mm or 105mm macros
are so useful because: 1:1
similarly,
makes a
magnifying power delivers great detail in AT-X is a good example of an all-around
smaller subjects; the tele-style extra useful high-speed zoom. Offering wide
working distance puts space between to short telefocal lengths, it may be the
you and a skittish subject; and they’re only lens you’ll need to work, say, a wed-
comparable
28–300mm
f/3.5–6.3
Macro.
great focal lengths for portraits.
ding reception. TESTED SEPTEMBER 2000
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.
✚ Despite recent advances
in flatbed scanners, the
resolution, density range,
and color accuracy possi-
ble with dedicated film
scanners still make them
the best way to turn your
film and slides into digital
images. And with USB
Hi-Speed 2.0 and FireWire
connections popping up
even in moderately priced
models, they’re faster than
ever. If you’ve got old, well-
worn slides or film, you’ll
definitely want to try the
automatic dust and scratch
removal offered by Applied
Science Fiction’s Digital
ICE, which is included
with most film scanners in
this class.
FILM SCANNERS: PUT YOUR FILM ARCHIVES TO WORK
L
Pacific Image
Konica Minolta DiMAGE
Scan Elite 5400
PrimeFilm 3650 Pro3
ꢂ $465 street
slides. The scanner’s D-max of 4.3 ꢂ 310-618-8100
$
650 street
$
should ensure plenty of dynamic range, The PrimeFilm 3650 Pro3 is
while the depth of 12 bits per color designed specifically to make
channel (42 bits total) should record a quick work of 35mm film scans.
wide palette of hues. APS fans can A slot on the right side of the unit
spring for an optional APS roll car- accepts entire rolls of 35mm film for
ꢀ
minolta.us
ꢁ
877-462-4464
Konica Minolta’s 5400-ppi DiMAGE tridge, which enables batch scanning scanning at up to 3600 ppi and, with
Scan Elite 5400 impressed us with of up to 40 images at a time. Advanced Digital ICE enabled, you can automati-
high resolution, accurate color, and fast scanners will enjoy the included cally remove scratches and dust at the
speed when we tested it earlier this SilverFast Ai 6.0 scanning software.
year. On color-negative film, it resolved
same time. The 3650 Pro3 has a gener-
ous color depth of 16 bits per channel
(48 bits total), and an ample density
range of 3.6. Both FireWire and USB 2.0
high-speed connections are included.
71.3 line pairs/mm, and turned in 83.9 Nikon Coolscan V ED
line pairs/mm on black-and-white film. ꢂ $600 street
Both USB 2.0 and FireWire connec- ꢂ 800-645-6689
tions ensure a fast file transfer, even Though considered entry-level for the
with Digital ICE turned on. The only Coolscan line, the V ED still has an opti-
caveat? It’s limited to 35mm, so you cal resolution of 4000 ppi, plus a D-max
can’t scan medium-format or APS with of 4.2—not quite the 4.8 of Nikon’s flag-
CALIBRATION 101
Ever wonder why the
HOT
prints you made have
wildly different color
┮
TIP
this speed demon. TESTED JUNE 2004
ship 9000 ED, but still enough to pull
plenty of detail out of dark shadows.
Color depth is 14 bits per channel. Like
all the Coolscans, the V ED includes
Digital ICE, ROC, and GEM for
automatic dust and scratch
and tone than the pictures you see
on your monitor? Frustrated that
you’re forced to waste stacks of
paper, multiple ink cartridges,
time, and money trying to
tweak what you saw on
your monitor? Then it’s
time to get a monitor
Microtek
ArtixScan 4000tf
ꢂ $700 street
ꢂ 310-687-5940
removal, color restoration,
The ArtixScan 4000tf has an optical and grain removal. It
resolution of 4000 ppi, which should won’t do medium-format
be enough to create tabloid-sized film, but an optional APS
scans of your 35mm negatives and adapter is available.
calibrator.
Once, the cost of a
monitor-calibra-
76
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.
REALLY INTO IT!
GEAR GUIDE 2005
>
✚ If you’ve made a commitment to shooting with a digital SLR or if you
scan your film and print from your desktop, without Adobe Photoshop CS,
you probably aren’t using your technology to the fullest. It is, as everyone
who uses the program’s name as a verb knows, the mother of all image-
editing programs. With the host of other software to complement it, you can
do almost anything. Of course, Photoshop’s the most expensive. Is it worth
it? Absolutely. But with this caveat: if you don’t want to learn to make it sing,
save your Benjamins.
PLUG-INS
nik Color Efex
Pro 2.0
$
ꢂ 100, Standard
edition
$
100, Dfine
media.com
ꢂ 888-289-4085
SOFTWARE: ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE
L
Mystical
Photoshop has been and remains Lighting
$
Adobe
the image-editing standard. It is the ꢂ 180 street
Photoshop CSrapher who is ready to take full
ꢂ 800-839-2008
control and produce the best images
$
169
(PHOTOSHOP
UPGRADE ALONE)
Genuine
$
possible. REVIEWED MARCH 2004
Fractals Pro
$
$
1,229
(FULL PREMIUM
CREATIVE SUITE)
Extensis Portfolio 7
ꢂ 50, LE edition
ꢂ $99.95 to upgrade
300, Print Pro
$
$
800-833-6687
Photoshop’s
199.95 for full version
ꢂ 206-652-5211
ꢀ
ꢁ
ꢂ 800-796-9798
super- If you’re using Photoshop to edit your pxl SmartScale
$
sophisticated system of images, you won’t need an organizer ꢂ 200 street
blending modes makes Instead you’ll need one that’s dedi- ꢂ 800-796-9798
it possible to do subtle cated to cataloging. Extensis Portfolio Plug-ins are add-ons to
(yet monumental) cor- 7 is an excellent solution. Create image editors. They do
rections and detailed composite work catalogs and search by your own not, for the most part, exist to do
that’s impossible (or at least way too keywords or organize it all using EXIF things that image editors can’t, but
tricky) to do in almost any other pro- data. The program can even be instead to do specific things better
gram. Add to the mix features that are trained to classify your pictures. Link and faster than image-editors need to.
nonexistent in most other editors: total a folder with a set of keywords and Whatever you want to do, if you’re
color management (so you can work in each picture you add to the folder will using Photoshop, there’s probably a
all those color spaces your DSLR be tagged accordingly. Portfolio does solution you could hammer out, but if
shoots in), near-full functionality with 16- most of the complicat-
bit images (so you don’t waste the infor- ed work for you, free-
mation your film scanner provides), sup- ing you up to do more
port for the RAW file formats of the shooting and less
major camera manufacturers….We searching. REVIEWED
could go on. But the fact is this: Adobe OCTOBER 2004
that takes a lot of time and know-how,
and you’re short on both, try a plug-in.
So, say, if you’ve been trying to
figure out how to mix channels to
convert color to black-and-white (a
process that can be both tedious and
boring), nik’s Color Efex Pro filter set
including the black-and-white con-
verter could be the answer. Or if you
need to make poster-sized images,
you might try a superscaler like
Genuine Fractals Pro or Extensis’
SmartScale. If you shoot a lot in low
light, a noise-reducer like nik’s Dfine
could be just the thing. Maybe you
often have to simulate lighting effects
or alter the mood of an image; Auto
FX’s Mystical Lighting could come to
the rescue. These are just a few that
are out there. Because if you can
imagine it, chances are there’s a plug-
in that can do it.
tion device was prohibitive. These days flexibility with more sophisticated
it’s more expensive not to calibrate,
since these tools quickly pay for them-
selves in saved paper and ink. The
major brands work pretty much the
software than the lower-cost Spyder,
but uses the same basic device.
And, for the more dedicated user,
there are two good options:
same way: a device, connected to your X-Rite’s MonacoOPTIX and Gretag
computer, suction-cups itself to a CRT
monitor or dangles before an LCD,
while you run software that creates an
ICC color profile for your screen.
We tested Pantone ColorVision’s
SpyderPRO and got a good result—
perfect for the desktop printer who
wants a marked improvement in color
Macbeth’s Eye-One Display.
G
SPYDER & SPYDERPRO:
vision.com, 800-554-8688
G
OPTIX: $270; www.mona-
cosys.com, 800-248-9748
G
EYE-ONE: $250;
77
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.
REALLY INTO IT!
GEAR GUIDE 2005
>
SP Studio
System’s
Two-Light
✚ It’s no secret that POP
PHOTO editors are partial to
monolights. Most of the
product photos you see
here were lit with
Excalibur Kit
Elinchrom Style mono-
lights. Recent articles here
about home studios have
stressed monolights, as
well. Unlike studio strobes
that require bulky external
power packs, monolights
have all their electronics,
including transformer, in
the light’s housing. The
benefits are fewer cables to
snare you, no power packs
to trip over, fewer electron-
ics to spook portrait sub-
jects, and generally less
expensive and more trans-
portable kits.
$
420 street
$
ꢀ
ꢁ
800-250-8394
Excalibur monolights are the Cadillacs
of SP Studio Systems’ many strobe
lights. They’re well-built, with user-inter-
changeable flashtubes, standard house-
hold modeling-light bulbs, and optical
slaves. Best thing? Excalibur studio kits
are amazingly inexpensive. For less than
$425, you get two 160-Ws Excaliburs,
reflectors, two umbrellas, carrying case,
sync cord, and two air cushioned light-
stands. Neither the flashtubes nor the
60-watt modeling lights are blazingly
bright, but for many applications, espe-
cially for digital portraiture, they’re more
than adequate.
LIGHTING KITS: PRO-LIKE LIGHTS AT AFFORDABLE PRICES
Adorama
ꢂ 770-947-9796
Do you need power pops
to light distant subjects or
allow smaller apertures?
The Paterson Interfit two-
Flash- point II
Dyna-Lite
620 Kit
UNIJR-PS1 Kit
ꢂ $1,000 street
ꢂ $240 street
ꢂ 800-722-6638
monolight kit offers
a
ꢂ 800-223-2500
You usually get more power
and more accessories for
your money with a kit than
purchasing items individually.
For the most shooting flexibility,
check out systems that are
also battery-operated. Dyna-
Lite’s UNIJR-PS1 kit, for exam-
ple, provides a 400-watt-sec-
ond, 3.5-pound monolight, plus
bright 2000 watt-sec-
onds (i.e., two 1000-Ws
heads), with reflectors,
This single-light kit is a very attractive
entry-level buy for newbies wanting to get
serious about portraiture. The 620 is a
solidly built, fan-cooled 300-Ws mono-
light with a built-in carrying handle, pro-
umbrellas,
8-foot
lightstands, and a
sync cord, all for under $1,000. With portional halogen modeling light, stepless
1
steplessly variable output (from full to output from full to ⁄8 power, and a user-
1⁄32 power), a bright 250-watt quartz- replaceable flashtube. While the kit has
halogen modeling light, and built-in opti- no case, its 10-foot air-cushioned light-
cal and infrared slaves (the infrared stand and 45-inch white umbrella (with
a Jackrabbit battery pack for location requires an optional transmitter), this is removable black cover) are both better
shooting, cables, charger, and a reflec- an unusually complete and powerful kit.
tor. Its Uni400 monolight features a
quality than you’d expect for the price.
four-stop power range, 1.4-sec recycle
OK, SO DON’T GET A KIT: SUNPAK PLATINUM LINE
times, a built-in optical slave, and user-
replaceable flashtubes. The Jackrabbit
will power 75 full pops before requiring
recharging. Best thing? With proper
cables, the Jackrabbit will power your
hot-shoe flash and digital SLR, too!
Do you already own
times, variable output from full to 1⁄
8
BEST
lightstands and umbrel-
power, user-replaceable flashtubes, and
a built-in optical slave, Sunpak’s
Platinum line of monolights may attract
professional as well as amateur
buyers.
BUY
#
las? Fuhgetabout kits.
Some of the best monolight-only
buys we’ve seen belong to
Sunpak’s Platinum line, ranging
in power from 150 to 1000
watt-seconds. The amply
powered, 300-Ws unit, for
example, sells for about
Paterson Interfit
PRO 1000-watt
Two-Head Kit
ꢂ $980 street
ꢂ
$180. With rugged con-
struction, 3.5-sec recycle
78
GEAR GUIDE CONTINUED ON PAGE 81
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.
REALLY INTO IT!
GEAR GUIDE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 78
GEAR GUIDE 2005
>
✚ What “extras” do pros get
Nikon
for the $300, $350, or $400
they drop on a high-end hot-
shoe flash? More power, for
starters. Nikon’s line-topping
SB-800 Speedlight provides a
Guide Number (GN) of 125
(at 35mm and ISO 100), while
its nearest neighbor in the
SB-800
Speedlight
$
$
ꢀ
ꢁ
334 street
800-645-6687
Nikon catalog, the SB-600,
tops out at GN 98. In practical
terms, you get more throw,
and/or the ability to shoot at
smaller apertures. The SB-800
also supports full i-TTL wire-
less control of up to three
groups of remote SB-800s
(plus the Master Unit attached
to the camera); each group can
contain an unlimited number of
flash units. How’s that for get-
ting your money’s worth?
With Nikon’s D2H SLR, the SB-800
communicates the exact color tempera-
ture of its output (which changes with
flash duration) to ensure accurate auto
white balancing; the SB-800’s high-
speed FP mode allows sync speeds of
up to 1/8000 sec; a modeling flash fea-
ture helps confirm lighting; FV-Lock
(Flash Value Lock) lets you preset a flash
exposure, recompose, and maintain
proper exposure of your subject.
Canon Speedlite
580EX
PRO-LEVEL FLASH UNITS: PUT MORE POWER IN YOUR POPS
ꢂ $480 street
ꢂ 800-652-2666
Canon’s recently introduced flagship
flash, the Speedlite 580EX, has more ꢂ 800-877-0155
features and additional power, but is Pentax’s top-of-the-line unit
both smaller and lighter than its pred- works in either film or digital
Pentax AF-500 FTX
slave. Put the AF-500 on-camera as your
main light, or take it off-camera, using its
optical slave for more advanced lighting
setups. (Your SLR’s built-in flash would
be the main light—all Pentax AF SLRs
have one.) Other features to like: a stro-
ꢂ $299 street
ꢂ
ecessor, the 550EX. New capabilities arenas, and offers something absent from boscopic modeling light and 2-fps motor-
include wider coverage (to 14mm), full most pro-grade flashes: a built-in optical drive mode (to 20 consecutive pops).
180-degree swivel in either direction,
seven new custom functions, 25 per-
cent faster recycling times, more
even center-to-edge coverage, and a
broader AF-assist beam that covers
all the AF sensors of every EOS SLR.
WELCOME THE WACOM
No matter how much mousing we do, palming a flat
lump to move a pointer will never be as natural as
BEST
BUY
#
using a pen. That’s why a tablet can make such a dif-
ference during retouching. Just like in real life, the harder you press,
the larger and darker your mark, and, unlike the mouse’s relative
relationship to the screen, each point on the tablet corresponds pre-
cisely to a point on the monitor.
Konica Minolta
5600 HS
ꢂ $299 street
ꢂ
Wacom is the ruler of the tablet world. They are the technology’s
innovators, with competing tablets few and far between. Two of their
lines are relevant to photographers: the Graphire3 for enthusiasts,
and the Intuos3 for the serious retoucher. The tablets connect to your
computer via USB, and provide a surface like a super smooth mouse
pad upon which the included wireless mouse and pen tools require
no batteries. The pressure sensitivity of the Intuos is twice that of the
Graphire (1,024 levels vs. 512), but this difference will probably
be imperceptible to the average user. The big differences are
the new ExpressKeys and Touch Strip on the Intuos3. So
conveniently located and programmable, you
ꢂ 866-515-0330
Fully compatible with Konica Minolta’s
Maxxum film and hot-shoed DiMAGE
digital cameras, the line-topping 5600
HS offers pros and serious amateurs
unusually weather-resistant construc-
tion that protects against moisture and
dust; high-speed syncing at all possible
shutter speeds; a control lock to pre-
vent inadvertent missettings; a strobo-
scopic modeling light that lets you pre-
view strobe effects—and Konica Minolta
includes a stand to help you take
advantage of the 5600 HS’s TTL-con-
trolled, wireless off-camera capabilities.
might find yourself eliminating the key-
board altogether and doing all your
work from the tablet itself.
G
GRAPHIRE3: $100–$200;
INTUOS3: $200–$750; 800-922-9348;
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.
|