This week on The Digital Story Photography Podcast: Special Edition: Amazing Holiday Gift Guide for Photographers - All of this and more on today's show with Derrick Story.

Snapshot - Elissa writes, "I'd say I'm a very intermediate photographer at best, so I was disappointed when Apple announced they were going to stop developing Aperture a while ago.  Since then, I've learned a lot about Lightroom (thanks to Lynda.com!) because iPhoto didn't have enough editing tools, and it didn't make sense to invest any time learning Aperture.   But I also hate the cumbersome workflow that comes with Lightroom, and miss the simplicity of the Aperture/iPhoto combo. Can you shed some light on this?"

Story #1 - Amazing Holiday Gift Guide for Photographers. Here's a hand-selected list for photographers ranging from $5.95 to $249. And I even wrangled a few special deals for our listeners.

• Nimble Stylus Pen Gift Set ($5.95) - The popular dual-function Nimble Stylus Pen in a handsome leather case - It's the perfect holiday gift for that special tablet-toting someone in your life. One device, two functions. Soft stylus tip works great on iPads, iPhones, and Phablets of all sizes. Keep the glass surface clean, yet tap and drag just like with your finger. Handy for restaurant reading. When it's time to sign the check, just click the top button and a black-ink pen tip emerges from the stylus.
 
• Focus Digital Grey Card Set & Lanyard ($6.50 )- Here's a terrific stocking stuffer. This set of white, gray, and black laminated cards with lanyard are perfect for white balance settings and exposure readings. They hardly take up any space in the camera bag.



• Nimble Fingerless Gloves ($12.99) Soft, 100 percent acrylic gloves with exposed fingertips enabling you to adjust devices and keep your hands warm. Rubberized dots on the palm side assist with gripping tripods and light stands. High-wrist design ensures that gloves stay within jacket sleeves, even during activity.The Walking Man logo is embroidered on top of each wrist with silver thread providing a classic look. Designed for men's hands, all sizes.
• 2-for-1 Subscription of c't Digital Photography Magazine with eBook Chapter One from "The Essence of Photography" by Bruce Barnbaum - Engineered in Germany, this quarterly photographic publication provides deep dives into gear reviews, techniques, and artists. There's no publication like it in North America, and for a limited time, you can give a subscription and garner one for yourself. The best deal of the year!



• Nanuk 903 Case ($30) - It's like a mini-Pelican case that you can carry inside backpacks and duffels. The Nanuk is waterproof and impact resistant with 100 percent stainless steel hardware and automatic pressure release valve. The cases come in a variety of sizes and colors. I'm using the 903 to protect my Olympus OM-D E-M10 with pancake zoom lens on camera and the 12-50mm zoom by its side.
• Olympus 9mm f/8.0 Fisheye Body Cap Lens ($99) - Mounts on both Olympus and Panasonic Micro Four Thirds cameras, this petite lens takes very big pictures. It features a constant f/8 aperture and a 35mm equivalent focal length of 18mm. I carry one with me everywhere.



• Lexar Professional Workflow 256GB SSD USB 3.0 Storage Drive ($129) - Leveraging USB 3.0 speeds, the drive provides read transfer speeds up to 450MB/s and write speeds up to 245MB/s. I copied a 37GB Aperture library to the Lexar and the process only took 2 minutes, 46 seconds. Once the library was copied to the drive, I ran Aperture from it, and the performance was terrific. Small size (2.9" x 2.4" x 0.9") and very light. Kit includes USB 3.0 cord. Integrates with Workflow HR1 and HR2 USB and Thunderbolt 2 hubs. PC and Mac compatible.
• 35 Percent Off Rocky Nook eBooks - Choose from an extensive library of great photography books and download and give instantly. The perfect "last minute" gift idea. Use discount code: Thanks2014 at checkout.



• Canon EF-S 24mm f/2.8 STM lens ($149) - Providing a 38mm-equivalent focal length, this lens takes on a slightly wider-than-normal perspective to benefit its use in a broad variety of shooting situations. A stepping motor AF system pairs well with cameras featuring the Movie Servo AF mode, where it will deliver fast, smooth, and nearly silent focusing performance that can instantly be manually overridden at any time. It's not often we can photographers a lens as a gift, this is a terrific one at an amazing price.



• WD 1TB My Passport Wireless hard drive ($179) - Incredible device that includes an SD card reader, 1 TB of storage, and a built-in WiFi access point. Works with iPad, iPhone, and Android mobile devices, as well as Mac and Windows computers. Allows for photo backup on the road, even without a computer. Plus it wirelessly serves and can receive content using its built-in WiFi - one cool hard drive.



• The Lowepro ProTactic 350 AW ($199) camera/laptop backpack. The real standout feature of this backpack is its versatility. Lowepro has designed access to your gear from the top, back, and both sides. Everything stays organized and easy to get to. Great for mirrorless and DSLRs. Accommodates a 13" laptop. One of the best backpacks I've ever tested. (You can read my full review of the ProTactic 350AW here.)



• Canon PowerShot S110 compact camera ($249) - The PowerShot S110 is an advanced compact digital camera with a 12MP resolution 1/1.7" CMOS sensor, redesigned high speed autofocus, built-in WiFi, and 3" touchscreen display. It also shoots Full HD video and RAW files in several aspect ratios. Its 5x optical zoom lens has the 35mm equivalent of a 24-120mm focal length, while the built-in Control Ring allows for easy access to functions and settings. It's a wonderful camera.

Story #2 - Book of the Month: Photography as Meditation - Tap the source of your creativity. Use discount code: PMED at RockyNook.com

Virtual Camera Club News

Photo Assignment for November 2014 is "Layers".

Pano Cards from Red River

Inkjet Pano Cards are guaranteed to turn heads and get friends, family, and clients to take notice of your work. Pano Cards are perfect for your your landscapes and wide angle shots. Try something new and make a tall crop for your work printing on the card vertically. Unfolded, the pre-scored sheets are 8" x 9". When folded, the Pano Card is 9" x 4". The Pano Card uses a standard #10 business envelope. Learn more at Pano Card FAQ page.

A Note from SizzlPix

They've ramped up their capacity, so we can go for volume for the holidays.

Special for TDS listeners, a 20% discount on all SizzlPix ordered, now through end of November! Using the comment space on the newly streamlined SizzlPix order page, write "TDS 20 percent discount."

SizzlPix! is qualified for PayPal "Bill Me Later," No payments, No interest for up to 6 months, which means, have your SizzlPix! now, and pay nothing until May 2015! "Hang your SizzlPix before Christmas, and pay nothing until Mothers Day!"

And Finally...

If you haven't done so already, please post a review for The Digital Story Podcast in iTunes.

BTW: If you're ordering through B&H or Amazon, please click on the respective ad tile under the Products header in the box half way down the 2nd column on thedigitalstory.com. That helps support the site.

Download the Show

In addition to subscribing in iTunes, you can also download the podcast file here (36 minutes). You can support this podcast by purchasing the TDS iPhone App for only $2.99 from the Apple App Store.

More Ways to Participate

Want to share photos and talk with other members in our virtual camera club? Check out our Flickr Public Group. And from those images, I choose the TDS Member Photo of the Day.

Podcast Sponsors

lynda.com - Learn lighting, portraiture, Photoshop skills, and more from expert-taught videos at lynda.com/thedigitalstory.

Red River Paper -- Keep up with the world of inkjet printing, and win free paper, by liking Red River Paper on Facebook.

SizzlPix! - High resolution output for your photography. You've never seen your imagery look so good. SizzlPix.com. SizzlPix! now is qualified for PayPal "Bill Me Later," No payments, No interest for up to 6 months, which means, have your SizzlPix! now, and pay nothing until May!

Want to Comment on this Post?

You can share your thoughts at the TDS Facebook page, where I'll post this story for discussion.

This week on The Digital Story Photography Podcast: In-Camera RAW Processing, Notes from New York, Photography as Meditation - All of this and more on today's show with Derrick Story.

Snapshot - Left my hotel for dinner in NY with the X20 in my jacket pocket and just enough light in the sky. A few minutes later I experienced one of those moments I just love.

Weekly Update - Olympus gives us a peek at the 300mm f/4 that's coming in 2015 (PhotoPlus Expo 2014).

In other news, Epson SureColor P600 looks like a great enthusiast/pro printer. This 13" printer yields incredible blacks and vibrant colors. Shipping starts in early 2015. Estimated price is $799. (PhotoPlus Expo 2014)

And finally, How to Use Keystone Compensation with the Olympus OM-D E-M1. (Source: The Digital Story).

Story #1 - In-Camera RAW Processing: A Powerful, Yet Often Overlooked Feature. Here's a look why I think you should consider a second look at this capability.

Story #2 - PhotoPlus Expo Recap - Great week in New York. My highlight was visiting with so many members of our virtual camera club community. Here's more about it.

Story #3 - Book of the Month: Photography as Meditation - Tap the source of your creativity. Use discount code: PMED at RockyNook.com

Virtual Camera Club News

Photo Assignment for November 2014 is "Layers".

Pano Cards from Red River

Inkjet Pano Cards are guaranteed to turn heads and get friends, family, and clients to take notice of your work. Pano Cards are perfect for your your landscapes and wide angle shots. Try something new and make a tall crop for your work printing on the card vertically. Unfolded, the pre-scored sheets are 8" x 9". When folded, the Pano Card is 9" x 4". The Pano Card uses a standard #10 business envelope. Learn more at Pano Card FAQ page.

A Note from SizzlPix

They've ramped up their capacity, so we can go for volume for the holidays.

Special for TDS listeners, a 20% discount on all SizzlPix ordered, now through end of November! For orders placed by October 31, there should still be time for free mini-samples prior to production.

Using the comment space on the newly streamlined SizzlPix order page, write "TDS 20 percent discount," and if a free mini-proof is wanted prior to production, "free proof first," and your mailing address.

And Finally...

If you haven't done so already, please post a review for The Digital Story Podcast in iTunes.

BTW: If you're ordering through B&H or Amazon, please click on the respective ad tile under the Products header in the box half way down the 2nd column on thedigitalstory.com. That helps support the site.

Download the Show

In addition to subscribing in iTunes, you can also download the podcast file here (30 minutes). You can support this podcast by purchasing the TDS iPhone App for only $2.99 from the Apple App Store.

More Ways to Participate

Want to share photos and talk with other members in our virtual camera club? Check out our Flickr Public Group. And from those images, I choose the TDS Member Photo of the Day.

Podcast Sponsors

lynda.com - Learn lighting, portraiture, Photoshop skills, and more from expert-taught videos at lynda.com/thedigitalstory.

Red River Paper -- Keep up with the world of inkjet printing, and win free paper, by liking Red River Paper on Facebook.

SizzlPix! - High resolution output for your photography. You've never seen your imagery look so good. SizzlPix.com. SizzlPix! now is qualified for PayPal "Bill Me Later," No payments, No interest for up to 6 months, which means, have your SizzlPix! now, and pay nothing until January!

Want to Comment on this Post?

You can share your thoughts at the TDS Facebook page, where I'll post this story for discussion.

This week on The Digital Story Photography Podcast: 5 Landscape Photography Tips, Speed Sorting Your Images, Photo Plus Expo Week - All of this and more on today's show with Derrick Story.

Story #1 - Budget Mitakon 42.5mm f/1.2 offered by ZY optics for M43, Sony E and Fuji X systems - Priced $359, and available initially in the Micro Four Thirds mount, the Mitakon 42.5mm f/1.2 appears to be aimed squarely at competing with Panasonic's Leica DG Nocticron 42.5mm f/1.2 for its Lumix G bodies, which delivers a similar angle of view to an 85mm focal length on full frame cameras. It's manual focus. (Source: DP Review).

In other news, Photo Plus Expo begins this week on Thursday in NYC.

And finally, Canon 6D and Sony RX1 Listed as Discontinued by Some Online Retailers. Preview of things to come? (Source: Petapixel).

Story #2 - 5 Landscape Tips from Our Fall Photography Workshop:

• Be Daring with the Sun - Having it at your back is safe, but often boring.
• Fight Lens Flare - When shooting backlit subjects, remember to shield your lens from the sun.
• Find a Main Subject - A bucolic hillside is lovely, but find a starting point for the viewer's eye. Often a foreground element will do the trick.
• Look for Layers of Light and Dark - This is composition style perfected by Ansel Adams, and it creates visual interest.
• Don't Forget to Reset Your Settings to Default - Adjusting exposure compensation, ISO and white balance is great, but set it back to default after getting shot.

Story #3 - Speed Sorting: How to Rate a Large Batch of Photos Quickly. Nothing like coming home with 1,500 exposures. Here's how to prevent them from languishing on your hard drive.

Virtual Camera Club News

Photo Assignment for October 2014 is "Water".

New Paper from Red River

This new stock looks great: 66lb. Palo Duro Satin features a subtle surface texture and elegant warm tone, because it contains minimal optical brighteners in the base stock and none in the coating. The warmth of this product is great for portraits, naturescapes, and black & white prints with just a hint of sepia. If you want that fine art pro lab photo finisher look, check out this new stock.

A Note from SizzlPix

They've ramped up their capacity, so we can go for volume for the holidays.

Special for TDS listeners, a 20% discount on all SizzlPix ordered, now through end of November! For orders placed by October 31, there should still be time for free mini-samples prior to production.

Using the comment space on the newly streamlined SizzlPix order page, write "TDS 20 percent discount," and if a free mini-proof is wanted prior to production, "free proof first," and your mailing address.

And Finally...

If you haven't done so already, please post a review for The Digital Story Podcast in iTunes.

BTW: If you're ordering through B&H or Amazon, please click on the respective ad tile under the Products header in the box half way down the 2nd column on thedigitalstory.com. That helps support the site.

Download the Show

In addition to subscribing in iTunes, you can also download the podcast file here (31 minutes). You can support this podcast by purchasing the TDS iPhone App for only $2.99 from the Apple App Store.

More Ways to Participate

Want to share photos and talk with other members in our virtual camera club? Check out our Flickr Public Group. And from those images, I choose the TDS Member Photo of the Day.

Podcast Sponsors

Red River Paper -- Keep up with the world of inkjet printing, and win free paper, by liking Red River Paper on Facebook.

SizzlPix! - High resolution output for your photography. You've never seen your imagery look so good. SizzlPix.com. SizzlPix! now is qualified for PayPal "Bill Me Later," No payments, No interest for up to 6 months, which means, have your SizzlPix! now, and pay nothing until January!

Want to Comment on this Post?

You can share your thoughts at the TDS Facebook page, where I'll post this story for discussion.

This week on The Digital Story Photography Podcast: Mac OS X Yosemite for Photographers, Shooting Fall Color in the Eastern Sierra, iPhone Digital Back for Older Hasselblads - All of this and more on today's show with Derrick Story.

Story #1 - Adobe Provides Detailed Instructions for Migrating from Aperture to Lightroom. Yes, your get star ratings and most metadata. No, you don't get image adjustments. (Source: F-Stoppers).

In other news, iMac with Retina 5K display. Here's how I would configure it: 3.5GHz Quad-core Intel Core i5, 8GBs RAM, 3TB Fusion Drive (Upgrade), AMD Radeon R9 M295X 4GB GDDR5 (Upgrade) Price: $2,899 (Source: Apple.com).

And finally, Flickr version 3.2 with upgrade for iPad viewing is terrific. (Source: TheDigitalStory.com).

Story #2 - Mac OS X Yosemite for Photographers - Here are a few items you should be aware of:

• AirDrop between iOS device and your Mac - Make sure you're both on the same network, enable AirDrop on both devices, and files can be shared between them.
• Drag and drop to iCloud Drive - I created a My Photos folder on iCloud Drive where I can backup photos by dragging and dropping in the Finder.
• Aperture and iPhoto Updates - After updating both applications, they run wonderfully in Yosemite.
• Photos.app - Coming in early 2015, we'll see the next generation photo management software from Apple for the Mac.

Story #3 - Fall Color in the Eastern Sierra - Spent a few glorious days in Mono Lake County last week. The color around Bridgeport, Lee Vining, and June Lake was impressive. Here's a report with a few Fall color photography tips. Plus, I include a field report on the Western Digital My Passport Wireless hard drive. To see some of the pictures, take a look at my article, A Drive Through Eastern Sierra Fall Color.

Story #4 - Hasselnuts iPhone Adapter for Older Hasselblads - This is a crazy device that I tested on my last road trip. Essentially, I can attach a handsome adapter that looks just like a film magazine for my Hasselblad 500C, but it allows me to use an iPhone as a digitizer. In my opinion, the resulting images are half Holga, half Polaroid transfer. I talk more about it in the fourth segment of today's show.

Virtual Camera Club News

Photo Assignment for October 2014 is "Water".

New Paper from Red River

This new stock looks great: 66lb. Palo Duro Satin features a subtle surface texture and elegant warm tone, because it contains minimal optical brighteners in the base stock and none in the coating. The warmth of this product is great for portraits, naturescapes, and black & white prints with just a hint of sepia. If you want that fine art pro lab photo finisher look, check out this new stock.

A Note from SizzlPix

They've ramped up their capacity, so we can go for volume for the holidays.

Special for TDS listeners, a 20% discount on all SizzlPix ordered, now through end of November! For orders placed by October 31, there should still be time for free mini-samples prior to production.

Using the comment space on the newly streamlined SizzlPix order page, write "TDS 20 percent discount," and if a free mini-proof is wanted prior to production, "free proof first," and your mailing address.

And Finally...

If you haven't done so already, please post a review for The Digital Story Podcast in iTunes.

BTW: If you're ordering through B&H or Amazon, please click on the respective ad tile under the Products header in the box half way down the 2nd column on thedigitalstory.com. That helps support the site.

Download the Show

In addition to subscribing in iTunes, you can also download the podcast file here (35 minutes). You can support this podcast by purchasing the TDS iPhone App for only $2.99 from the Apple App Store.

More Ways to Participate

Want to share photos and talk with other members in our virtual camera club? Check out our Flickr Public Group. And from those images, I choose the TDS Member Photo of the Day.

Podcast Sponsors

Red River Paper -- Keep up with the world of inkjet printing, and win free paper, by liking Red River Paper on Facebook.

SizzlPix! - High resolution output for your photography. You've never seen your imagery look so good. SizzlPix.com. SizzlPix! now is qualified for PayPal "Bill Me Later," No payments, No interest for up to 6 months, which means, have your SizzlPix! now, and pay nothing until April!

Want to Comment on this Post?

You can share your thoughts at the TDS Facebook page, where I'll post this story for discussion.

This week on The Digital Story Photography Podcast: Apple's iPhoto Switcheroo in iOS 8, Ten Quiet Cameras, Lithium-ion Batteries of the Future - All of this and more on today's show with Derrick Story.

Story #1 - Drobo has announced a new configuration for its Mini robotic storage, leveraging four 2-TB HDDs and selling the complete package for $999. The Mini features 2x Thunderbolt & 1x USB 3.0 ports, power fail protection with battery backup, and Drobo BeyondRaid for advanced data protection. (Source: Drobo).

In other news, New lithium-ion battery tech could charge in minutes, keep working for decades - A research team at Singapore's Nanyang Technological University is proposing a replacement for the anode of a typical lithium-ion battery that they say could be cheaply and easily manufactured, and yet provide significant benefits such as 20 year life and super fast recharging. (Source: Imaging-Resource.com).

And finally, Canon's Upcoming 11-24mm f/4L Will Reportedly Cost a Hefty $3,000. (Source: PetaPixel.com).

Story #2 - 10 Quiet Cameras (and 5 Very Noisy Ones) - Sascha Steinhoff published Keeping it Quiet in the latest issue (#17) of c't Digital Photography Magazine (page 90). She shares a through examination of what causes camera noise, then tests 30 popular models for their sound levels. Here are the 10 quietest cameras in normal shooting mode.

The Quietest Cameras

(Number 1 producing the least amount of noise in normal shooting mode.)

1. Pentax Q7
2. Pentax Q
3. Leica T
4. Olympus PEN E-P5
5. Fujifilm X-E2
6. Olympus OM-D E-M1
7. Canon EOS M
8. Pentax K-5 II
9. Nikon 1 V3
10. Leica M

Mirrorless cameras dominated the Top 10. Plus, seven of these models have a "Quiet Mode" that emits virtually no sound during capture. The three models that still produced noise in Quiet Mode (Pentax Q7, Pentax Q, and Nikon 1 V3), were able to substantially reduce sound, up to 40 percent quieter.

The Noisiest Cameras

The bottom of the list was dominated by professional grade DSLRs. Here are the five noisiest models.

(Number 1 producing the most noise in normal shooting mode.)

1. Nikon D4s
2. Canon EOS-1D X
3. Nikon D800
4. Nikon D300
5. Nikon Df

Even in Quiet Mode or Live View, theses cameras created more sound than any of the Top 10 models in normal mode.

Story #3 - Workshop Dates for 2015 Season - On the TDS Workshops page, I've added the dates for next year's events. Here's how they shake out: Moving from Aperture to Photos or Lightroom - Feb. 6-7, 2015, San Francisco Street Photography - April 24-26, Bodie and the Eastern Sierra - June 11-13, and Fall Color with Safari West: October 23-25. Plus I talk about this week's scouting trip to the Eastern Sierra.

Story #4 - Did Apple Short Change Us with Photos.app in iOS 8? I've been getting lots of comments about the discontinuation of iPhoto for iOS and the shortcomings of the new Photos app that replaced it. I discuss in the fourth segment of today's show.

Virtual Camera Club News

Photo Assignment for October 2014 is "Water".

Order Your SizzlPix Early

Order your SizzlPix early to get holiday shopping out of the way. You'll give the double whammy of your own great image that has special meaning to your recipient, combined with the delightful surprise they'll have, seeing the back of the SizzlPix, wondering, "what the heck is this?", then lifting it out of the box, flipping it over, and there it is, a spectacular SizzlPix -- like Retina Display for the wall -- all ready with hanger attached!

If you haven't done so already, please post a review for The Digital Story Podcast in iTunes.

BTW: If you're ordering through B&H or Amazon, please click on the respective ad tile under the Products header in the box half way down the 2nd column on thedigitalstory.com. That helps support the site.

Download the Show

In addition to subscribing in iTunes, you can also download the podcast file here (30 minutes). You can support this podcast by purchasing the TDS iPhone App for only $2.99 from the Apple App Store.

More Ways to Participate

Want to share photos and talk with other members in our virtual camera club? Check out our Flickr Public Group. And from those images, I choose the TDS Member Photo of the Day.

Podcast Sponsors

Red River Paper -- Keep up with the world of inkjet printing, and win free paper, by liking Red River Paper on Facebook.

SizzlPix! - High resolution output for your photography. You've never seen your imagery look so good. SizzlPix.com. SizzlPix! now is qualified for PayPal "Bill Me Later," No payments, No interest for up to 6 months, which means, have your SizzlPix! now, and pay nothing until January!

Want to Comment on this Post?

You can share your thoughts at the TDS Facebook page, where I'll post this story for discussion.

This week on The Digital Story Photography Podcast: Free Surface Pro 3s at Adobe Max, PhotoPlus Expo Preview, Tethered Photography, 2015 TDS Photography Workshop Season - All of this and more on today's show with Derrick Story.

Story #1 - Adobe rolls out CC update with new desktop and mobile tools - Adobe has announced updates to several of its mobile and desktop software applications, just in time to kick off the company's Adobe Max conference. But Microsoft stole the spotlight giving out free Surface Pro 3s to the audience. What's going on here? I talk about it in the Weekly Update. (Source: DP Review).

In other news, Rent, love, keep: LensRentals launches try-before-you-buy program - Starting immediately, most of the lenses that LensRentals provides can be purchased outright if you decide you like them. (Only hard-to-source optics which the company couldn't easily replace in time for delivery to subsequent renters are excluded.) and better still, the rental fee you paid to try the lens in the first place can be put towards the cost of the lens, which will vary depending on the age of the individual item. (Source: Imaging-Resource.com).

And finally, Mark Your Calendars: The Next Blood Moon Will Take Place Wednesday, October 8th - For North American viewers, the lunar eclipse will begin shortly after midnight between October 7th and 8th; those in Australia and most of Eastern Asia will see it after sunset on the evening of October 8th. Unfortunately, those living in Europe and Africa will be missing out on this particular astronomical phenomenon. (Source: PetaPixel.com).

Story #2 - Tethered Photography - If you've never tried it, essentially you connect your camera to a computer, enabling you to fine tune the composition on a large HD screen instead of a tiny LCD. You can adjust settings, focus, and trip the shutter with controls on the laptop. The big advantage is that there are no surprises when it comes time to edit the photos. You can read more about tethered shooting here.

Story #3 - PhotoPlus Preview - One of the best US photography shows is right around the corner. PhotoPlus Expo at Javits Convention Center in New York opens its doors for conference sessions on Oct. 29, with the Expo kicking in the next day, Oct. 30th.

I'm going to be there, reporting for c't Digital Photography Magazine and speaking in their booth (#6 across from Epson and Nikon) on Thursday and Friday at 1pm, and Saturday at 12pm. Come by the booth for a visit, and I'll have a gift for you from Nimble Photographer Store. More about PhotoPlus in the third segment of today's show.

Story #4 - I've just announced the events for the 2015 TDS Workshop Season. Four enticing opportunities including stops in Bodie, San Francisco, and Sonoma County.

Virtual Camera Club News

Photo Assignment for October 2014 is "Water".

Order Your SizzlPix Early

Order your SizzlPix early to get holiday shopping out of the way. You'll give the double whammy of your own great image that has special meaning to your recipient, combined with the delightful surprise they'll have, seeing the back of the SizzlPix, wondering, "what the heck is this?", then lifting it out of the box, flipping it over, and there it is, a spectacular SizzlPix -- like Retina Display for the wall -- all ready with hanger attached!

Just a Couple More Things

If you haven't done so already, please post a review for The Digital Story Podcast in iTunes.

BTW: If you're ordering through B&H or Amazon, please click on the respective ad tile under the Products header in the box half way down the 2nd column on thedigitalstory.com. That helps support the site.

Download the Show

In addition to subscribing in iTunes, you can also download the podcast file here (31 minutes). You can support this podcast by purchasing the TDS iPhone App for only $2.99 from the Apple App Store.

More Ways to Participate

Want to share photos and talk with other members in our virtual camera club? Check out our Flickr Public Group. And from those images, I choose the TDS Member Photo of the Day.

Podcast Sponsors

Red River Paper -- Keep up with the world of inkjet printing, and win free paper, by liking Red River Paper on Facebook.

SizzlPix! - High resolution output for your photography. You've never seen your imagery look so good. SizzlPix.com. SizzlPix! now is qualified for PayPal "Bill Me Later," No payments, No interest for up to 6 months, which means, have your SizzlPix! now, and pay nothing until January!

Want to Comment on this Post?

You can share your thoughts at the TDS Facebook page, where I'll post this story for discussion.

This week on The Digital Story Photography Podcast: The Best Flash for Micro Four Thirds Cameras, My Favorite iPhone Camera App, Guide for Improving Your Photography - All of this and more on today's show with Derrick Story.

Story #1 - Manual: Custom Exposure Camera App for iOS 8 - I finally have the control I want for my iPhone camera. I've used this app to capture some tough shots, and it works like no other. (Source: The Digital Story).

In other news, Fotodiox FlapJack LED Edgelight Series - "Rather than using forward-facing LEDs common in conventional panels, the FlapJacks' LEDs are mounted around their outer edge, aimed inward at layers of diffusion material to produce bounced light." Prices run from $249-$399. (Source: PhotographyBlog.com).

And finally, Rumor: Samsung Working on a Black-and-White Only NX Achromatic. "...the camera will be a special-edition version of the NX300 called the NX Achromatic, and it will sport the same 20MP sensor as the standard NX300 only without a bayer array or low pass filter." (Source: PetaPixel.com).

Story #2 - The Nissin i40 Compact Flash for Four Thirds Cameras ($269). This hotshoe strobe has it all: TTL, wireless, manual, and LED continuous. Plus, thanks to its twin control dials on the back, it's super easy to use. I discuss this gem in the second segment of today's show. And you can read my review of the i40 on c't Digital Photography Magazine.

Story #3 - Book Review: Learning to Photograph, Vol. 2 (eBook, 256 pages, $31.99) by Cora Banek / Georg Banek. Topics include:

• Visual perception
• Composition, shapes, and lines
• Managing light
• Color and its effects
• Sharpness, blur, and movement
• The interplay of visual design elements
• Image analysis and evaluation

Terrific guide to improve your images, plus provide inspiration when feeling stuck. Use coupon code LP14 for a 35% discount (making it only $20.79 saving you $11.20). And if you forget the code, there's a tile in the far right column of The Digital Story.

Virtual Camera Club News

Visit the Red River Paper Card Shop. You can peruse top selling cards, order the card sample kit, and read tutorials on card printing. Save on Ground Shipping for Red River Paper. Use coupon code ground50c to receive a 50 percent discount on UPS ground shipping for Red River Paper. No minimum purchase required.

Photo Assignment for September 2014 is "Shot from Behind".

If you haven't done so already, please post a review for The Digital Story Podcast in iTunes.

BTW: If you're ordering through B&H or Amazon, please click on the respective ad tile under the Products header in the box half way down the 2nd column on thedigitalstory.com. That helps support the site.

Download the Show

In addition to subscribing in iTunes, you can also download the podcast file here (30 minutes). You can support this podcast by purchasing the TDS iPhone App for only $2.99 from the Apple App Store.

More Ways to Participate

Want to share photos and talk with other members in our virtual camera club? Check out our Flickr Public Group. And from those images, I choose the TDS Member Photo of the Day.

Podcast Sponsors

lynda.com - Learn lighting, portraiture, Photoshop skills, and more from expert-taught videos at lynda.com/thedigitalstory.

Red River Paper -- Keep up with the world of inkjet printing, and win free paper, by liking Red River Paper on Facebook.

SizzlPix! - High resolution output for your photography. You've never seen your imagery look so good. SizzlPix.com. SizzlPix! now is qualified for PayPal "Bill Me Later," No payments, No interest for up to 6 months, which means, have your SizzlPix! now, and pay nothing until March!

Want to Comment on this Post?

You can share your thoughts at the TDS Facebook page, where I'll post this story for discussion.

This week on The Digital Story Photography Podcast: What You Need to Know about the Canon 7D Mark II, the Wireless WD My Passport Hard Drive for Mobile Devices, iOS 8 Gets Its Photos On - All of this and more on today's show with Derrick Story.

Story #1 - Twice as good? Hands-on with Canon EOS 7D Mark II ($1,799) - After you read this piece, you will probably answer, "yes." Little goodies such as the mic and headphone jacks, to dual SD/CF slots, to new sensor and AF system, to clever advances such as the "anti-flicker" control add up to a big upgrade. (Source: DP Review).

Improved AF for the Canon 7D Mark II - Those are all cross sensors.

In other news, The Olympus OM-D E-M1 ($1,399)update lands ahead of schedule - It's like a new camera in some aspects. This article provides all the new features and improvements, with links for downloading. (Source: Imaging-Resource.com).

And finally, Skip The Lab: How To Mount And Frame Prints Yourself - A terrific 15-minute movie plus text explaining a tried and true process. (Source: Fstoppers.com).

Story #2 - The WD My Passport Wireless storage ($179) for iOS and Android devices. This is the solution I've been waiting for to allow me to travel with just an iPad. The 1TB drive allows me to bring a variety of files with me -- music, video, photo, PDF, text, etc. -- and more importantly, enables my saving files from the iPad or iPhone to the device. Plus it has a built-in SD card reader for on-the-fly backup. Those files can then be read by any of your mobile devices. I discuss this gem in the second segment of today's show.

Sharp looking control panel for the WD My Passport Wireless hard drive.

Story #3 - New Editing Tools in iOS 8 Photos App (free). What a leap forward. We've gone from having virtually no editing tools in Photos app to and array of color and luminance adjustments. I provide an overview in the third segment of today's show.

Story #4 - From the Screening Room - Finding the Perfect Portrait Lens with Chris Orwig. Not only will Chris help you decide which lens is best for the type of portrait you want to capture, but he has lots of tips for using those lenses.

You can watch Chris in action by visiting the TDS Screening Room at lynda.com/thedigitalstory. While you're there, you can start your 7 day free trial to watch other design, photography, and computing titles, plus every other topic in the library.

Virtual Camera Club News

Visit the Red River Paper Card Shop. You can peruse top selling cards, order the card sample kit, and read tutorials on card printing. Save on Ground Shipping for Red River Paper. Use coupon code ground50c to receive a 50 percent discount on UPS ground shipping for Red River Paper. No minimum purchase required.

Photo Assignment for September 2014 is "Shot from Behind".

If you haven't done so already, please post a review for The Digital Story Podcast in iTunes.

BTW: If you're ordering through B&H or Amazon, please click on the respective ad tile under the Products header in the box half way down the 2nd column on thedigitalstory.com. That helps support the site.

Download the Show

In addition to subscribing in iTunes, you can also download the podcast file here (33 minutes). You can support this podcast by purchasing the TDS iPhone App for only $2.99 from the Apple App Store.

More Ways to Participate

Want to share photos and talk with other members in our virtual camera club? Check out our Flickr Public Group. And from those images, I choose the TDS Member Photo of the Day.

Podcast Sponsors

lynda.com - Learn lighting, portraiture, Photoshop skills, and more from expert-taught videos at lynda.com/thedigitalstory.

Red River Paper -- Keep up with the world of inkjet printing, and win free paper, by liking Red River Paper on Facebook.

SizzlPix! - High resolution output for your photography. You've never seen your imagery look so good. SizzlPix.com. SizzlPix! now is qualified for PayPal "Bill Me Later," No payments, No interest for up to 6 months, which means, have your SizzlPix! now, and pay nothing until January!

Want to Comment on this Post?

You can share your thoughts at the TDS Facebook page, where I'll post this story for discussion.

This week on The Digital Story Photography Podcast: Panasonic's Smartphone with a 1" Sensor, Lowepro's new ProTactic Urban Backpack, and Olympus Announces the 40-150mm f-2.8 PRO Lens - All of this and more on today's show with Derrick Story.

Story #1 - Panasonic announces Lumix DMC-CM1 smartphone with 1-inch sensor. "The 1" sensor is around seven times larger than the 1/3"-type sensors that are common on more conventional smartphones. The large sensor is coupled with an F2.8 Leica lens that offers an equivalent focal length of 28mm. This is by far the best camera specification on any smartphone and the 20MP resolution should even allow for a good-quality digital zoom. The CM1 is also capable of recording 4K-video and Raw images. Focus, aperture, shutter speed, ISO and white balance can all be adjusted manually, and there's a mechanical click-wheel around the lens "barrel" on the front of the camera/phone." (Source: DP Connect).

In other news, Panasonic LX100 takes its own road: RX100-series rival boasts 4/3-inch sensor, blazing performance. "Panasonic has opted for the same 4/3"-type sensor size it uses in its mirrorless cameras, and that offers almost double the surface area of a 1"-type chip. The difference shows itself in a sensitivity range that tops out at a lofty ISO 25,600." (Source: PhotographyBlog.com).

And finally, Panasonic Gives Its GM Series a Boost with the EVF-Toting GM5. "... just to the left of its hotshoe you'll find an all-new EVF with 1.1 million dots, designed to work seamlessly with the included external flash. The update also brings a new control dial on the back to compliment the touchscreen interface; and despite using the same sensor as the GM1, the GM5 is now capable of pushing out 1080p video at up to 60 frames per second." (Source: PetaPixel).

Story #2 - Lowepro Debuts the ProTactic 350 AW Camera and Laptop Backpack ($199). This urban backpack features access points on top, sides, and back. It accommodates up to a 13" laptop. Includes 5 modular accessories, removable waist belt, newly designed dividers, tripod holder, AW cover, and brand new ActivZone System Harness system. And if you need more storage space, there's the ProTactic 450AW.

Story #3 - Olympus Announces the 40-150mm f-2.8 PRO lens ($1,499). Specs include: 16 elements in 10 groups, 9-blade aperture, 72mm filter ring, two high-grade lens elements using dual linear VCM (Voice Coil Motor) motors, minimum focusing distance of 20 inches, dedicated function button, sliding lens hood, and it's just over 6" in length. Available in November.

Story #4 - From the Screening Room - Foundations of Photography: Night and Low Light with Ben Long. Ben says in this movie, "In this course, we are going to take a look at all kinds of low-light shooting situations, from trying to get good results in a dimly lit room in your house to prowling around in the dark, looking for photos that cannot exist with higher light levels."

You can watch Ben in action by visiting the TDS Screening Room at lynda.com/thedigitalstory. While you're there, you can start your 7 day free trial to watch other design, photography, and computing titles, plus every other topic in the library.

Virtual Camera Club News

The SizzlPix September Discount Order early, starting today, and for every day between now and the end of September, SizzlPix will subtract 1% (one-percent) from the cost of your order. Remember the rhyme, "30 days hath September ..." You can see how much you'll save! Remember to put TDS September Discount in the comments field.

Visit the Red River Paper Card Shop. You can peruse top selling cards, order the card sample kit, and read tutorials on card printing. Save on Ground Shipping for Red River Paper. Use coupon code ground50c to receive a 50 percent discount on UPS ground shipping for Red River Paper. No minimum purchase required.

Photo Assignment for September 2014 is "Shot from Behind".

If you haven't done so already, please post a review for The Digital Story Podcast in iTunes.

BTW: If you're ordering through B&H or Amazon, please click on the respective ad tile under the Products header in the box half way down the 2nd column on thedigitalstory.com. That helps support the site.

Download the Show

In addition to subscribing in iTunes, you can also download the podcast file here (28 minutes). You can support this podcast by purchasing the TDS iPhone App for only $2.99 from the Apple App Store.

More Ways to Participate

Want to share photos and talk with other members in our virtual camera club? Check out our Flickr Public Group. And from those images, I choose the TDS Member Photo of the Day.

Podcast Sponsors

lynda.com - Learn lighting, portraiture, Photoshop skills, and more from expert-taught videos at lynda.com/thedigitalstory.

Red River Paper -- Keep up with the world of inkjet printing, and win free paper, by liking Red River Paper on Facebook.

SizzlPix! - High resolution output for your photography. You've never seen your imagery look so good. SizzlPix.com. SizzlPix! now is qualified for PayPal "Bill Me Later," No payments, No interest for up to 6 months, which means, have your SizzlPix! now, and pay nothing until January!

Want to Comment on this Post?

You can share your thoughts at the TDS Facebook page, where I'll post this story for discussion.

This week on The Digital Story Photography Podcast: New Camera in iPhone 6, Apple Watch Blockbuster, Free U2 Album - All of this and more on today's show with Derrick Story.

Story #1 - Western Digital launches My Passport Wireless hard drive ($179) with built-in SD card reader. When a memory card is inserted into the drive it can be set back up your photos or automatically ingest all images, then wipe the card clean afterwards. To view your images you can either connect the drive to a computer using USB3, or you can connect to it wirelessly using the free WD My Cloud mobile app. (Source: DP Review).

In other news, Sony QX1, QX30 debut: Transform your smartphone into an APS-C ILC or 30x superzoom - The Sony QX1 sports a large 20.1-megapixel Exmor APS-C CMOS sensor a la the Sony A5000, and a fully functional E-mount lens flange. The QX30, has a resolution of 20.4 megapixels, and it's paired to a 24-720mm-equivalent, f/3.5-6.3, 30x optical zoom lens. (Source: PhotographyBlog.com).

And finally, Lomography Unveils the LC-A 120: 'The World's Most Compact Fully-Automatic 120 Camera' ($430). Features include multiple-exposure mode, rear curtain flash sync and a four-step zone focusing system with the closest focusing distance being roughly two feet. (Source: PetaPixel).

Story #2 - iPhone 6 with New Camera is Announced by Apple. As reported by The Verge: "It has a 8-megapixel camera with a f/2.2 aperture and 1.5µ pixels, just like the last model. But the sensor has been upgraded. The "next generation iSight sensor" has what Apple's calling "focus pixels." Those pixels offer DSLR-like phase detection autofocus, which is supposed to be twice as fast as the 5S. And now it's easier to take high-dynamic range (HDR) photos. Both iPhones can take HDR shots with a single click of the shutter, rather than a series of shots as before."

Also, a difference in image stabilization. The iPhone 6 Plus employes an optical stabilizer. And finally, "Video has also been improved across both phones. The smartphones can shoot 1080p video in 30 or 60 frames per second, and there's a fairly stunning 240fps slow-mo video mode, too. If you like taking pictures of yourself, you'll be glad to hear that the front-facing iSight camera has improved face detection and a new "burst" selfie mode to help you get the best shot."

Story #3 - The Impressive Apple Watch and a Free U2 Album, "Songs of Innocence." Will report on all of these in segment 3 of today's show.

Story #4 - From the Screening Room - Photographing and Assembling a Lunar Eclipse Composite with Seán Duggan. Ever wonder how photographers create those cool lunar composites? Now you can get the inside scoop. Sean shows you how to capture, organize, and assemble the elements for a lunar composite.

You can watch Sean in action by visiting the TDS Screening Room at lynda.com/thedigitalstory. While you're there, you can start your 7 day free trial to watch other design, photography, and computing titles, plus every other topic in the library.

Story #5 - Telezoom Test. Slide Scanners Tested, Wildlife Photo Tips, Mobile Raw Processing Apps, How the Fine Art Market Works, and more - A preview of the Fall Issue of c't Digital Photography Magazine. If you're not a subscriber yet, here's a 20 percent discount.

Virtual Camera Club News

The SizzlPix September Discount Order early, starting today, and for every day between now and the end of September, SizzlPix will subtract 1% (one-percent) from the cost of your order. Remember the rhyme, "30 days hath September ..." You can see how much you'll save! Remember to put TDS September Discount in the comments field.

Visit the Red River Paper Card Shop. You can peruse top selling cards, order the card sample kit, and read tutorials on card printing. Save on Ground Shipping for Red River Paper. Use coupon code ground50c to receive a 50 percent discount on UPS ground shipping for Red River Paper. No minimum purchase required.

Photo Assignment for September 2014 is "Shot from Behind".

If you haven't done so already, please post a review for The Digital Story Podcast in iTunes.

BTW: If you're ordering through B&H or Amazon, please click on the respective ad tile under the Products header in the box half way down the 2nd column on thedigitalstory.com. That helps support the site.

Download the Show

In addition to subscribing in iTunes, you can also download the podcast file here (39 minutes). You can support this podcast by purchasing the TDS iPhone App for only $2.99 from the Apple App Store.

More Ways to Participate

Want to share photos and talk with other members in our virtual camera club? Check out our Flickr Public Group. And from those images, I choose the TDS Member Photo of the Day.

Podcast Sponsors

lynda.com - Learn lighting, portraiture, Photoshop skills, and more from expert-taught videos at lynda.com/thedigitalstory.

Red River Paper -- Keep up with the world of inkjet printing, and win free paper, by liking Red River Paper on Facebook.

SizzlPix! - High resolution output for your photography. You've never seen your imagery look so good. SizzlPix.com. SizzlPix! now is qualified for PayPal "Bill Me Later," No payments, No interest for up to 6 months, which means, have your SizzlPix! now, and pay nothing until January!

Want to Comment on this Post?

You can share your thoughts at the TDS Facebook page, where I'll post this story for discussion.