Track Santa with the power of Norad

A yearly favorite of mine and many others, both adults and kids alike. Join the family by the computer today to watch as Santa takes his trip around the world (and encourage young-ones to go to bed)
Or for those photographers out there, see if you can snap a photo of this fast fellow, I recommend max ISO and Max shutter speed, think ISO 6400+ 1/8000-sec at F1.4-2.8
If you get a photo of the big-guy send it to us!

Fotolia Celebrates Fifth Birthday

Online image company Fotolia thrives through Global Recession

NEW YORK, NY, December 22, 2009 – Fotolia is part of a handful of companies that grew during the global recession, and this month, the online image provider celebrates its fifth anniversary. During 2009, the company saw its online library double to over 8,000,000 images and nearly 2 million images were downloaded every month. Since December 2006, membership increased nearly 10-fold, with over 1.5 million people worldwide now signed up to the site.


CEO Oleg Tscheltzoff explains the secret to Fotolia’s success, “Sourcing photos, vectors, and videos that are legal for commercial and promotional use from the most talented artists around the world has enabled Fotolia to provide incredible value. Designers, marketing, and creative professionals traditionally paid upwards of $500 per image in the past. Fotolia offers the same quality and usage rights starting at $1.”

Also contributing to the company’s success is an aggressive geographical expansion plan. Attention has returned to the North American market after success throughout Europe during the company’s initial years. Fotolia hired North American President Patrick Lor and Executive Vice President Garth Johnson, who were instrumental in the development of a major competitor. More recently, Fotolia set up shop in Turkey using its signature localization strategy.



As for where the company is headed, Tscheltzoff says, “as the economy continues to rebound, we will ramp up our global marketing efforts and continue to pursue our geographical expansion plans. Another key area is our video collection - it is the next wave of microstock. There is a real opportunity for contributors to set a precedence in this market and earn a significant income.”



For more information on Fotolia, visit www.fotolia.com



-30-



Over 1.5 million people prefer Fotolia, LLC for affordable, royalty-free photos, vectors, and HD videos. With the introduction of the Infinite Collection, Fotolia became the first worldwide microstock organization to offer both crowd-sourced and professional images on one site. Founded in New York City in 2004, Fotolia spans the globe with websites in 10 languages and offices in 12 countries. With over 8,000,000 images to choose from, find it on Fotolia. www.fotolia.com

Nikon Podcast #29:Discussing the Nikon Festival

Nikon Podcast #29 – Judges Rainn Wilson and iJustine discuss the Nikon Festival and what it takes to create a winning submission

Host Mark Ellwood and special Nikon Festival celebrity judges Rainn Wilson and iJustine discuss what it’s like being a judge of the Festival, the experience of creating their own video submissions and what they’d like to see in video submissions to capture the $100,000 judges award. Join Mark, Rainn, and iJustine as they give insightful details about creating their film submissions for the festival and enjoy exclusive behind the scenes footage.

Listen and subscribe to this podcast in iTunes by clicking here.

For all other RSS readers, click here.

Olympus Master 2.3 (program update)

Today Olympus is pleased to announce a software update service for Olympus Master.

This update, Olympus Master 2.3, allows the development of E-P2 RAW files using the Diorama and Cross Process Art Filters and iEnhance picture mode using the Windows 7 and Mac OS X v 10.16 (Snow Leopard) Operating Systems.

To update Olympus Master software, please visit this site and follow the instructions there:
http://www.olympusamerica.com/cpg_section/oima_softwaremaster.asp

dxomark.com Updates for Canon EOS 5D Mark II and Pentax K200D

dxomark.com Updates Include Detailed Measurements and Rankings for
Canon EOS 5D Mark II and Pentax K200D

dxomark.com also now features a Frequently Asked Questions & Answers section Paris, France – DxO Labs announces today the addition on its popular www.dxomark.com website of detailed RAW‐based image quality data and DxOMark Sensor rankings for two new Digital Single‐Lens Reflex cameras: the highly‐anticipated new Canon EOS 5D Mark II, which has just appeared on the market, along with the Pentax K200D. These two camera models complement the Digital SLR category that is already well represented on the dxomark.com site and illustrate DxO Labs continuous effort to publishing image quality data on the latest digital camera models.
“Our goal at DxO Labs is to cover the widest possible range of digital cameras, from RAW‐compatible digital still cameras (DSC) to top‐of‐the‐line DSLR,” said Nicolas Touchard, Vice President of Marketing, DxO Labs Image Quality Evaluation. “We are committed to consistently providing the highest level of RAW image data possible in order to build the most comprehensive database of RAW image information available.”
dxomark.com also now includes a new Frequently Asked Questions & Answers section so as to provide timely responses to questions and comments raised in various photography discussion forums and from direct feedback from visitors to dxomark.com.


About dxomark.com
Sponsored by DxO Labs, a company focusing on image processing technologies, www.dxomark.com is a free online
resource that delivers key objective sensor performance metrics measured directly on the RAW image for a variety of
cameras. As a result, dxomark.com makes it possible for the first time to assess the intrinsic quality of a camera
before the impact of any RAW conversion and independent of its optics. The site also features a simple scale,
DxOMark Sensor, for analyzing and comparing RAW image quality. The DxOMark Sensor scale is mapped to real‐world
photographic scenarios such as portrait, landscape, and action photography, ensuring that the scale is relevant to
photographers.
Page 1 of 2
dxomark.com’s goal is to serve the imaging community, particularly the photo press. Photography journalists and
experts can now complement their analyses and reviews with an objective evaluation of intrinsic camera
performance, regardless of optics or processing considerations.
For more information, visit www.dxomark.com.
About DxO Labs
DxO Labs offers products and solutions ensuring excellence in digital imaging. The company develops and licenses
patented intellectual property serving the entire digital imaging chain:
• For consumer electronics OEM/ODM (such as digital camera and camera phone vendors): embedded
software and silicon architectures for real time still and video image processing;
• For imaging component suppliers (camera module manufacturers, sensor vendors, and processor vendors) as
well as photography journalists and imaging experts: image quality evaluation and measurement tools;
• For serious and demanding photographers, PC and Mac solutions to enhance camera image quality.
For more information, visit the DxO Labs website at www.dxo.com
Press Contacts
dxomark.com Press Relations
Nicolas Touchard
+ 33 1 55 20 55 99 (France)
contact@dxomark.com
other

Save on books this Holiday at oreilly.com!

oreilly.com is Celebrating their New Partnership with Microsoft Press!
Save 40% on All Microsoft Press Books and 50% on Ebooks

The gift-giving season is upon us and we want to help you save. From now until the New Year you can purchase Microsoft Press books direct on oreilly.com and save. Select from over 600 print titles, and 200 DRM-free ebooks athttp://microsoftpress.oreilly.com. All ebooks are available in four convenient formats, for the price of one: ePub, PDF, MOBI, and Android. Use discount code MSINT in the shopping cart to get your savings on every Microsoft Press title, including Windows 7 Plain and Simple and Windows 7 Step by Step.

Holiday Gift Idea: Mastering the Nikon D5000

-New from Rocky Nook
(Perfect gift for your friend who just got or is getting a Nikon D5000 ~B)
Santa Barbara, CA—Mastering the Nikon D5000 (Rocky Nook, $34.95 USD) by Darrell Young is a comprehensive guide for of the owners of this newest, budget-friendly generation of Nikon digital single lens reflex (DSLR) cameras. The smaller, more lightweight Nikon D5000 mixes generous portions of user-controlled manual photography features with the latest technological innovations, allowing fully automatic point and shoot simplicity.

Darrell's approach in teaching the reader to master this camera avoids the purely instructional technique, favoring a more friendly and advisory tone. He blends his decades of Nikon camera experience with an intuitive understanding of the readers' most likely questions regarding specific camera functions and features. Rather than just list all options for the myriad of camera settings and adjustments, he explains the background behind each setting and shares his personal recommendations.


Darrell understands that many owners of the D5000 may be just entering the world of DSLRs, and he takes the time to guide these new owners through the basics, while giving more experienced photographers the option of a refresher course.

Also included is an entire chapter on the exciting new D-Movie function that can record high-quality HD movie clips at an amazing 24-frames per second.

Mastering the Nikon D5000 is the most recent volume in the highly successful series of Nikonians Press books.
About the Author
Darrell Young (DigitalDarrell) is an information technology engineer by trade and has been an avid photographer for over 35 years. He has a rather large family, with his wife and five children, so he has a constantly interesting flow of photographic opportunities. In fact, his entire family uses Nikon cameras to pursue what has become a cohesive family hobby.

Darrell delights in using Nikon's newest digital cameras but if pressed, he will admit to being a "closet" film user too. Living next to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park has given him a real concern for, and interest in, nature photography. Darrell loves to write, as you can see in the Resources area of the Nikonians.org community. He joined the community in the year 2000, and his literary contributions led to his invitation to become a Founding Member of the Nikonians Writers Guild.

Additional Resources:
For more information about the book, see: http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/9781933952529

Mastering the Nikon D5000
Mastering the Nikon D5000
Publisher: Rocky Nook
Darrell Young
ISBN: 9781933952529, 230 pages,
Book Price: $34.95 USD
order@oreilly.com
1-800-998-9938
1-707-827-7000

Nikon Podcast: "Benefits of stills and HD video when photographing a captivating culture"

Nikon Podcast #28 – Travel and documentary photographer Ami Vitale talks about the benefits of stills and HD video when photographing a captivating culture

Join Host Mark Ellwood as he speaks to acclaimed National Geographic photographer Ami Vitale about her travels and experiences capturing fascinating cultures with the D300s. Vitale explains how to create a photo moment from everyday travel experience and combined it with stunning HD video for a spectacular memory of your trip.

Listen and subscribe to this podcast in iTunes by clicking here.

For all other RSS readers, click here.

Join Host Mark Ellwood as he speaks to acclaimed National Geographic photographer Ami Vitale about her travels and experiences capturing fascinating cultures with the D300s. Vitale explains how to create a photo moment from everyday travel experience and combined it with stunning HD video for a spectacular memory of your trip.

Pixel TR-331 TTL (radio) Nikon Triggers

So Pocket Wizards are too costly, you don't want to get the original radio-poppers and well you want to have ttl-flash control with non line-of-site placement of flashes, What can you do?
David Hobby over at Strobist.com has a first look at the Pixel TR-331 TTL Triggers HERE

Just in time for the Holiday: New Releases from O'Reilly

Here are a few books you may want to get a loved one who's into photography, computers etc.

Switching to the Mac: The Missing Manual, Snow Leopard Edition
By David Pogue
Ready to make the leap to Snow Leopard? There has never been a better time to switch from Windows to Mac, and this incomparable guide will help you make a smooth transition. New York Times columnist and Missing Manuals creator David Pogue gets you past three challenges: transferring your stuff, assembling Mac programs so you can do what you did with Windows, and learning your way around Mac OS X.

Adobe Photoshop Elements 8 One-on-One
By Deke McClelland, Colleen Wheeler
Master the fundamentals of Photoshop Elements 8 with Deke McClelland's unique and effective learning system. Adobe Photoshop Elements 8 One-on-One includes step-by-step tutorials, hours of DVD-video demonstrations, and hands-on projects to help you improve your knowledge and hone your skills. Once you read about a particular technique, you can see how it's done first-hand in the video. Learn to use Elements faster, more creatively, and more efficiently than you thought possible.

Inside Cyber Warfare
By Jeffrey Carr
Maybe you've heard about "cyber warfare" in the news, but do you really know what it is? This book provides fascinating and disturbing details on how nations, groups, and individuals throughout the world are using the Internet as an attack platform to gain military, political, and economic advantage against their adversaries. You'll learn how sophisticated hackers working on behalf of states or organized crime patiently play a high stakes game that could target anyone, regardless of political affiliation or nationality.

Using Joomla
By Ron Severdia, Kenneth Crowder
If you're new to building websites, or just new to web content management systems, with this book you'll quickly learn how to create powerful web applications and effective websites with Joomla. Using Joomla provides hands-on instruction for newcomers who want to learn the basics, and models best practices for experienced Joomla developers looking to build more sophisticated websites.

Gift Ideas: Rechargable Batteries

PowerGenix Batteries are NiZn rechargeable batteries, The Best Rechargeable on the market now! Charge up your Flash or camera with these and notice the difference! These batteries are rated to about 1.6V that's just higher than your standard Alkaline or Lithium battery while popular NiMh batteries only have a 1.2v rating thus slower re-charge and focusing in your cameras and flashes. I personally have these and LOVE THEM in my Flash units, Super fast recycle! ~B


However if you are in need of long-term storage of charged rechargeable batteries the trusty Sanyo Eneloop is my Choice. I have been using these for over a year and have come to rely on not having to recharge non-used batteries and keep a set or 2 in each photo bag for when they are needed. ~B

Note: Links take you to our affiliate site on Amazon

Gift Ideas: Kodak Solar Charger

What do you get the photographer who has everything for Christmas this year? How about a Solar AA-Battery Charger! Kodak has a few options to choose from and unlike some less known brands, I wouldn't hesitate to buy this one. I in fact may buy one for this summers photo expedition ~B
Solar powered device and battery charger leads new line of dependable, on-the-go power solutions from Kodak. Help support us Buy it from Amazon HERE

-- Eastman Kodak Company introduced (this summer) a family of new portable power-charging solutions that enable fast and convenient charging of multiple devices, including a solar-powered charger that harnesses the sun’s power to charge gadgets while on the go.

“Millions of consumers rely on multiple devices for work and play, and need dependable sources of power for them anytime, anywhere,” says John Blake, General Manager Digital Capture and Devices, Vice President, Eastman Kodak Company. “Our new KODAK chargers provide reliable portable power and hours of extended run time for any USB-charging compatible gadget.”

Leading the new line of chargers is the KODAK Solar Charger KS100-C+2, which produces enough power to deliver 1.5 charges to a cell phone, or run a music player for an additional 33 hours, or capture up to 200 digital camera pictures (actual results will vary by device).

“Consumers can rely on this charger for power anywhere the sun shines, even when they’re far from electrical service,” Blake says. “And on an everyday basis, they can charge the unit on a window sill or under a desk lamp, and it’ll be ready to go when they are.”

When light is scarce, consumers can use the included USB cable to recharge from a computer or other USB power source.

Other features of the KODAKSolar Charger KS100-C+2 include:

• ENERGY STAR® qualified;

• Achieves full charge in 14 hours via USB-in, 28 hours via sunlight;

• Solar and device charging indicator;

The KODAKSolar Charger KS100-C+2 will retail for US $39.95 MSRP beginning in September, 2009.

Also new to the Kodak line of portable power solutions are:

> KODAK Portable Charger KP100-C+2, a palm-sized, ENERGY STAR compliant power pack that lets you plug in any USB-chargeable device to provide up to 40 more hours of run time, two cell phone recharges, or up to 400 digital camera pictures (actual results will vary by device). Designed for use with all USB-compatible mobile phones, music players, cameras and more, the power pack keeps your device running and recharges it at the same time, and is an ideal travel companion.

Features include:

• ENERGY STAR qualified;

• Includes 2 AA Ni-MH rechargeable batteries (2500 mAh);

• Power pack achieves full charge in approximately 8 hours;

• Includes auto-off Energy Saving Timer;

The KODAK Portable Charger KP100-C+2 will retail for US $29.95 MSRP beginning in September, 2009.

> KODAK Digital Camera Travel Charger K640/K640E,a compact and cordless ENERGY STAR compliant battery charger that extends the life of rechargeable NiMH batteries by up to 200 pictures per charge. The unit comes with two AA Ni-MH batteries that recharge in 6 hours or less so you can stay powered and ready to go.

The KODAK Digital Camera Travel Charger K640/K640E will retail for US $14.95 MSRP beginning in September, 2009.

About Kodak

As the world's foremost imaging innovator, Kodak helps consumers, businesses, and creative professionals unleash the power of pictures and printing to enrich their lives.

To learn more, visit the newly redesigned http://www.kodak.com and follow our blogs and more at http://www.kodak.com/go/followus.

More than 75 million people worldwide manage, share and create photo gifts online at KODAK Gallery --join for free today at www.kodakgallery.com

Strobox iPhone App

Just in case you have the app bug, or suck at drawing your lighting setups... Check this out for your iphone

ACDSee Pro 3 Compatible with Microsoft Windows 7

Pro photographers and advanced amateurs can be assured that the new ACDSee Pro 3 workflow management program from ACD Systems is compatible with Microsoft’s new Windows 7 operating system.

VICTORIA, British Columbia – Photographers who use ACDSee Pro 3, a leading digital imaging software application that processes RAW images and helps accelerate workflow, can rely on the compatibility of the new program with Microsoft’s new Windows 7 operating system.

ACD Systems announced on Dec. 7 that it has released a free update to ACDSee Pro 3 that makes Windows 7 a supported operating system. ACDSee has met Microsoft’s standards for compatibility and reliability on Windows 7, and has been verified on the latest operating system.

“Many of our users have inquired about how Windows 7 and ACDSee Pro 3 work together, and the answer is that they are well-suited to perform collectively at the highest level,” said Cam Carmichael, product manager for ACD Systems. “To make sure these technologies are in synch, we have identified and largely addressed usability issues that some users may have encountered related to high DPI settings and the new Windows 7 Libraries.”

Additional usability improvements, based on feedback from this summer’s beta program, are available in this update, including:

* In Quick View, the ESC key can now always be used to exit the application.
* In View mode, the ESC key can now be used to go back to the previous mode.
* In the Organize and Database panes, a collapsed category will be shown in bold when a selected thumbnail is assigned to a sub-category of that collapsed category.
* The Vignette tool has been adjusted to smooth out the gradient effect.

The update also includes support for new camera RAW formats.

Introduced in September, ACDSee Pro 3 emphasizes four areas of activity – manage, view, process and online – that optimize photography workflow from start to finish in one application. Building on its reputation as a leading viewer, browser and organizer, Pro 3 brings new advanced speed capabilities into the editing and online stages as well. ACDSee Pro 3 is available in English, German, Japanese and French. All four language editions are compatible with Windows 7.

ACDSee Pro 3 is available for a free 30-day trial and for purchase at $169.99 (USD) by visiting www.acdsee.com. Registered owners of ACDSee Pro, Pro 2 and Pro 2.5 are eligible to upgrade for less than $90.00 (USD) until the end of February 2010.

Headquartered in British Columbia since 1993, ACD Systems International Inc. is one of the world’s leading developers and marketers of digital imaging software, including the renowned ACDSee image management tool and Canvas, an advanced technical illustration and graphics program. ACD Systems has millions of consumer and business users and more than 33,000 corporate customers, including many Fortune 500 companies. For further details, please visit www.acdsee.com.

ACD and ACDSee are trademarks of ACD Systems International Inc. and may be registered in Canada, the United States, the European Union, Japan or certain other jurisdictions. Canvas is a trademark of ACD Systems of America, Inc. and may be registered in certain jurisdictions. Trademarks of ACD Systems of America, Inc. are used under license by ACD Systems International Inc. or its subsidiaries.

All other marks, products and company names are the property of their respective owners.

Dot Photo Free Shipping Code!

FREE SHIPPING CODE : 09FreeShipping FREE SHIPPING ENDS : Dec 14th
Free Shipping Offer Details: Minimum purchase amount of $35 must be made for this offer to take effect. Print credits (including bulk print credits), do not qualify toward the minimum purchase amount, additional item(s) equaling $35 must be purchased to qualify. This offer does not apply to Eurobook, guest orders or custom priced merchandise.

Product Discount Offer Details: Sale prices are already reflected in shopping cart. To see the original product price before discount, go to the product page, and scroll cursor over Prices to see original and sale price. Offer does not apply to guest orders or custom priced merchandise.

All Offers: If you have a problem with an offer, please contact us prior to completing your transaction. Offers cannot be applied to previous orders. All offers are available for one time use and cannot be combined with other offers, limit one code per order.

Pentax Optio W80 NOW with $50 Rebate

The amazing Optio W80 is so durable, it takes pictures while it's covered in snow, dusted with sand or plunged in 16 feet of water. Perfect for adventurous families, this palm-sized wonder features 12.1 megapixels and a 5X internal optical zoom. Plus, if you purchase the Optio W80 by January 2, 2010 you'll receive a $50 instant rebate.


12.1 megapixels, 5X wide-angle
internal optical zoom
2.5 inch LCD
Waterproof to 16 feet
Shockproof to 3.3 feet
Coldproof to -10^oC (14^oF)
Widescreen HD Movie Capture

Books: The Portrait

Just in time for the Holidays, Give the photographer in your life something they can enjoy and learn from:

Santa Barbara, CA—Glenn Rand, longtime photographic educator and Program Director for Graduate Programs at Brooks Institute, and Tim Meyer, Portrait Division Chair at Brooks Institute, have collaborated to create a thorough and balanced textbook on the modern techniques and practice of portrait photography. In The Portrait (Rocky Nook, $34.95 USD) they have avoided the single-style viewpoint common to so many books on portraiture and have crafted a definitive resource for professionals, as well as students and avid amateurs, wishing to advance their skills in this discipline.

Topics include:

* Quality of light and the portrait
* Ambient, continuous, and strobe light sources
* Understanding light modifiers and enhancers
* Mastering lighting ratios
* Importance and selection of backgrounds
* Extensive coverage of lighting setups
* Understanding light meters and metering in portraiture
* Lighting patterns on the human face
* Facial analysis
* Composition in portraiture
* Eliciting the appropriate expression
* The fine art portrait
* Portraiture for the masses



About the Authors
Glenn Rand is an artist with international acceptance. His photographs are in the collections of more than two dozen museums and public collection in the United States, Europe and Japan. Included are the Detroit Institute of Art and the Kresge Art Center, He has also exhibit widely with exhibitions throughout the United States.

Glenn has published and lectured extensively about photography and digital imaging ranging from commercial aesthetics to the technical fine points of Black and White photography. Books written include Black and White Photography and Digital Photographic Capture.

Presently Dr. Rand is the program director of the graduate program at Brooks Institute in Santa Barbara, California.

Photographer, educator and writer, Tim Meyer is passionate about the field of photography. With over 30 years as a professional photographer he currently serves as the Portrait Division Chair at Brooks Institute in Santa Barbara, CA. while continuing to operate his custom portrait and wedding business.

Holder of Professional Photographers of America's coveted Masters and Craftsman degrees Tim has also been awarded a Master of Arts degree in Fine Art Photography. As a member of Fuji Film Internationals Pro-Elite and Talent Teams, Tim lectures internationally and is a contributing editor to Rangefinder Magazine.

In addition to numerous one-man exhibitions of his fine art work, Tim's photography has been internationally recognized for its innovative style and technique.

Additional Resources:
For more information about the book, see: http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/9781933952468

Build a Better Photograph
The Photograph
Publisher: Rocky Nook
Glenn Rand, Tim Meyer
ISBN: 9781933952468, 170 pages,
Book Price: $34.95 USD
order@oreilly.com
1-800-998-9938
1-707-827-7000

About Rocky Nook
Rocky Nook's books are distributed internationally by O'Reilly Media.

Rocky Nook was founded in early 2006 in Santa Barbara, California, and is closely associated with dpunkt.verlag, a leading publisher of books on technology based in Heidelberg, Germany. The focus of Rocky Nook's publications is on digital photography and computing.

About O'Reilly
O'Reilly Media spreads the knowledge of innovators through its books, online services, magazines, and conferences. Since 1978, O'Reilly Media has been a chronicler and catalyst of cutting-edge development, homing in on the technology trends that really matter and spurring their adoption by amplifying "faint signals" from the alpha geeks who are creating the future. An active participant in the technology community, the company has a long history of advocacy, meme-making, and evangelism.

# # #

PR: 8,000,000 images await you on Fotolia.com

Media Advisory

For Immediate Release

8,000,000 images await you on Fotolia.com

NEW YORK, NY, December 9, 2009 – December 2009 marks another milestone for Fotolia with over 8,000,000 images available for download. As the first microstock to offer extended licenses, Fotolia provides instant access to a diverse image library of royalty-free photos, vectors and videos starting at just $1.

“Fotolia takes pride in providing the most diverse image database possible,” says Oleg Tscheltzoff, CEO and co-founder of Fotolia. “We are constantly adding new images to the site in order to give our customers access to the latest images in the stock photography industry.”

On average, Fotolia adds 10,000 new images per day. To view Fotolia’s image library, visit www.fotolia.com.

-30-

Over 1.4 million people prefer Fotolia, LLC for affordable, royalty-free images, graphics and HD videos. With the introduction of the Infinite Collection, Fotolia became the first worldwide microstock organization to offer both crowd-sourced and professional images on one site. Founded in New York City in 2004, Fotolia spans the globe with websites in 10 languages and offices in 12 countries. With over 8,000,000 images to choose from, find it on Fotolia. www.fotolia.com

Nich: STEREO HEADPHONES FOR KIDS

Note: Though not photo relates, this is something many of us run into day-to day with kids and all our noise-making electronics, Check it out ~B
KIDZ GEAR ANNOUNCES RECORD HOLIDAY SALES FOR HIGH QUALITY STEREO HEADPHONES FOR KIDS
Value Priced Safety-Conscious Kid-Friendly Ergonomics --
December 8, 2009, El Dorado Hills, CA -- Kidz Gear www.GearForKidz.com, the Grown-up Performance, Built For Kids! brand, announced today record sales of their Kidz Gear Wired Headphones for Kids during the 2009 Black Friday and Cyber Monday selling periods. Kidz Gear Wired Headphones for Kids are the first adult-featured stereo headphones made especially for children. They are manufactured with the same high-quality, high-performance components found in adult headphones available from top consumer electronics manufactures. Priced at only $19.99, Kidz Gear Wired Headphones for Kids feature unique safety and comfort features, including independent volume control and a child-friendly ergonomic design with soft padded child-sized ear-cups found only on headphones costing significantly more.

“We are extremely excited to report that the Wired Headphones for Kids are selling in record numbers,” said Jack Peterson, VP Sales and Marketing, Kidz Gear. “Every year we look at the Black Friday and Cyber Monday’s sales figures as an indicator of the next year to come. With today’s economy, it is clear that people want a great product for a great price. Kidz Gear Wired Headphones for Kids are that product -- next year is going to rock!”

Adult Products Built for Kids

Kidz Gear products are not “toys,” but adult products built for kids. The products are designed to solve the never-ending battle between a child’s desire for his or her parent’s things (headphones, binoculars, etc.) and the parent’s fear of them destroying an expensive item.

Kidz Gear Wired Headphones for Kids and other Kidz Gear products will be on display at CES Showstoppers, Las Vegas, January 7, 2010. Kidz Gear Wired Headphones for Kids are currently available, priced at $19.99, from toy stores and gift shops around the United States and online at www.GearForKidz.com, www.Amazon.com and other fine online retailers. For more information, call 916-933-7858 or visit the company’s website: www.GearForKidz.com.

About Kidz Gear

Incorporated in 2001, San Ramon, California Supply and Beyond, LLC is the exclusive manufacturer of the Kidz Gear brand of products and accessories. The Kidz Gear brand was created by founder and mother Laurie Peterson with the purpose of developing a line of products and accessories with adult features, performance and quality but with ergonomic and economic sizes, styles and prices for children. The Kidz Gear product line has received rave reviews and awards from various Mother’s Group Organizations and industry publications. The company is continually focused on bringing more products to market that support the company’s mission – Grown-Up Performance, Built for Kids!

For more information visit www.GearForKidz.com, email: greatproducts@gearforkidz.com or
phone: 916-933-7858.

# # #

Pentax K-x Firmware v 1.01

PENTAX wishes to announce the release of Firmware Update Software Version 1.01 for K-x.

Changes to V1.01

• Added three kinds of particular effect shooting function (Pre-set 1,2 and 3) on [Cross Processing].
• Added assignment of Cross Processing function to the green button.
• Improved accuracy of Battery Level Indicator under specific conditions and improved stability for general performance.

Download HERE from Pentax

New Sigma 17-70mm F2.8-4 With OS!

Sigma Corporation adds unique, anti-shake technology to award-winning 17-70mm lens
‘Ultimate standard lens’ now available in Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Sony and Sigma mounts

Sigma Corporation, a leading researcher, developer, manufacturer and service provider of some of the world’s most impressive lines of lenses, cameras and flashes, is pleased to announce its newly upgraded 17-70mm F2.8-4 DC Macro OS HSM lens.

This large aperture, standard zoom lens contains state-of-the-art enhancements, including the company’s own Optical Stabilization (OS), anti-shake technology that offers the use of shutter speeds approximately four stops slower than would otherwise be possible. Once again, only Sigma has made it possible for Pentax and Sony shooters to utilize an anti-shake system in either the lens or the camera body.

This lens’ predecessor, the 17-70mm F2.8-4.5 DC Macro HSM, was deemed a “Best Buy” recommendation for photographers wishing to purchase a standard zoom lens as part of the Canadian Association for Photographic Art’s (CAPA) “Best Lens of the Year” awards.

“Aside from the OS technology, which is key when shooting with mid-range and high-end class DSLRs, this lens stands apart from the crowd because of its impressive zoom range,” said Mark Amir-Hamzeh, general manager of Sigma Corporation of America. “It has a 4x zoom range that is equivalent to 24-105mm lenses in full-frame formats. That, coupled with the OS technology and a macro function, makes it the ultimate standard lens for serious photographers who want top-notch image quality and functionality at an affordable price.”

With a large aperture of F2.8 on the wide end and F4 at the tele end, as well as a macro function with a minimum focusing distance of 8.7 inches and a maximum magnification ratio of 1:2.7, this lens is ideal for a wide range of photography. The lens’ Hyper Sonic Motor (HSM) also ensures a quiet and high speed auto focus, while its rounded, seven-blade diaphragm creates an attractive blur to the out-of-focus areas to provide the optimal Bokeh effect. The inner focusing system eliminates front lens rotation, making the lens particularly suitable for using the supplied petal-type lens hood and circular polarizing filters.

Three aspherical lenses and one Extraordinary Low Dispersion (ELD) glass element provide excellent correction for all types of aberrations when shooting with this lens. Additionally, the Super Multi-Layer Coating reduces flare and ghosting to produce high-contrast images.

The 17-70mm F2.8-4 DC Macro OS HSM lens is currently available in Sigma, Canon, Nikon (D), Sony (D) and Pentax mounts for $680 MSRP in stores nationwide.