News / Other Product News

ACD Systems has extended the Raw support offered by its ACDSee Pro 6 and ACDSee 15 software packages. Both packages gain support for an additional 16 cameras, including the recently-announced Nikon 1 J2 and the Sony DSC-RX100. The more sophisticated ACDSee Pro 6 also gains support for the Compressed DNG formats that were introduced with v1.4 of the DNG format.

Triggertrap Mobile, the camera triggering app, is available for free between now and the New Year. The idea is to make it easier to give the mobile dongle (that costs $24.99) as a gift, without the recipient then having to buy the associated app. The app is available for both iOS and Android and allows a smartphone to perform as series of sophisticated camera triggering actions, when connected to the camera using the mobile dongle.

Nikon has announced two digiscoping accessories for its 1 System cameras, allowing them to be used to take pictures through telescopes. The DSA-N1 can be used to connect a Nikon 1 system camera directly to a telescope eyepiece. Meanwhile the DSB-N1 is a bracket that holds the camera behind the telescope, and includes a mechanical cable release adapter. Both will be available in December, with RRPs of £219.99 and £169.99 for the DSA-N1 and DSB-N1 respectively.

Accessory grip maker Richard Franiec has created a custom grip for the Sigma DP1 Merrill and DP2 Merrill. As usual, the grip is made from anodized aluminium alloy and attached to the front of the camera using high-strength 3M double-sided tape. The grip attaches securely but can be removed if necessary. It will be available from December 2012 at a cost of $36.95 plus shipping.

Metabones has updated its EF to NEX Smart Adapter II, allowing recent Canon lenses to autofocus on Sony E-mount cameras. As with most systems that attempt to use DSLR lenses on contrast-detection-based AF cameras, the focus speed is considerably lower than when used on their native cameras. However, despite not being able to use the hybrid-AF system from the NEX-5R or 6, Metabones claims performance is often better than Sony DSLR lenses being used with the original LA-EA1 adapter. The adapter costs $399, with existing Smart Adapter II owners able to upgrade for $50.

Triggertrap Mobile, the app-based camera trigger can now be used remotely if the user has two smart devices. The latest version of the app, that allows a wide range of cameras to be triggered in response to a range of events or with sophisticated time-lapse functions, features a Wi-Fi mode. In Wi-Fi mode, a 'master' iOS device can be used to remotely configure and trigger a camera that is connected to a Triggertrap mobile dongle and a second smart device (either an iOS or Android phone or tablet).

Transcend has announced its own Wi-Fi-capable SD card. Like the existing Eye-Fi and FlashAir cards, it can connect directly to a smartphone or to a local Wi-Fi network and, in common with the latest cards from Eye-Fi, is based around a Class 10 card. A free app compatible with both iOS and Android devices lets you upload images wirelessly from your digital camera to the Internet.

Adobe has issued a 'release candidate' version of Lightroom 4.3 and Adobe Camera Raw 7.3, including support for 13 additional cameras. The Mac version of Lightroom features a Develop module that supports Apple's HiDPI mode that makes the interface easier to read on the 'Retina' panels used on recent Macs. The latest versions are available for download from the Adobe Labs website and, as the 'release candidate' tag denotes, are well tested but could benefit from some user feedback before finalized.

DxO Labs has updated its DxO Optics Pro software to version 8.0.1 with the addition of support for the Nikon 1 J2 and Sony NEX-5R mirrorless cameras. The latest update also includes over 200 additional camera/lens correction modules. The update is free for Optics Pro 8 users and is available immediately.

HDR software maker Unified Color Technologies has announced version 2 of its HDR Express high dynamic range merge and editing software for Windows and Mac. New features include Image Stacking that automatically groups bracketed exposures and a browser with thumbnail previews. Along with improved de-ghosting algorithms, the software also includes single-click presets and a new slideshow feature. Its native .BEF format can be opened in Adobe Photoshop and Apple Aperture via a plug-in for further editing. HDR Express 2 is available for an introductory price of $84.00 or $59 for current Unified Color users.

Sony has introduced two 4K-capable modular cameras, including the PMW-F55 which has a Super 35-sized sensor with a global shutter. The specifications of the two cameras are pretty overwhelming - 16-bit Raw recording, parallel 2K and 4K recording, but the biggest news is the global shutter - the ability to capture all pixels simultaneously, rather than one line at a time - totally eliminating rolling shutter effect. (via EOS HD)

DCWatch has provided more details of Panasonic's DMW-FL360L - the company's first wirelessly controllable flashgun. The feature is designed to work with the company's recently-announced range-topping DMC-GH3. The bounceable flash has a guide number of 36 (m at ISO 100) and includes a flip-down wide-angle converter to provide coverage for an 8mm (16mm equivalent) lens' field of view. It also features an LED continuous lamp for video work. US pricing isn't available but is expected to cost around £250 in the UK and ¥30,000 ($376) in Japan. (via DCWatch)

Phase One has announced Capture One Pro 7, the latest version of its image processing and workflow tool. The latest version is based around an entirely new image processing engine and gains digital asset management tools, developed from the company's experience with its Media Pro software. The software's tethered shooting option now gains live view for some DSLR models. The software will cost $299/€229 with significant discounts for upgraders from previous versions.

DxO Labs has announced DxO Optics Pro 8, a major update of its image processing tool incorporating 'DxO Smart Lighting.' The company's Smart Lighting tool influences both image brightness and contrast using a single slider and will attempt to recover both highlight and shadow detail. Meanwhile a selective tone tool makes it easy to apply different changes to the highlight, mid-tone and shadow regions of an image.The software also allows the configuration of multiple output options. It also gains more lens/body optical correction profiles, with DxO aiming to double the current 10,000 combinations by the end of 2013. The software comes with the customary introductory pricing valid until November 15th.

Industry body CEA has defined a minimum standard for '4K' video and has chosen the terms 'Ultra High-Definition' and 'Ultra HD' to describe it. The consumer electronics body, which includes most major camera makers, has concluded that devices must be capable of showing 3840 x 2160 pixel video to be classed as Ultra HD devices. Despite being a member of CEA, Sony has said it will continue to use the term 4K, and will brand its products as 4K UHD.

GoPro, the action camera maker, has refreshed its entire range, including the addition of the 4k-capable Hero 3 Black Edition. The existing Hero HD and Hero 2 models have essentially been re-housed in smaller cases with updated user interfaces and will sit alongside the Black Edition as the White and Silver Editions, respectively. The Hero 3 Black Edition can shoot at up to 3840x2160 pixels at 15 frames per second. It also has 2.7k mode (2716 horizontal pixels) at 30 or 24fps, and a Protune mode that offers higher bit-rates and a neutral color profile better suited to post-processing.

Japanese camera site DCWatch has reviewed the PQI Air Wi-Fi Micro-SD to SD adapter. The adapter features a built-in Wi-Fi transmitter but, unlike rival FlashAir or Eye-Fi cards, does not feature any internal memory of its own - instead allowing you to swap MicroSD cards in and out. The adapter communicated with smartphones via an Android or iOS app from where you can browse and download images from the camera. The system allows you to swap inexpensive standard MicroSD cards, rather than buying multiple Wi-Fi cards, also allowing you to upgrade the speed or capacity of card without having to replace the Wi-Fi component. (from DCWatch)

Visual Supply Company has announced 'VSCO Keys,' a keyboard shortcut customization tool for Adobe Lightroom 3 or 4. It aims to make working in Lightroom more efficient, but the $125 price tag (only a fraction less than Lightroom itself) is likely to limit its appeal to photographers who aren't profiting from their work. The software comes with two presets, one of which adds shortcuts without clashing with any of the software's native controls, while a more comprehensive one replaces several of them. A 14-day free trial allows you to assess the value of the efficiency savings to your workflow. (via Petapixel) Updated with lowered price (10/24/12).

DxO Labs has announced Optics Pro v7.5.5, with support for the Canon EOS-1D X and the Nikon D600. The latest version of the company's raw processing and optical correction software also adds support for the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G5 and DMC-LX7. Support for the two full-frame DSLRs comes only in the 'Elite' edition of the software, while the Panasonic support is also included in the standard edition, that costs around half as much. As usual, the upgrade is free to existing Optics Pro 7 users and recent purchasers of Pro 6.

Alongside its ACR and Lightroom updates, Adobe has extended the specifications of the DNG format, including the creation of a more compact, Lossy DNG option. The format has also been extended to respect in-camera cropping and allow for the inclusion of full HDR data and the non-image areas around merged panoramas. We spoke to Lightroom Product Manager, Tom Hogarty, about the changes made in v1.4 and the reasons behind them.