The Digital Photography Show #86: A Lot of Stuff You’ll Like from Jobo, X-Rite and XShot.
The Digital Photography Show #86: A Lot of Stuff You’ll Like from Jobo, X-Rite and XShot.
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March 8, 2008 : Welcome to the eighty sixth episode of The Digital Photography Show!
It was hard to get Michael on the show today – it was a long distance call to heaven, where he is right now, playing with the Nikon D3 that the people at Nikon were kind enough to lend him. Sorry, Michael, that means you’ll have to give it back. Michael shares his first lovestruck impressions of the D3.
We also talk about shooting HDR images. Michael recommends Ben Wilmore’s HDR training at xTrain. If you want to improve your basic photography or become a Photoshop, Lightroom or HDR guru, check out xTrain, a great web-based learning resource. They have a ton of on-line videos that will teach you how to do pretty much everything with your camera – and your computer – that you might ever want to do. And exclusively for our listeners, they offer a 15% off discount on any xTrain course or membership plan by using the code DPS on the page you’ll find here.
Michael also likes the Wilmore-endorsed Photomatix Pro software for creating his HDR images. If you want to see some amazing HDR images (not Michael’s, alas) check out these from Smashing Magazine.
Then, we answer listener John’s question about whether he should buy a Canon 5D, a Canon 40D, or wait for the next generation of cameras. We get digital camera guru Dave Etchells, the genuis behind Imaging-Resource.com, to help us give John the best possible advice. As a long-time digital industry insider, Dave knows the ins and outs of the biz. If you’re looking to buy a camera or lens, be sure to check it out on Imaging-Resource.com, or its sister site, SLRgear.com. Then, buy through their shopping links – you’ll get the best price, and you’ll be helping support these valuable resources. Thanks, Dave!
Then we clean house, airing the remaining interviews from PMA 08.
- First up is Jobo, telling us about their fantastic new 15 inch digital frame that is bee-you-tee-full beyond my ability to describe it here. Catchily named the JOBO Photo Display PDJ151, this frame seems like a steal at a list price of $359. (Actually, to be fair, it’s also called the Photo Display 15 Zoll, which isn’t much better.) We also talk about their storage devices, like the GigaVu Extreme.
- Then we talk to the makers of the inexpensive and handy XShot. This extending little monopod for your point and shot will help you to make sure you’re in the shot, too. Last time we featured this product, it got a lot of attention from our listeners; the new version of the XShot has some incremental improvements that makes it even better.
- Lastly, we talk to X-Rite about their color callibration solutions – one of which comes with a live person to walk you through the callibration process. This is an excellent way to make a painful process less daunting for the user.
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Scott
March 14th, 2008 at 10:13 am
Hmmm. Am I the only one looking askance at the HDR craze? These images owe more to bad PhotoShop illustrations than to photography. HDR images that go beyond the human eye’s ability to resolve values – or that just resolve these values differently from the eye – will always look just plain ridiculous.
SS
March 16th, 2008 at 7:50 am
Great Show this week, guys, as always.
Very interesting that you had some comments on HDR. I have been doing some occasional experimenting with HDR since last fall. As you said, Michael, the tonemapping is the major challenge ´and it takes quite some practice to get it right. Also, the post-processing (in Photoshop/elements) is the CRITICAL BIT. I usually set my D200 to do 5 exposures (preferably on tripod, but handheld sometimes works) at -2,-1, 0, +1, +2: this is where exposure bracketing on aperture priority works a treat on the D200. Some folks prefer the artsy shots, some prefer to enhance the clarity of a shot through extended dynamic range. There is a lot of discussion on the forums as to ‘what is real HDR?’. My take: HDR is whatever works for YOU. And never forget that HDR will not make a good shot out of a bad shot! I can recommend a couple of links on how to do it: Stuck in Customs has the best HDR tutorial and also includes a link for a photomatix discount coupon. http://stuckincustoms.com/2006/06/06/548/. Flickr also has a lot of HDR ideas in its HDR group (Joerg Dickmann, James Neeley, are among the best contributors. Pete Carr does some amazing stuff and has a good tutorial in http://www.vanilladays.com/hdr-guide/. Finally, take a look at some of mine – to see what a novice like me can get up to: it’s a lot of fun and has added a brand new dimension to my enjoyment and appreciation of photography – so that has to be a good thing – right? Most, but not all, are HDR: http://www.flickr.com/photos/eldubyer/. That said, I cannot profess to be a good photographer, so don’t dismiss the ‘HDR Craze’ based only on my efforts.
Very much looking forward to hearing your comments and insights as you get into this cool field of digital photography.
Best,
Larry
March 17th, 2008 at 1:31 am
Hey guys, thanks so very much for such a quick response to my “dilemma”! That indeed helped me keep focused on waiting a little more for the “new” 5D. Reason is because I’m more of a low-light, night photographer, and I intend to use the camera for portraits, weddings and night landscape, so I think the 5D will deliver me more for my buck! For a while what I’ll do is rent either the 40D or the 5D for when I need more their proper performances. The lenses I’ve already ordered both, so the fella from the Imaging resource won’t get the 3 grand I’m spending on the lenses!
So, once again, thanks a lot for all the feedback!
March 17th, 2008 at 8:34 pm
Scott:
Not sure you mentioned how we go about entering the contest for XRite’s Eye One Display 2 monitor calibrator? That is an awesome prize you scooped for your listeners! And, of course, I am eager to enter ANY and ALL DPS contests! ILFL! (“I love free loot.”)
March 17th, 2008 at 9:00 pm
Thanks for your comments, all.
SS, on our next show, we talk with an expert about what makes some HDR images look so surreal, and how to control that effect if you’d like to keep them looking more realistic.
I don’t think, though, that just because an image looks hyper-real that it can’t be good – there’s a lot of great impressionistic and abstract art that succeeds. It’d be boring if everything looked like we see it with our eyes. Do you like B&W photography? I have to confess, I think some HDR is AMAZING!
Are we seeing too much HDR right now? Well, it is a hot ticket these days. But something else will come along to capture our imaginations soon enough…(3D photography?). In the meantime, I look forward to playing with HDR myself…it’s one of the few things that might get me to shlep around a tripod!
Larry, I see you’re an HDR fan – I think your shots are brilliant. Really great work. They are works of art in my eyes.
Landya – ARRGGH – my bad! I totally forgot that we talked about a prize from XRite. I’ll think of something. Now you have ANOTHER reason to listen to show 87!
Thanks again for taking the time to write.
March 21st, 2008 at 8:07 pm
Another very inspirational guys – but where is the amazing picture of Michael’s HDR bread?
March 22nd, 2008 at 9:28 am
Hi John,
I tried to indicate my HDR bread was much less than amazing. I simply thought it might be a good opportunity to try out HDR while taking the bread shots because bread holds so much detail and texture. I was curious to see what would happen.
It turned out that I totally over did the effect. I posted a couple of the bread shots which I know won’t be used in the magazine in an HDR gallery on the phanfare site: http://dps.phanfare.com/album/585435/827032
I also posted one example of a somewhat urban landscape at sunset with the original 5 exposures and the resulting HDR to give you an idea of what can done. Also not an amazing photo, but I like the effect, as unreal and unlike the original that it is.
–Michael
March 22nd, 2008 at 11:21 pm
Great show guys! I’m looking forward to seeing photos in the podcast.