Out here in Los Angeles there is a Prophoto Expo this weekend, through Monday, where you can see some of the local companies such as Samy’s Camera and the big boys like Canon and Kodak and LensBabies showing off their new goods. And of course show specials if you’re looking to buy
We took a cruise over to see what we could see.
The best hardware product was this camera bracket, called the JustRite. Honestly, this solved some specific issues we had on assignments. Fit the bill perfectly.

Main features
* Ability to rotate from horizontal to vertical with ease, Clicks in with a secure feel
* Quick release for the camera AND the flash. You can go from the frame to a tripod or monopod (our choice) in seconds without taking off the hardware.
* Feet so you can place setup down and gear remains upright and not laid on it’s side, ready for someone to step on it.
* places for a strobe slave like pocket wizard and /or a battery pack, although a very small one like a Quantum Turbo.Plus the placement of the flash bracket allows you to use a small soft box without affecting the lens view.
* Beautifully machined and made by a professional photographer of 25 years. All of the key features have been designed with the worker in mind.

Overall: smart, versatile, does the right job. Been looking for this for awhile. Perfect for the Event or wedding photographer.
The only downside is that they are not made in mass quantities so you may have to look for it. But you should if this is a tool for your toolbox.
2 versions available so you can choose your versatility. And cost.

Also at this Expo, APPLE was doing demos of the new APERTURE 2.0.
I’m personally a Lightroom guy but there are some new features here that you should look at and consider. Specifically the RAW support and the highlight recovery tool.
Yes, it seems that in the digital photography world there is a real need for highlight recovery.
That was a joke. A small one.
This version is faster. Much faster if you have an Intel multi-core computer. The upgrade is about $100 and will no doubt be discounted. Take a free trial spin though and see what you think. Best bet if you are just checking it out is to NOT import your existing images but use a trial set of images that are backed up in another file.
But you knew that.

This entry was posted on Sunday, February 24th, 2008 at 10:14 am and is filed under Photo News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.