In Focus Blog

Nik Software Demo Day 11 – 4 pm, Sat, Sept 25

Two presentations – 11:00 am – 12:15 pm and 2:00 – 3:15 pm

Nik Software Tools, Techniques and Tips for creating your best digital images.

Join us as we explore the various uses and applications of Nik Software within a digital workflow. This seminar will discuss how editing and retouching images can be fun, easy and enjoyable, and result in greater creativity coming through in your photography.

The class will begin with a basic introduction to Nik Software’s collection of plug-ins for Photoshop and proceed through demonstrations of their specific uses. Attendees of this seminar will learn how to trouble shoot images and correctly solve them with the proper Nik Software product.

Nik Software, Inc. is a privately held company that develops software solutions for the growing digital imaging and photography markets. Established in 1995, Nik Software has become the recognized leader in digital photographic filter development and produces award-winning technology and software products for digital photography and imaging professionals including U Point® technology, Dfine®, Viveza®, Color Efex Pro, Silver Efex Pro, and Sharpener Pro software.

Presentations at 11am or 2pm choose one on your registration form

Exploring HDR Photography with Nik Software’s HDR Efex Pro

Join Victor Ha of Nik Software as he reveals the technology and creative possibilities behind Nik Software’s latest creation: software for high dynamic range (HDR) imaging!  Victor will explain the techniques of how to properly shoot HDR for the best results, and then demonstrate an exciting new software product for creating realistic to artistic HDR images.  The software is easy-to-use and has been designed for photographers of all levels, with one-click style presets as well as powerful and innovative controls for advanced editing and experimentation.  Join us as we explore the photographic possibilities of HDR!

Nik Software, Inc. is a privately held company that develops software solutions for the growing digital imaging and photography markets. Established in 1995, Nik Software has become the recognized leader in digital photographic filter development and produces award-winning technology and software products for digital photography and imaging professionals including U Point® technology, Dfine®, Viveza®, Color Efex Pro™, Silver Efex Pro™, and Sharpener Pro™ software.

About the Photographer

Victor Ha, Nik Software’s Channel Sales Assistant Manager, is a former professional photographer of 8 years. A transplanted Californian just recently relocated to New York, he has spent the past three years presenting Nik Software to photographers in the US, Canada and Australia. Well-versed in the demands of today’s working professional, Victor takes a very practical approach in applying Nik Software to his workflow and showing others how they can incorporate elements of his workflow within their own.

Please choose one session to attend ( presentations will be the same)

Adobe has release Adobe Camera Raw version 6.2 to accommodate several newer digital cameras and lots of updated lens profiles. Downloads for MAC and PC available from Adobe Labs.

New lens based distortion correction for geometric distortions, chromatic aberration and lens vignette effects. Includes full manual as well as the abiltiy to create your own automatic lens profiles with the free Adobe Lens Profile Creator. This tool can be a real time saver when corrections for common lens errors can be automatically applied based on image EXIF informaiton.

Newly supported camera models include:

• Casio EXILIM EX-FH100 (DNG^*)
• Leica S2 (DNG^*)
• Panasonic DMC-FZ100
• Panasonic DMC-FZ40 (FZ45)
• Panasonic DMC-LX5
• Pentax 645D
• Samsung NX10
• Samsung TL500 (EX1)
• Sony A290
• Sony A390
• Sony Alpha NEX-3
• Sony Alpha NEX-5

View the complete list of changes to ACR on the Abobe Labs webpage

Adobe Labs is currently beta testing Adobe Camera Raw Release Candidate version 6.1 to accommodate Photoshop CS5 and several newer digital cameras. This is an Adobe Labs beta product so there can be some issues but for someone who’s just purchased a new camera without current Adobe Camera Raw support, you may want to give it a try. Rest assured though a full tested version will be released soon. If you’d like to try the beta software visit the Adobe Labs Camera Raw page for this download. Please feel free to offer you feedback on this beta product by using the link from the Adobe Labs Camera Raw page listed above.

New lens based distortion correction for geometric distortions, chromatic aberration and lens vignette effects. Includes full manual as well as the abiltiy to create your own automatic lens profiles with the free Adobe Lens Profile Creator. This tool can be a real time saver when corrections for common lens errors can be automatically applied based on image EXIF informaiton. Lens Profile Creator looks a bit complicated so I’ll post someting more once I have had a chance to experiment.

Newly supported camera models include:

After watching the CS5 anouncement (still available for viewing) on Monday I have to say that I was quite impressed with what they’ve included in this update. In the past 10 years, more than one update to Photoshop initially left us wondering what’s this update all about and why did I just spend another $159! Every time after a month or two of using the new tools I’ve wound up impressed and was once again a strong supporter of Photoshop. CS5 looks amazing right out of the gate and that’s before I have even had a chance to use the program.  Abby from Bergen County Camera recently visited Photoshop World in Orlando and was among many industry experts and beta testers of Photoshop CS5 who as a group were impressed with CS5. (Abby’s Photoshop World Post)

Here’s a few things that I think will make this a super upgrade out of the box. These features are really a jump from CS4 and in the words of Adobe – “Eye bleeding cool”

• Smart radius for edge detection when making a selection
• Content aware fill – Remove a horse or any object from an image and CS will intuitively rebuild the background from available image information! Wow!
• When using any kind of a stroke – CS5 will let you vary the width at any point you choose.
• CS Review – a new add on feature that lets you share your work for comments online with other CS5 users
• New improved natural and realistic painting tools
• All new 64-bit Raw processing engine
• All new merge to HDR Pro – with subtle controls to choose parts of the image and make adjustments within this powerful automatic workflow. You will even be able to automatically fix ghosting as in the case of trees in a breeze moving between your HGR shots. You will also be able to use these new HDR tools on a single image as well.
• New improved sharpen and de-mosaic filters
• Better noise reduction – remove luminance noise and add film like grain and more
• Automation of Lens correction based on file EXIF information. For example you could fix all chromatic abberation with your lens at f2.8 and have every image automatically adjusted on import. The same would be true for vignetting or any other lens correction option in the program. For rare lenses not in the original release, Adobe will rely on online reporting and will post EXIF corrections for these lenses as well.

Photshop CS5 looks amazing and everyone at BCC is looking forward to its mid May arrival. We will stock upgrade versions for both PC and MAC (newer Intel based MAC’s only) If you have any questions or comments email or comment here – Thanks!

Two weeks ago I went to Photoshop World in Orlando.  With the nice weather we’ve been having lately you would think I’d be outside soaking it up.  But instead, I’ve been glued to my computer trying all the new techniques I learned.  I went down on Tuesday for a pre conference workshop with Richard Harrington on shooting video with a DSLR.  We filmed a Celtic rock band called Seven Nations.   The next three days were filled with Photoshop and Lightroom classes given by great instructors like Scott Kelby, Katrin Eisman and Rick Sammon (to name a few.)  My brain is full! 

During the opening keynote we got a sneak peak at CS5, the new version of Photoshop that comes out on April 12^th.  Looks like they’ve packed this upgrade with a lot of exciting new features!  The content aware fill is going to save me so much time when retouching photos I might actually get to go enjoy some of this beautiful weather!

Also while I was in Orlando, Adobe released Lightroom 3 Beta 2.  Some exciting new features are the ability to shoot tethered, DSLR video management and noise reduction (that really works!)   I just started using Lightroom recently and now I can’t live without it!  Shooting and processing RAW files is so easy, it has really streamlined my workflow.

At Bergen County Camera we’re really excited about the upcoming release of Adobe Photoshop CS5. Abby our digital imaging specialist was recently at Photoshop World (a full post on this in a few days) in Orlando, Florida and everything she heard about Photoshop CS5 points to an awesome upgrade.

Register with Adobe to be the first to learn about CS5
Adobe’s first look web event is Monday April 12, 11 am EST – register for Adobe CS5 preview at the Adobe CS5 preview site. Reserve your spot now! This event will preview all the latest and greatest features and should last about 30 minutes.

Once we get our upgrade we’ll do a full review.

Adobe Labs is currently beta testing Adobe Camera Raw Release Candidate version 5.7 to accommodate several newer digital cameras. This is an Adobe Labs beta product so there can be some issues but for someone who’s just purchased a new camera without current Adobe Camera Raw support, you may want to give it a try. Rest assured though a full tested version will be released soon. If you’d like to try the beta software visit the Adobe Labs Camera Raw page for this download. Please feel free to offer you feedback on this beta product by using the link from the Adobe Labs Camera Raw page listed above.

Newly supported camera models include:

• Canon EOS 550D (Digital Rebel T2i/ EOS Kiss X4 Digital)
• Kodak Z981
• Leaf Aptus-II 8
• Leaf Aptus-II 10R
• Mamiya DM40
• Olympus E-PL1
• Panasonic G2
• Panasonic G10
• Sony A450

Adobe Labs is currently beta testing Adobe Camera Raw version 5.6 to accommodate several newer digital cameras. This is an Adobe Labs beta product so there can be some issues but for someone who’s just purchased a new camera without current Adobe Camera Raw support, you may want to give it a try. Rest assured though a full tested version will be released soon. If you’d like to try the beta software visit the Adobe Labs Camera Raw page for this download. Please feel free to offer you feedback on this beta product by using the link from the Adobe Labs Camera Raw page listed above.

• Canon EOS 7D
• Canon PowerShot G11
• Canon PowerShot S90
• Leaf Aptus II 5
• Mamiya DM22, DM28, DM33, DM56, M18, M22, M31
• Nikon D3s
• Olympus E-P2
• Pentax K-x
• Panasonic FZ38
• Sigma DP1s
• Sony A500
• Sony A550
• Sony A850

If you like being on the cutting edge with your favorite imaging programs, Adobe Labs is giving you an opportunity to try Lightroom 3. Just released to beta testers, version 3 is promising a better import feature, easier file management, publishing to photo-sharing sites, better shareable slideshows with audio, watermarking and more control over custom print packages. As with any beta program there can be unforeseen issues so be sure to have a complete backup before installing. Adobe Labs welcomes and appreciates your feedback – a driving force to get the functionality that the users are looking for in the release version.

You can get the download from the Adobe Labs Lightroom page. Have Fun!

Adobe Labs is currently beta testing Adobe Camera Raw version 5.5 to accommodate several newer digital cameras. This is an Adobe Labs beta product so there can be some issues but for someone who’s just purchased a new Nikon D300s, D3000, or Olympus E-P1 you may want to give it a try. Rest assured though a full tested version will be released soon. If you’d like to try the beta software visit the Adobe Labs Camera Raw page for this beta software download.

• Nikon D300s
• Nikon D3000
• Olympus E-P1
• Panasonic DMC-FZ35