Nikon issues service advisory on D600's dust issue

There have been numerous complaints about dust and dirt accumulation on the camera's sensor for Nikon's D800 and D600 cameras.  I have personally heard owners of D800 cameras say they had them serviced and I have read one specific review of a repaired D800 saying that the Nikon service guys were just using duct tape to solve the dust issue with pictures of the camera after it had been serviced.  Well now Nikon issued an advice for all affected camera owners to have their camera serviced mentioning specifically the D600 model. Here's the service advisory from Nikon's European Site.

Nikon announces the D7100

 Melville, NY (February 20, 2013) – Nikon Inc. today announced the D7100, the HD-SLR that ushers in a new era of DX-format image quality and functionality for the experienced shooter and photo enthusiast. The lightweight Nikon D7100 has an impressive array of intuitive features and controls bolstered by rapid performance and a robust feature set that includes a new 24.1-megapixel CMOS sensor, Nikon’s 51-point AF system and wireless connectivity.

Nikos Ifantis to win PTTL best photo contest

I was very happy to be informed that another good friend of mine won the first prize with his impressive photo on PTTL.  Nikos Ifantis is a photographer with a very good eye when it comes to taking a photo.  With Nikos we are good internet friends and we met in person some years ago at a photo exhibition back in 2009 and later again in 2011. His unique perspective makes the images as if they were shot in a parallel universe, where you can't see what he sees even if you are looking at the same direction. 

Birdie, birdie please stand still!!

Shooting birds is not an easy task (and I don't mean just shooting them down with a rifle!).  The birds can rarely stand still for a second and these few seconds are when the action starts for most photographers. Having the proper combination of equipment also helps to freeze motion a bit, maybe raise the ISO, lower the aperture and remove all filters from the lens.  But have you ever wondered what really makes the shot?

Ancient Messini in 2012

I just could not miss "portes" of Mavromati in my last visit to the area. A pleasant ascent in green and quietness, that every time I drive through I find it even more beautiful than the last time, or I have more and more the need to get lost in the green embrace of nature…

Karytaina April 2011

Karytaina is a village and a community in Arcadia, Greece. It was the seat of the former municipality Gortyna. in 2001 Karytaina had a population of 204 for the village and 257 for the community, which includes the villages Kalyvakia and Karvounaris. Karytaina is situated on a hill on the right bank of the river Alfeios, near its confluence with the Lousios. The Frankish Castle of Karytaina was built on a steep rocky outcrop in 1245 by Hugues de Bruyères. During Frankish domination (13th-15th century) its name was Skorta.

Davelis Cave, 2011

Davelis Cave is a well-known cave in Penteli, a mountain to the north of Athens, Greece. Davelis Cave was brought to light around the 5th century BC. The surrounding area was used as a marble quarry by the builders of the Acropolis, and the cave was discovered by chance, during works for the extraction of marble.

Rafina July 2011

Rafina is a town located on the eastern coast of Attica in Greece. It has a population of 10,701 inhabitants (2001 census). Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Rafina-Pikermi, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit.

Archaeological Museum of Kalamata in 2011

The museum building is located at the heart of the historic center of Kalamata, where the Municipal Market of the city used to be, a place that was bustling with merchants and shoppers every day. 

Ancient Messini

Messini was an ancient city in Messinia prefecture in the southwest section of Peloponissos. It is located next to Mavromati village. 

Vasilis Protopapas 2nd place in dpreview challenge

With a photo submitted at Wednesday 30th January 2013, Greek photographer (and internet friend) Vasilis Protopapas scored 2nd place at dpreview challenge with theme "Stone Bridges". 

Tokina exhibits 70-200mm F4 FX and 12-28mm F4 DX lenses at CP+

Tokina has announced it will be exhibiting two soon-to-be-released lenses at the CP+ trade show in Japan. The AT-X 70-200 F4 PRO FX VCM-S is a telephoto zoom that's designed for use on both full frame and APS-C SLRs, and features both optical image stabilisation and a ring-type ultrasonic autofocus motor with full-time manual override. 

Neda, then and now...

Neda is a river of Peloponnisos at the frontier of Ilia and Messinia. It flows from Mount Lykaion, westward and into the Ionian Sea, between the shores of Kyparissia and Zacharo. Its length is 32 km.

Nature closeups

When I last visited my hometown, it was only a matter of time until I hit the fields near my village.  I was thinking about taking some macro shots of nature such as mushroom and fungus related and I just waited for the right time to come, preferable after a small rain.  The weather was cloudy and the light not adequate for a crisp handheld shot at desirable values.  I had to use an upper ISO value of 800 and I witnessed the shutter speed dropping at just above 1/25 with many shots requiring 1/40.

Marianna "Furry"

By the time I arrived at Kalamata, Marianna and I had already planned a photo shooting with the general idea of a "furry" theme.  The weather was better than fine and after deciding the type of clothing and type of accessories to bring with us, all we had to do was find a place to start shooting.  We decided that it was a good idea to head for Kapetanakis tower near Sotirianika village, not far from Kalamata.  So we headed, fully equipped and with lots of ideas.

Nikon D5200, 24MP DSLR with 39-point AF gets US launch

THE ARTISTS' MODERN MUSE: THE NIKON D5200 INSPIRES USERS TO CAPTURE CREATIVELY

Las Vegas, CES Booth #8643 (January 7, 2013) – Today, Nikon Inc. announced the U.S. availability of the Nikon D5200, a camera that provides the imaginative features and D-SLR versatility needed to fulfill any creative vision through stunning imagery and Full HD video. Whether new to D-SLR shooting, or for those simply ready to step-up to a higher level of photography, the 24.1-megapixel D5200 will inspire new ways to capture with an easy-to-use interface, in-camera Special Effects and creative modes, plus the ability to share wirelessly in an instant. 

Christmas in Kalamata

Sunny Christmas in Kalamata, the weather was good and the nights a bit chilly.  The town was decorated with few, but beautiful lights.  The truth is that the decorations were not as much because of the low cost budget at the time of economic crisis in Greece,  but people were not letting this to restrict them to their houses.

Christmas in Athens

Would I spend Christmas in Athens?  Well…yes and no.  You see, I am a countryside person; I don’t like crowds and stupid events that cost a lot of money.  I would prefer buying some food for the poor man next door and maybe a stroll in a high mountain from time to time.  

Mikrolimano, Piraeus December 2012

It is mid-December and it had been a while since my last photo shooting.  You might not get it, but for us photographers (and by the term I don’t mean the business-oriented fellows with no fantasy that only raise their camera just for money) this is far too long.  I was in the mood for a good photo and I would do almost anything to get one.  I did my research and had a couple of locations in my mind.  Being mostly a landscape photographer I had some difficulty in finding something “nice” in the city.  I know that it was almost Christmas and the city was decorated with all the lights the economic crisis allowed to glow, but I found it ordinary and overused.  At last I decided to head for Mikrolimano in Piraeus, a little marina full of light and opportunities.  

Bokeh Christmas Images Ideas

Christmas time has come and now it's the time to create great images using your creativity.  All type of lenses can be used for these shots, your imagination is the only barrier. There are many ways and tutorials out there and I have selected my favorite ones and when done right the results will amaze you.

Neohori Ithomis blog

It was asked and here it is: The link for my other blog for Neohori Ithomis (near Meligala). It will be a permanent link under About me section.

The blog is scheduled to feature photographs and articles about the area and people there.  I am responsible for the photographic part and also writing some words when it is needed.

Exposing to the Right

 
by Elliot Hook

source: digital-photography-school 

Exposing to the right (often referred to as ETTR) is a technique that seems to polarize opinions across the internet so you can find plenty of examples of people supporting its use and an equal number of people claiming it adds no value.  The principles of the technique however do hold value and are valid to consider when out taking images.  As it is a technique that I regularly employ when photographing landscapes I wanted to share the reasoning behind it, and show an example of the benefit it can bring.

Adobe Announces HiDPI Support in Lightroom 4.3 and Camera Raw 7.3 Release Candidates

Press Release:

Adobe Announces HiDPI Support in Lightroom 4.3 and Camera Raw 7.3 Release Candidates

Adobe today announced the availability of Lightroom 4.3 and Camera Raw 7.3 release candidates on Adobe Labs. The Lightroom 4.3 Release Candidate includes support for HiDPI displays within the Develop Module, and both updates add raw file support for the following cameras:

06-08-2012 August 2012 continued part 2

 I got up early that day. Summer had begun for me since these were the first days of my summer vacation. I had an urge to go out and see the environment, the sea, the white fishing boats, island things although I was in Kalamata. I knew the place for the photos I had in my mind so I drove my car some 20 kilometers out of the city in small village called Kitries. 

An amazing sunset and lots of luck!!!

06-11-2012: It was early November and I had watched only one wonderful sunrise so far.  I did not have my camera with me as a matter of fact, so it is like it never happened! I know that the most anticipated skies show up between 20 of October and 20 of November (give or take a few days), so every now and then I had my mind on the sky when the sun went down in the afternoon or up in the morning.  I don’t know if this kind of sunset had eluded me those days, but this sunset in particular, seen with my own eyes, was something I will never forget. Such red and yellow tones in the sky I had rarely seen in my life! Well maybe once before many years from the same spot, but that’s another archived story…

August wonders continued...

Ok I admit it! I got lost! I was searching for a country road that would lead me to a lonely beach, a secret beach. But as I found out, it was so secret that even with my GPS I could not find it, even though I was viewing the area map! The excursion started when I saw a beach on Google earth maps that seemed like a good opportunity for photographs. You see, I like scouting roads when I have nothing to do and want to shoot (with my camera) someplace that has rarely been shot before. I drew the road with my hand on the digital map and made sure I copied the coordinates in my GPS. But the result was a dead end road and I had to return. I took some photos of the route because of the stunning colors that my polarized filter made impressive, though.

Nikon unveils 24.1MP D5200 DSLR with optional Wi-Fi

Amsterdam, the Netherlands, 6 November 2012: Nikon introduces the latest D-SLR to its mid-range DX-format line-up, the 24.1 megapixel Nikon D5200, designed to bring out your creative side. From beautiful still photos to smooth Full HD movies, this camera empowers your freedom of expression, letting you capture your own unique view of the world.

Marina Gurevich, Product Manager for Nikon Europe, says: “The inspiring Nikon D5200 is ideal for those who are passionate about photography and want to experiment with the camera’s superior features. The impressive image and movie quality alongside a versatile vari-angle LCD monitor lets users unlock their creative potential.” 

Canon EOS 300D What a piece of equipment!!!

We could argue for days for the reasons why I started with Canon and not with Nikon system, but I’ll just say it was by chance and not by selection. It started like this: I browsed e-bay for a while, searching for a camera update from my OLYMPUS 2-mpixel gadget at an affordable price. You see, cameras in Greece were a bit overpriced for my almost empty pockets. I had recently got hold of a Canon EOS 300D at some store in Greece priced around 1400 euros. I browsed the menus, but nothing more. I knew the power of interchangeable lenses, but didn’t have the money or the need to buy such an expensive present to myself for Christmas. 

2005-2007 Post Processing couldn't be simpler

With the coming of PaintShopPro, Photoshop, ACDSEE and other programs in that time, post processing couldn’t get much simpler. In PaintShopPro there were many variations of the same photo to choose from and if you could neglect the fact that it only worked with 8-bit photos at that time, the results were impressive. 

Adobe releases Camera Raw 7.2 and Lightroom 4.2

Adobe has released the final versions of Adobe Camera Raw 7.2 and Lightroom 4.2. The latest updates bring finalized support for 21 additional cameras, including the Sony A99 and RX100, the Fujifilm X-E1 and the Canon EOS M. Lightroom gains tethering support for 11 cameras, including the Nikon D800 and Canon EOS 5D Mark III. It also adds support for 'Albums' in its uploader to the Revel service. Updates are available through the in-software update systems.

Both updates also provides preliminary support for the Nikon D600. A footnote on Adobe's Lightroom blog explains: "The support for Nikon D600 is preliminary and there is a minor risk that the appearance of your images may change when the final support for Nikon D600 is available in an upcoming release."