A few interesting links about Photography, Technology, Social Media, and Gadgets that I’ve come across recently. Some are smart, some are funny, and some are just plain dumb, but they are all interesting for one reason or another. Have a look and let me know what you think:

• Radiation Chart
  Curious about how much radiation the people of Japan have been exposed to lately, and how it compares to other radiation sources? Here's an interesting chart that shows the relative levels…
• Sharing a Concern with You
  Do you think you might need a Canon or Nikon lens or camera body anytime soon? Buy it now…
• Finally: My Faux-Mat Photoshop Script is Out
  I've been waiting for this to come out for quite awhile too. Faux mats made easy…
• Adobe Lightroom 3.4 and Camera Raw 6.4 Release Candidates Available
  This update finally fixes the problem of the folder hierarchy collapsing to closed when you add a new folder. Thank you!
• Is your website too slow?
  Google considers website speed as part of their algorithm for search results. Faster = Better!
• How Much Faster is an SSD Drive?
• Captivating Color: A Guide to Dramatic Color Photography
  A new e-book from Digital Photography School by award-winning photographer Mitchell Kanashkevich that “shows you how to see color—and use it to create stunning photographs”

I get questions about cameras all the time from friends and associates. Some of them come up regularly enough that i like to answer them in a public forum. Here’s the latest….

QUESTION:

After comparing my point and shoot photos to some slr ones, I think I’m ready to make a move. However, I hate the clunkiness of those babies.

What do you think of 4/3′s cameras?? The Sony NEX 3 looks good.

MY ANSWER:

The problem with all of these micro cameras is that they are small. Really small, yet not as small as a point and shoot. Now almost any SLR will result in better image quality than almost any P&S, but in this case is it really that much better than something that also has the convenience of slipping into your pocket?

I’m not big on micros and i think if you’re going to get an SLR then get an SLR. If not, get a P&S (or use your phone camera). They are small, have very few external buttons (which makes changing settings a pain in the ass), and they don’t have viewfinders (so to focus you’re holding them out at arms length to see the LCD, which leads to camera shake and blurry pictures).

Specifically with the NEX cameras there are three problems:

1. It’s a first generation device and historically those almost always have problems
2. It’s a brand new lens system that doesn’t work with any other Sony cameras, or any of the 4/3 cameras. That sucks and will result in more expensive new lenses and lower resale value on used lenses.
3. They’ve gone away from the camera body based stabilization system (which has been a huge advantage for Sony over Canon and Nikon since it allows stabilization with any lens) and moved to a brand new in-lens stabilization system. This is kind of a hybrid of 1 and 2 above, but it’s still a problem.

I would suggest that if you want an SLR, but don’t want to spend a ton of money, then buy the cheapest and smallest Canon or Nikon you can buy. If not then buy a really good P&S like the Canon S95.

If you’re really set on a micro then l would look at an Olympus or a Panasonic. They have interchangeable lenses that work with any other 4/3 camera, and they are all on at least the second generation hardware and therefore have proven technology.

This is of course all just my opinion, but that’s what you asked for!

A few interesting links about Photography, Technology, Social Media, and Gadgets that I’ve come across recently. Some are smart, some are funny, and some are just plain dumb, but they are all interesting for one reason or another. Have a look and let me know what you think? (NOTE – I haven’t updated this in a long time, so some of these are pretty old. They’re still good though!)

• I Wished I had Watched This Video Before Last Tuesday….
  Scott Kelby provides an interesting link to a video on how to photograph college basketball. It’s worth a watch if you photograph sports at all.
• Facing the changes: Facebook’s new pages
  Facebook has recently rolled out major changes to the design of its Pages.
• Black, White, Red, Blue, & Green Seamless
  Inexpensive option for seamless paper. If only it came in wider widths.
• I’m Reminded Once Again: You’re Probably Paying too Much for Cables
  You know you're in trouble when they offer "Financing" for your HDMIcable!
• OnOne Software Giving Away Free Templates & Graphics
• I Just Became An UPstrap Fan
  I've used an UpStrap for years and it really is great. I prefer my home made sling strap (R-Strap) now, but the up-strap still has its uses.
• DIY Portable Wedding Photo Booth
  I've wanted to build something like this for awhile now. This is a pretty cool idea!
• Trick Mobile Sites, View The Desktop Version Instead On Android! | Android in Canada Blog
  Web sites that force me to use a mobile version of the site on my phone withouts providing any option to see the full version of the site drive me nuts. Here's a way to fix that on Android!s
• Have Camera Will Travel: Forget about the big steps in your photography career
  Becoming a photographer is generally a series of small steps. If you sit around and wait for one massive leap (ie. the Big Break) it probably won't happen. Instead you should work hard everyday and make your own Big Break…
• Capture 720P HD With Any LiveView Capable Canon Camera | DIYPhotography.net
  Here's a way to use any Canon camera that has Live View mode to record 720p HD video, even if it doesn't actually have a movie mode. Of course the camera will have to be tethered to a computer, but that's pretty easy to do.
• Ethan Meleg – Nature Photography Blog: Photo Van conversion – phase 1 (screens)
  Now this is a serious nature photographer. He needs screens in the windows and doors of his vehicle to keep the bugs out while out on photo expeditions…

  EAVB_WMUMVHNMEY

• Presetpond | A Community for Sharing Lightroom and Aperture Presets
  A brand new resource for free user-created Lightroom presets. There are lots of great Lightroom presets out there, but this site makes it EASY to find them. And to share them.
• Jeffrey Friedl's Blog » New Writeup: Analysis of Lightroom JPEG Export Quality
  The most comprehensive look at what Lightroom does when exporting images to JPG that has ever been written. Interesting, but your mileage definitely varies between images.
• Lightroom – Exposure vs. Brightness | Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Killer Tips
  Matt Kloskowski has a great comparison of the Brightness and Exposure sliders in Lightroom. In summary, exposure affects the entire image, brightness changes only the midtones without touching the highlights or the shadows.
• How to Photograph Dragonflies (free eBook!) | PhotoNaturalist
  Free eBook on photographing Dragonflies. The information presented is very useful for any other small and beautiful item you might wish to capture as well…