Now Hear This

This is the news for today, Thursday the 2nd of August.


1. New Cullmann tripods and kits have arrived in stock. The new Magic Systempod and Magic Monopod are perfect for travellers as they will fit into your suitcase or backpack but still unfold when required for full-height camera support. The new Flexx kits in either small or large size are amied at tabletop and studio workers as well as those people who pursue macro work out in the filed - they hold cameras, lights, and in some cases subjects steady.

2. Peak camera clips are in store right now. These are adjustable belt clips that house a quick-release mechanism that holds a small Arca plate. You can fasten them onto a regular waist belt or onto the straps of a backpack and depend cameras, lenses, and flashes therefrom. You free up your neck and hands to do other things -  particularly valuable if you are a photojournalist who enjoys riots. You can throw a petrol bomb or half brick while keeping your valuable camera safe. Also recommended for kindergarten teachers.

3. Epson is offering you an opportunity to either confuse yourself immeasurable or make your life simple and grand - depending upon your own approach to the business.  I am referring to their free bonus reward for purchasers of Epson Stylus Photo R2000, R2880, and R3000 inkjet printers. Epson will slip you a Datacolor Spyder4 Pro colour calibrator upon a redemption claim during period from the 1st of August to the 31st of October.

The Spyder4 Pro is the latest in a long line of very effective tools for regulating your digital life. It lets you have your monitor exactly right once a month despite heat, age, and cosmic rays. You get to see what you are actually doing and if you then set up your new Epson printer to reflect this you can go from idea to screen to print with consistency. Note: if your eyes are wonky, you can set up your system to get an accurate and consistent wonk that reflects your own vision of the world. If you are Picasso you can become very rich selling this wonk.

Nevertheless, buy an Epson, calibrate your screen with the free Spyder, and enjoy your photography. I have, and I do.

4. Eizo make some of the best monitors there is. Are. Was. Well, anyway they are consistent, evenly lighted, long lived, matte screened, and generally look after themselves no matter what you display on them. They have a new range aimed at all segments of the business:

a. The CG series - these go on from the current ColorEdge lineup and are aimed at the press, pro, video editing world. They are self calibrating with a very wide colour space and even include presets for common broadcast standards. There is to be a 27-inch and a 24.1-inch.

b. The CX series. Mid-range target for pros and prosumers...dreadful word that...with an inbuilt self correction sensor that will maintain the calibration that you do with an external colourimeter. Apparently it covers most of the Adobe RGB colour space. You can get calibration software and a hood as optional extras. Again comes in 27-inch and 24.1-inch.

c. The CS series. Entry-level users who work in the sRGB colour space will like this one. It's got that self correction sensor of the CX series. 23-inch size for this one.

With the CG and CX, waiting time for stability of display is reduced from 30 minutes to 7 minutes and there is a new uniformity equalizer that keeps the colour temperature and brightness stable even if there is a change in the ambient temperature of the environment. This means you can go outside with them and still judge accurately what you are doing.

Note that the Eizo people warrant these things for 5 years or 30,000 hours. Plenty of time to get your holiday snaps done, even if you went away for two weeks instead of one...

Now, folks, that's the news for the day. Please write to us here at CE and tell us if you want this sort of blog coverage in future - abbreviated points rather than separate essays - and we will try to accommodate whatever you decide upon.