This and That

During the last week:

Eastman Kodak filed for Bankruptcy;

Michael Johnston wrote about the evils of pushing film for no good reason -twice (counting yesterday's addendum);

And I took the following picture of my son and his girlfriend:

Pretty random, huh?

A Couple of Leaves

I told you.  A couple of leaves.  That's it.

Ilford Redefines its Galerie Range of Papers

Yeah, yeah, I know I said this blog was going to be more about me ("me, me, me") this year, but I keep getting word of announcements and events that interest me so I share them.  Here is a press release from Ilford (the digital paper, not the traditional wet darkroom paper and chemical folk who are separate) regarding some re-branding of their paper.

ILFORD REDEFINES ITS GALERIE RANGE; ESTABLISHES PRESTIGE TO MEET THE EXACTING STANDARDS OF PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHERS

Rebranded as ILFORD GALERIE Prestige, the ILFORD GALERIE Lineup Retains Same High-Quality and Permanence Standards, and Adopts a Star Rating System for Instant Classification

Avon, CT & Marly, Switzerland – 17 January, 2012 – ILFORD (http://www.ilford.com), a leading developer and manufacturer of professional quality media for both inkjet printing and color photographic processes, today announced that it is rebranding its popular ILFORD GALERIE range as ILFORD GALERIE Prestige (5*). While the packaging has changed, the media inside remains the same leading inkjet paper that professional photographers rely on to produce breathtaking prints with superior permanence qualities.

The evolution to GALERIE Prestige (5*) paves the way for a series of new product additions to be introduced in 2012 that combines state-of-the-art inkjet technology with in-demand artistic styles. The additions will compliment the already robust line of best-in-class media developed for professional photographers and creative professionals. In addition, the GALERIE range is now categorized in a star rating system, enabling professionals and consumers to quickly recognize the media that best suits their printing needs.

GALERIE Prestige (5*) is developed for professional photographers and imaging professionals who demand high precision and accuracy. The specialty coating provides superior images and consistent results when used with a wide array of printers. This range includes the Gold Fibre Silk, Smooth Pearl and Smooth Gloss that recently received high print permanence ratings from Wilhelm Imaging Research, Inc., the world's leading independent permanence testing laboratory. Smooth Fine Art and Smooth Lustre Duo are also included in the range.

“ILFORD has a long tradition of providing the marketplace with media that delivers perfect images for every style, from traditional portraits to contemporary, highly-saturated commercial images,” said Jane Dixon, Director of Global Marketing for ILFORD.  “With the introduction of ILFORD GALERIE Prestige, both professional photographers and photo enthusiasts can be sure the choices they make will best deliver the print results they desire. In addition, the advanced coatings on all ILFORD media, and on-going development from our in-house research and development team, ensure that all ILFORD media will continue to be compatible with a wide range of printers currently on the market and new printers that will hit the market in the future.”

To further guarantee photographers exact the finest prints from each sheet of ILFORD GALERIE Prestige, and all ranges, detailed instructions for using ICC profiles are available at the ILFORD website.  AReadMe file is available in the profile download section offering intuitive, step-by-step instructions. The carefully defined printer settings, created by technicians on the ILFORD Research and Development team, ensure optimal print results for the entire range.

About ILFORD

Founded in 1879, ILFORD is a leading player in the development and manufacture of photo quality media and other consumables for both inkjet printing and color photographic processes. The worldwide digital imaging and color photographic businesses, which include R&D and manufacturing operations in Switzerland, are owned by Paradigm Global Partners LLP.  ILFORD hosts its U.S. sales operations from its offices in Avon, CT.

The ILFORD name is well established in the history of imaging and today continues to be associated with cutting edge technology thanks to its strong links to the photo imaging marketplace, research and development, technical know-how and manufacturing capabilities.

For more information on ILFORD, please visit http://www.ilford.com/

Free Webcast on Digital Black and White with Harold Davis

Photographer/Writer Harold Davis is featured in a free webcast about digital black and white photography this Thursday, January 19, at 10:00 AM PT (1:00 PM for those like me on ET).  It is based on his book Creative Black and White: Digital Photography Tips and Techniques.  Mr. Davis has written extensively about photography and this is, I think, a great opportunity for some free tips from a master.  You can sign up for the webcast here.  And you can check out his latest book Photographing Flowers: Exploring Macro Worlds with Harold Davis.

I Took the Ricoh GR Digital IV for a Walk at the Lake Today

I have to say that I am really impressed with the quality of this picture from the small sensor.  This shot has had a lot of work in Nik Silver Efex Pro 2 that would amount to probably a hour of dodging and burning in a darkroom.  I probably spent over 20 minutes doing adjustments to get this to look the way I wanted - which is a very long time for me with a digital file these days.  But in the end, it turned out well I think.  The breeze by the water was excruciatingly cold, by the way - especially since we have thus far had a very mild winter.

Sigma Announces New Lenses for Mirrorless Cameras

I have received the following announcement regarding new Sigma lenses for Olympus, Panasonic and Sony E-mount cameras: 

Sigma Corporation of America announces prime lenses for mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras at CES 2012

New lenses and product line designed for Micro Four Thirds, E-mount systems

RONKONKOMA, NY and LAS VEGAS, NV, Jan. 9, 2012 – Sigma Corporation of America today announced the launch of its new line of Micro Four Thirds system and E-mount lenses for mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras from the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2012 in Las Vegas, NV.

The leading researcher, developer, manufacturer and service provider of some of the world’s most impressive lines of lenses, cameras and flashes, has made its entrée into the mirrorless interchangeable lens category with the introduction of its Digital Neo (DN) line, which will first include the 30mm F2.8 EX DN and the 19mm F2.8 EX DN lenses in Micro Four Thirds mounts for Olympus and Panasonic, and E-mount for Sony NEX-series cameras. Pricing and availability are pending.

“The launch of our DN series with two fast prime lenses demonstrates our commitment to being a leader in innovation and quality, and providing photographers with excellent choices for lenses in this exciting new camera category," said Mark Amir-Hamzeh, president of Sigma Corporation of America. “Sigma lenses empower photographers to be more creative with their photography, and we’re absolutely thrilled to be embarking on this new journey with products for mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras for Micro Four Thirds and NEX mount systems."

The Sigma DN line of high-performance lenses is designed exclusively for mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras. This lens design and technology ensures high optical performance and compact, lightweight construction. The DN lenses’ superior telecentric optical design also assures sharp- and high-resolution image quality across the entire image plane.

The 30mm F2.8 EX DN and the 19mm F2.8 EX DN lenses are both equipped with Sigma’s Super Multi-Layer Coating to reduce flare and ghosting, while providing sharp and high-contrast images, even at the maximum aperture. The lenses also benefit from a newly developed linear autofocus (AF) motor, which moves the lens unit directly without the need for gears or the drive of other mechanical parts. This system ensures accurate and quiet autofocusing, making both the 30mm F2.8 EX DN and the 19mm F2.8 EX DN suitable for video recording as well as still photos.

·        The Sigma 30mm F2.8 EX DN has the equivalent angle of view of a 60mm lens (35mm equivalent focal length) on the Micro Four Thirds system and 45mm (35mm equivalent focal length) on the E-mount system. It has a minimum focusing distance of 11.8 inches and a maximum magnification ratio of 1:8.1. The 30mm F2.8 EX DN has two glass mold aspherical lenses, including a double-sided aspherical lens, to provide excellent correction for all types of aberration, as well as an inner focusing system that corrects the fluctuation of aberration to maintain image quality regardless of the focal distance. It also features a rounded, seven-blade diaphragm to deliver a smooth rendering of the out-of-focus areas of the image.

·        The Sigma 19mm F2.8 EX DN is a wide angle lens with the equivalent angle of view of a 38mm (35mm equivalent focal length) on the Micro Four Thirds system and 28.5mm (35mm equivalent focal length) on the E-mount system. It has a minimum focusing distance of 7.9 inches and a maximum magnification ratio of 1:7.4. Three glass mold aspherical lenses provide excellent correction for distortion, color aberration and field curvature, and an inner focusing system corrects the fluctuation of aberration to maintain image quality regardless of the focal length. The 19mm F2.8 EX DN lens features a rounded, seven-blade diaphragm, which ensures smooth rendering of the out-of-focus areas of the image.

Sigma Corporation of America is exhibiting at CES 2012 this week in the Las Vegas Convention Center’s Central Hall, booth 8960. For information about Sigma Corporation of America, visit www.sigmaphoto.com, or follow the company on Twitter and Facebook.

About Sigma Corporation

For more than 50 years, Sigma Corporation’s expertise and innovation has driven the company’s core philosophy of “knowledge, plus experience, plus imagination,” with an emphasis on producing high-quality, high-performance photographic technology at moderate prices. This family-owned organization is the largest, independent SLR lens manufacturer in the world, producing more than 40 lenses that are compatible with most manufacturers, including Sigma, Canon, Sony, Nikon, Olympus, Panasonic and Pentax. Sigma Corporation also produces digital SLR cameras and high-definition digital compact cameras. The company is headquartered in Japan, with offices strategically located throughout Europe, Asia and North America. For information, please visit www.sigmaphoto.com.  

Of Irony and Coincidence

Hey, a color picture on a site called Better in Black and White.  Irony or coincidence?

Irony, of course.  But I post this because there seems to be widespread confusion on the meaning of the two words.  I am always hearing, or reading, folks saying things like "How ironic that we have bumped into each other three times today," or "Ironically I sat behind Ashley Judd at the UK ballgame last night."  No, those are probably just coincidences.  The first might be ironic if we absolutely loathe each other and have sworn to never be in the same room again.   The second might be ironic if there is a restraining order against you being within 500 yards of Ashley Judd.  But the real irony, besides the fact that there is little to no irony to be found in Alanis Morisette's song "Ironic," is that so many don't seem to know the definition of the word.  You can find out some rules for distinguishing "irony" from "coincidence" here.